A Child's Prayer

"A Child's Prayer," p. 12 - 13, is one of my favorite songs that the children sing.  It is so sincere and the children sing it with such love.  The duet is beautiful and with practice, the children sing it beautifully.

I try to teach the most difficult part or section of a song first so we can sing it the most in the learning process.

2nd verse: Make word prompts for each phrase. Several pictures of a child praying helps the non-readers stay focused.

• "Pray"
• "Speak"
• "You are His Child"
• "Love"
• "Hears"
• "Loves"
• "Kingdom"

1st verse: I teach this in 2 parts - the question and feeling part, and the teaching part.

• 1st phrase - draw a question mark (?) on the board or paper (large enough for the children to recognize)
• 2nd phrase - picture of a child praying
• 3rd phrase - picture of Jesus teaching the disciples
• 4th phrase - picture of Jesus with children

When the children can sing either verse well, try the duet.  I like to ask an older child to sing with one side of the primary and I sing with the other side.  Then we switch sides so everyone gets a chance to sing both parts as a duet.

On of the challenges is that the first verse always has pick-up notes where as the 2nd verse begins on the down beat.  Always bring in the group singing the 1st verse and then the 2nd verse on the down beat.

Dare to do Right

Doing what is right can sometimes be hard for all of us. "Dare to do Right," p.158, is the perfect song to help us all find the courage to do what is right.

This song can be taught  by singing one phrase and having the children repeat it 3 times.  Then sing the next phrase and do the same thing.  Put both phrases together.

• Start by singing the whole song.
• Tell them that we sing "dare" several times.  Ask them to count how many times it is sung as you sing the song once more. (20 times, counting the chorus twice)
• "Dare to be right" is always first.
• "dare to be true" is second.
• Ask them to listen for the rhyming words.
• true and do
• well and tell
• true and your
• faith and death (not the best rhyme though)
• You can have the children stand when they sing "right" and sit when they sing "true."

*Always try to teach all the verses.  All verses were written for a purpose.

I Love to See the Temple

Teaching children about the Temple is important.  "I Love to See the Temple," p. 95.  Both verses are important as they explain why and what we do in the Temple.

I like the rhyming words at the end of each phrase.  This can help the children (and adults) learn the words.

• Make word strips of the rhyming words and put them on the board in no order.
• Sing the song and see how many words the children can put in order. (Not just rhyming words but in the correct order,)
• Sing it again until the words are all in order.
• Sing the first 2 lines with the children pointing to the words as you sing them.  Sing it 2 more times with the children.
• Do the same thing with the last 2 lines.

Sing the second verse.

• Ask the children what "covenant" means. Help them understand the meaning.  (The phrase right after defines it. "promise to obey")
• Explain what "sealed" means.  ("a family is forever")
• Use rhyming word strips to help teach this verse.

Other suggestions:

• Show pictures of the Temple.
• Ask the children if they have been to see a Temple. Which one or ones?
• How can we prepare ourselves to go to the Temple?

I Feel My Savior's Love

There are 4 verses to "I Feel My Savior's Love," p. 74.  All of them are well worth teaching to the children.  There are 4 short phrases in each verse and then the chorus.

You are your BEST visual aid.  You can teach this song with a few simple actions.

• I feel my Savior's love - cross your arms and rub your upper arms - like a hug.
• In all the world around me - make a circle with your arms
• His Spirit warms my soul - cross your arms like a hug.
• Through ev'rything I see. - hand over your eyes as if looking at something

2nd verse

I feel my Savior's love - cross your arms and rub your upper arms - like a hug.

It's gentleness enfolds me - cross your arms like a hug

And when I kneel to pray - touch your knees and bend them slightly

My heart is filled with peace - put one or both hands over your heart

3rd verse

• I feel my Savior's love - cross your arms and rub your upper arms - like a hug.
• And know that He will bless me - both hands on your head as if being blessed
• I offer Him my heart - hand over your heart and then move your hand upward as if giving it to God
• My shepherd He will be - make the motion of grabbing a staff and tap it on the floor

4th verse

• I'll share my Savior's love - both hands on your heart then move them outward as if giving it to everyone
• By serving others freely - do an action of service - sweeping, shoveling, dusting, pulling weeds, etc.
• In serving I am blessed - both hands on your head as if being blessed
• In giving I receive - hands out then bring them in close to you

Chorus

• Sing the chorus 
• Ask the children to come up with an action for each phrase or you can teach each phrase by having the children sing it 3 times after you sing it.

Nephi's Courage

As we study The Book of Mormon this year, "Nephi's Courage," p. 120, is one song the children will love singing. 

• There are many pictures depicting the events of this song.  Use the gospel library for beautiful artwork showing these events.  
• You can also ask the children to bring their own artwork to use as well.  
• There are various websites that have pictures that you can download, too.  In your search, always include "free" if you want access to free images.

Remember to add variety to learning and reviewing songs by boys or girls singing, half of the primary then the other half.

New verse to Book of Mormon Stories

Pat Graham, one of the wonderful composers of many children's songs, wrote another verse to "Book of Mormon Stories," p. 118.  At a recent workshop that she gave, she shared the verse that she wrote.  It's a perfect first verse if you choose to teach it.   It just might become a favorite verse!

Remember to review songs that you have learned.

Lehi was a prophet

   teaching in Jerusalem.

Fearing they would be destroyed

   his family fled with him.

Following the Liahona

   over land and sea,

They were led, when they lived

   righteously.

Keep the Commandments

We learn from Lehi and Nephi how important it is to keep the commandments that the Lord has given us. Nephi was able to get the brass plates from Laban because he obeyed the commandment to to bring the plates back to Lehi. The Liahona only showed the directions or gave instructions when the people obeyed the commandments.  They were kept safe and felt peace.  They received blessings and so can we.

"Keep the Commandments," p. 146, tells us the very things the Nephites were told.  This song has several lines that are repeated. Repetition helps us to learn and remember.

• Sing the first two lines.
• Ask the children what two things we can have if we keep the commandments.  Safety and peace 
• Sing the two lines a couple of time with the children.
• Sing the next 2 lines.
• Ask the children what Heavenly Father will send us if we keep His commandments.  Blessings
• Sing the two lines a couple of time with the children.
• The last two lines will be easy.  Sing them then have the children sing with you.
• Sing the first verse all the way through 2 times.

*Remember to review songs that you have taught in previous weeks so the children remember them.

The Iron Rod

It's important that we all take the time to teach as many hymns as we can to these Primary children.  "The Iron Rod," # 274, is perfect for this year's study of the Book of Mormon.

Begin with the first 2 lines:

• "To Nephi, seer of olden time,"
• show a picture of Nephi
• "seer" a person that can see the future such as a prophet
• "A vision came from God"
• What is a vision?
• This hymn talks about holding to "the rod of iron" in Nephi's dream.
• "Wherein the holy word sublime"
• "Holy word" - word of God
• sublime -  beauty that can inspire great admiration or awe, wonder
• "Was shown an iron rod"
• What did the iron rod represent? The word of God
• Where can we find the word of God?  The scriptures

The chorus is easy to teach by singing one line and having the children repeat it with you a few times. (3 times is my magic number).  You can use word strips for "strong, bright and true" so the children get the correct order.

The children will love this hymn - especially the chorus!

Book of Mormon Stories

We are studying the Book of Mormon this year and what a great time to learn or review the song on page 118! 

Choose pictures for versus 3 - 8

• Alma
• Abinadi
• Ammon
• two thousand sons - army of Helaman
• Samuel the Lamanite
• Risen Christ blessing the children.

You might want to review or teach the first 2 verses and then add a verse each week.  The children will know the melody so words will be what needs work and repetition.  Showing the rhyming words in each verse can help, also.