Mother's Day

This is a great time to teach or review Love Is Spoken Here, p. 190 and Happy Family, p. 198.  They are perfect songs for Mother's Day.  There are 8 songs in the Primary Songbook that talk specifically about Mothers.  Choose one that your primary does not know and teach it to them this year.  Or, review the ones you know so the children can sing them to their mothers.

There are some ideas in previous posts for Mother's Day.  Check out the labels on Mother's Day.

Easter Egg Singing Time

I have done an Easter Pageant in past years.  There is an outline for a pageant if you click on Easter in past posts.  This year I have put questions about the last week before the crucifixion on strips of paper and put them inside colored, plastic Easter eggs. There are also songs about Easter in the eggs.  The children answer the question or we sing the song.  Here are a few suggestions for questions and songs:

• What did Jesus ride on when He entered Jerusalem?   Donkey
• What did the people lay on the street as Christ entered?   Palm Leaves/branches
• What garden did Christ pray in?
• What was the dinner called the night before He was crucified?
• What did Jesus do for the disciples before they ate their dinner?   washed their feet
• Who betrayed Jesus?
• What was placed on Christ's head before He was crucified? 
• Who carried Christ's cross?
• What was Christ given to drink on the cross?
• Were His legs broken?
• What happened when the cock crowed 3 times?
• How long was Christ in the Tomb?
• Who's name did he call when he left the tomb?

Songs:

• Did Jesus Really Live Again?  p.64
• He Died That We Might Live Again  p. 65
• Hosanna  p. 66
• Easter Hosanna  p. 68
• Jesus Is Risen  p. 70
• I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus  p.  78
• I Feel My Savior's Love  74
• I Stand All Amazed  Hymn # 193
• He Sent His Son  p.  34

Latter-day Prophet poster

I found a poster of all the latter-day prophets with a few missing pictures.  I downloaded the missing pictures from the Church website (they don't have 5" x 7" pictures of the prophets anymore).  There are no names under the prophets' picture but they are in order through Pres. Hinckley.  I laminated the poster so it will last. This is the perfect poster to help the children memorize the prophets (Latter-day Prophets p. 134).  I printed the names of each prophet on strips of paper that I can tape under their picture.  After we sing it, I remove one or two names and then sing it again.  Continue the process.

Children enjoy the challenge to see if they can memorize all the prophets in order.  The music certainly helps!

Latter-day Prophets

General Conference is a week away so we are learning Latter-day Prophets, p. 134. The latest version of this song, which includes Pres. Monson, is available on the Church website.  Ward libraries should have large pictures of the prophets which you can borrow for this activity.  Small pictures are in the back of the Gospel Art Book. 

Put the pictures of the prophets in a mixed up order on the board.  Cover their names with a piece of paper if they are printed on the front.  See if the children can put the pictures in order of each President's service.  Sing the song to help them.  The teachers could help, also. Once the pictures are in order, sing the song with the children.  Sing it at least 3 times.  In between  each time you sing, ask a trivia question about the prophets such as:

• Who had the longest beard?
• How many Prophets had beards?
• When did they begin wearing long ties?
• How many pictures are of paintings?
• How many Prophets are wearing black suits?
• What colors of suits are represented?

You can come up with your own questions, as well.

If time permits, take down the pictures and sing it.  Have one side of the room sing while the other side listens for correctness.  Trade sides.

Spice Up the Review

Often times children aren't into reviewing songs so we need to add some "spice" to the process.  "Oh How I Love to Stand" (279) is a great bit of "spice."  If your primary doesn't know it, sing it through 3 times and they'll have it down.

Choose the songs you would like to review.  I used the following songs:

He Sent His Son p. 34

I Will Follow God's Plan p. 164

I Stand All Amazed # 193

The Family of God

Did Jesus Really Live Again p. 64

After you sing the first song, sing Oh How I Love to Stand, but do a different action.  Continue with your review singing Oh How I Love to Stand after each reviewed song, but change the action each time.  The children will enjoy the movement and they'll never know that singing time was a review.

A Journey Review

Here is a different twist for reviewing songs:

You will need:

• a large map of the Holy Lands - most ward libraries have a large one
• on the same size of paper as the map, draw a brief sketch of your neighborhood, include:
• a few street names
• ward meetinghouse
• school
• land marks in your area - gas stations, grocery stores, parks, etc.

Keep your map simple.  The children just need to recognize their neighborhood.

Show the children the areas that Jesus taught in his life time, Bethlehem, Galilee, etc.  Show the children where they walk, play, visit.  Choose some songs that you would like to review.  As you sing the song (or verse), ask the children to listen to the words and tell what message they learn about Jesus or what He would have us do.  Then ask them where, in their neighborhood, they could share that message or how they could be an example.

Example: 

• "I Will Follow God's Plan"  p. 164
• "holding fast to His word and His love . . ." - Study the scriptures at home and at church
• "I will be happy . . ."  -  Be cheerful at school, home, playground, etc.
• "My life is a gift . . ."  -  always give thanks for our lives when we pray - at home, school, anywhere
• "I Stand All Amazed"  # 193
• "I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me."  - Show gratitude for Christ's love by loving our family, neighbors, anyone we come in contact with.
• "that for me, a sinner, He suffered, He bled and died . . ." - Be the best you can be in all situations because of what Christ did for us.
• "He Sent His Son"  p. 34
• "How could the father tell the world of love and tenderness . . ."  p. 34  -  Show kindness, love and tenderness to our family members, our friends, teacher, coach,  people who help us at the store.
• "live like His son. . ."  -  Make good choices on the playground, at church, with our family and friends.

As the children share their thoughts, put a mark on the map where their ideas may take place: at home, at church, on the playground, etc.  See how many marks they can have on the map by the end of singing time.  Show them how they are being Christ-like throughout the neighborhood just as Christ did in His ministry throughout the Holy Lands.

I Stand All Amazed - Review

Using the pictures from last week : GAB 116, GAB 108, GAB 57, GAB 56, place them on the right side of the board.  On 8 pieces of paper, write the following words - one on each paper:

• Amazed
• Love
• Grace
• Proffers
• Tremble
• Crucified
• Sinner
• Suffered

Mix them up and put them on the left side of the board.  Sing the first phrase.  Ask the children which picture goes with that phrase.  Continue so they remember which pictures belong to which phrase.  Now sing it again and ask a child to draw a line from the word to the picture that it belongs to.  There are 2 words from each phrase so there will be 2 lines drawn to each picture.  The children will have to listen for the words to know which ones belong to which picture.  You may need to sing the verse through several times which will be a great review.  Be sure to add the chorus a few times.  Have the children hold up one finger every time they sing "wonderful."