Jesus Once Was a Little Child

This is a song I remember well from my childhood and I think every child should be taught, especially the second verse.  At first I was worried about some of the words, especially "vexed" since they are not common anymore, but the kids really got them after a little discussion and especially loved saying vexed!

It's such a fun way to teach children especially important principles - Jesus was a child like me so he understands me, a little child should be pure & meek & mild, even children can learn not to get mad when things don't go our way, telling the truth is important.

I worked hard to find just the right pictures for this one, pictures that the children would identify with and would quickly and easily portray these principles - especially "vexed."

You can find my flipchart here:  Jesus Once Was a Little Child

Star Bright (Estrella de Luz) sheet music with Guitar Chords by Lorin F. Wheelwright

Christmas music is my favorite kind of music to teach children and adults alike.  One of the first Christmas songs that I remember singing a harmony part with my mother was Star Bright (or Estrella de Luz) by Lorin F. Wheelwright, a beautiful song with 2 part harmony and verses in Spanish as well as English.  Not only that, but she played it on her guitar which made it even more wonderful.

I found the sheet music for Star Bright published in the LDS Instructor Magazine in October 1959.  The online copy I found is so discolored that I decided to fix it with my photo editing software and I added the guitar chords to it.  No flipchart for this one, I just wanted a place to share this copy of the sheet music for anyone looking for a sweet Christmas song other than what is in the Hymn book or Children's Songbook.

You can download it here:  Star Bright

I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

One of my favorite Primary songs is "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" and I loved teaching it to the children last year.  I used mostly pictures from the Children's Songbook to make my flipchart.  I tried to use very few words, mostly because the Juniors can't read much anyway and the Seniors mostly knew the song.  I tried to use pictures that helped them remember the words and what they mean.

You can find my flipchart here:  I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

The Miracle

It is so great that the song "The Miracle" by Shawna Belt Edwards was published in The Friend in June 2018 so that we can now teach it in Primary!  I must admit that when I watched the sing-along video the Church put out I teared up.  And when I actually tried to sing along I full out cried.  This song touched me deeply and I couldn't get it out of my head for days.  I finally decided that I had to teach it for Easter this year.  Then I found a video I love even more - one with the song set to the Church Bible videos which you can find here.

I found a few flipcharts on the internet already, but I really wanted just the right pictures that would bring to mind the words for the children since I have so many little ones that don't read.  This, like all my flipcharts is made to print landscape.  I put the pages in sheet protectors in a binder that I hang over my music stand which is easier for me than holding the binder upright in my hands while trying to lead the music.

You can find my flipchart here:  The Miracle

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

One of the songs for March 2019 from the new "Come, Follow Me" program is "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," a song I have loved from my childhood.  The verse that refers to the story of Jesus calming the sea always caught my imagination - that the waves would obey Christ has always been a testament of his power and authority. 

I also remembered that the Tabernacle Choir sang a fourth verse (watch HERE) and loved the strength and power of the last line, "Jesus is King!"  I looked into that and found that it had been in the orange "Sing With Me" Primary songbook, but was removed when the Children's Songbook was released.  I decided to include this verse in my flipchart.  I don't know yet how many verses we will sing in the program, but I want to teach them all.

You can find my flipchart here: Tell Me the Stories of Jesus Flipchart

Baptism (song from the Children's Songbook)

For the first time in four years, I am teaching my Primary children the song "Baptism" from the Children's Songbook.  I gleaned many ideas for my flipchart from around the internet and Facebook and decided on my favorite pictures to help the children learn this song.

You can find my flipchart here:  Baptism Flipchart

I Will Be Valiant

A great song to go with the theme for September 2018 is "I Will Be Valiant."  It is a fun, upbeat song that the kids should know.  If you have time to slip in this song while practicing for your Primary Sacrament Meeting Program, this is a great choice.

You can find my flipchart here:  I Will Be Valiant Flipchart

If the Savior Stood Beside Me (Sign Language Chart)

After watching this video explanation of how to sign "If the Savior Stood Beside Me," I made myself a chart of very simple signs to teach the primary children as they learn this song.  Mostly the chart is to help me remember.  It took quite a bit of time and some photoshopping (can I use that as a verb now?), so I thought I would share it for those without the time or software to create your own. This certainly is not the only way to sign it, but I chose the easiest signs with what I could find on the internet.

You can find my chart for all 3 verses here:  If the Savior Stood Beside Me (Signs)

If the Savior Stood Beside Me

I love the ideas for teaching "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" that were posted on Sugardoodle , so I made my own flipchart with squares I can cut out and put back to back with the question marks for teaching as described, but can also be used just as a flipchart for performing.  I like to include pictures for the little ones who can't read.  You will need to print some of the pages two or three times as needed for the verses.  I found most of the pictures as free downloads from Susan Fitch Designs and modified a couple of them to fit the song.  Thanks to these people sharing, I too wanted to share.

You can find my flipchart here:  If the Savior Stood Beside Me

He Came For Us (Easter)

I found a sweet song from The Friend (April 2011) that I decided to teach my primary children to sing in Sacrament Meeting the week before Easter since Easter falls on Conference weekend this year.  The sheet music can be found here.

You can find my flipchart here:  He Came For Us

Have a Very Merry Christmas

Another fun Christmas song I taught the primary children last year from the Children's Songbook is "Have a Very Merry Christmas."  It's upbeat and easy to learn.  It was the song the kids sang at our Ward Christmas Party.  I gave several of the children props or pictures to hold up during the song. 

You can find my flipchart here:  Have a Very Merry Christmas

Could I Hold the Baby

A couple of years ago I heard about the sweet Christmas song, "Could I Hold the Baby" by Rachel M Goates and totally fell in love with it!  It is listed as submitted music for children on lds.org.  It was my first Christmas as Primary Chorister and it felt late in the year for me.  I previously had been the Ward Music Director and was used to preparing for Christmas in August!  But here it was almost November, so I was frantically looking for a flipchart and ideas on how to teach this song.  None of the flipcharts I found were quite to my taste, but as I looked for pictures to go with the words, I found exactly what my heart was looking for in the pictures of the Children's Songbook.  I found digital versions of those pictures on lds.org as well and the whole thing just fell into place.

My first version was without words (I prefer to teach without words especially for the little ones who can't read anyway), but I realized that I needed the words on the pictures for those kids who just come to church at Christmas time, visitors, and also for future use as it would be months before we would use it again.

The flipchart can be found here:  Could I Hold the Baby (with words)

Before I Take the Sacrament

A great song to teach children about the sacrament is "Before I Take the Sacrament."  Because this is not for the Primary Program, I have put all the words with the pictures.  This will make it easy to pull out for opening or closing song, to go with a lesson, or occasional use like this week's Sharing Time.

The flipchart can be found here:  Before I Take the Sacrament flipchart with words.

Did Jesus Really Live Again?

For Easter this year, I chose to teach "Did Jesus Really Live Again?"  I hoped to instill in the children an understanding and testimony that YES, Jesus really did and does live again and so shall they. This is one of the most comforting gospel principles - that we will be resurrected after we die.

This chart has almost all the words along with pictures. I decided that we usually only sing Easter songs once a year, so to make singing less frustrating for the kids, I wanted the words to be there. The flipchart can be found here:  Did Jesus Really Live Again? flipchart.