Faith (song from the Children's Songbook)

I was released as Primary Music Leader several years ago, but I still see posts on the Facebook page and noticed that many of the songs I taught are back again.  So I looked through the list and decided that I should post the flipcharts that I made those years ago so new leaders can use them an not "re-invent the wheel" as one commenter put it.

The song "Faith" on page 96 of the Children's Songbook is on the list for April (2023) so I pulled out my flipchart for it.  As I looked at it, I realized that I had forgotten many of words, especially since my flipchart has very few words to help me. Then I remembered that I there were many children in Junior Primary, most of whom did not yet read.  So I set out to make a flipchart with few words and mostly pictures that would help them remember the words I taught them to sing.  I also was trying to have as few pages as possible to save on ink and page turning.  I only put "Faith is knowing" once on each page because it is repeated for the second line again so I would just point to the same words and the kids knew even those that couldn't read that we were repeating the same words.  

What I don't have anymore, because I left it in the Primary closet for future leaders, is a poster I made where I had a sun that started at the bottom of the poster on a string that went to the top and through the poster to the back where I could pull it and show the sun rising.  Same thing with a seedling accordion folded at the bottom that would "grow" as I pulled the string.  Kids loved coming up to be the helper who got to pull the strings!  I don't remember the rest of the poster and unfortunately it is no longer in the closet.

I love teaching this song to children because the gospel principles are so important and the imagery is powerful and memorable.

You can find my flipchart here:  Faith (few words, 2 pages)

A Child's Prayer

When I started teaching primary music many years ago, I was genuinely surprised at how much the children loved the song "A Child's Prayer." I had not learned it growing up (of course I grew up way before the Children's Songbook came out) and so was unfamiliar with it.

A few years later when I started to teach it as part of the program that year, I didn't really love the pictures the previous chorister had used, so I made up my own flipchart.  It was fairly easy to teach since most of the older kids already knew it, but I wanted the littles to be able to learn it and have helps to sing along.

I made the second part just one page with fewer pictures since that is the part we have the adults in the room sing.

You can find my flipchart here:  A Child's Prayer

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

Pioneer Day Singing Time

A couple of years in Primary I did a Pioneer Day of singing. There was a bit of prep before hand, but the results were fantastic.  

Days before I got a big box large enough for a sunbeam and drew wheels on it with marker - this would be our "wagon" (or you could just use a wagon if you have one, but the kids loved pushing a child around in the box).  I collected sticks to make a "campfire" with and brought a blue blanket to be a "river."  I also got some paper cups and some pieces of paper that we wadded up into balls for a pioneer game of toss and catch.  Then I made a few pioneer button spinners (you can find lots of examples online).  I also prepared some snacks, I chose dried apple slices and pretzel sticks.

Following is my plan with dialog and songs to sing.  I planned out which corner to do each section in and placed my objects around the room accordingly.  The kids know about half of the songs which helps them not feel too uncomfortable when we sing the songs they don't really know.  You can play the songs from the Church music app if that helps.

The kids had a lot of fun and remembered the activity for years!  It also helped them be interested in Pioneer stories of their own.  I told them to go home and ask their parents if they have any pioneer ancestors and to ask them to tell their stories.

You can find my Singing Plan here:  Pioneer Day Singing Time

Dearest Mother, I Love You

Here's a sweet little song for Mother's Day which is quick to teach and easy for the kids to learn: "Dearest Mother, I Love You" (page 206b of the Children's Songbook).  It also lends itself to very well to easy hand movements if you want to do that.  Practice for a couple of minutes each week for three weeks before Mother's Day and you are probably good to go.

It makes me sad that some leaders don't want to teach Mother's Day songs in case some child doesn't have a living mother, or their mother is not "kind and true" or for whatever other reason.  I feel that we should be teaching children what the ideal of motherhood is, so that if their situation isn't currently ideal, they have something to strive for in their own life.  They may also see and appreciate these qualities in some "mothering" person in their life whether it is an aunt, grandma, teacher or neighbor.

Please don't deprive mothers or other mothering person the wonderful opportunity of seeing their little precious one singing in church on Mother's Day.  If they don't ask you to have your Primary sing, please ask them.

You can find my flipchart here, complete with sample signs you can use:  Dearest Mother, I Love You

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

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

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

May (2018) is another "choose your own song" month for Primary music leaders.  Then in the Outline for Sharing Time they have Helps for the music leader (see May on page 11) and it shows wordstrips for "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet."

I chose to teach that song for May, but I have so many junior primary kids that don't read, I wanted to use pictures instead.  So I started gathering pictures - but what kind of picture do you get for "we thank thee?"  After thinking about it for a while, I chose a combination of words and pictures.  I realized that it's the same words for each line (almost) - "we thank thee," and that the kids can learn to recognize that repeating phrase even though they don't read.  Anyway, here is what I came up with, I hope it can help someone else too.  Just cut each page into four, or don't, it's up to you.

You can find my "word/picture" cards here:  We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

You can also find my shortened version (2 page horizontal flip chart) here:  We Thank Thee (flip)

An Angel Came to Joseph Smith

April is "choose your own song" month for Primary.  I chose "An Angel Came to Joseph Smith."  I taught the children some rhythm clapping since this song switches from 3/4 to 2/4 twice in each verse.  Once we got the rhythm down, the song came pretty quickly.  I also had them sing "The Golden Plates" which goes right along with this song and helps the children really understand that the golden plates are the Book of Mormon (see my handout for The Golden Plates).

You can find my flipchart here:  An Angel Came to Joseph Smith

My Mother Dear

A sweet little song for Mother's Day - "My Mother Dear" is pretty quick for primary children to learn.  Be sure to teach them that in this song "bright" means smart (not bright like the sun), mothers have to know and do a lot to raise their children.

This flipchart has pictures for the little ones and words for readers and teachers and any children who come the day of performance who haven't been to church to learn it.  I first used just the pictures (printed bigger and separately) placed around the room and had the kids find the pictures while listening to the song and figure out the order of the pictures. You may be able to sing through it a few times while they work this out.  Then I use the chart to practice once or twice a week until we sing it in Sacrament Meeting on Mother's Day.

You can find my flipchart here (although no flipping is required):  My Mother Dear

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

The Golden Plates

This week is also a good time to sing "The Golden Plates."  I haven't had a chance to teach this to my primary yet, and was surprised that they didn't already know it.  I put together a little coloring book to use in teaching this song.

You can find the coloring book here:  The Golden Plates

 

(To create the coloring book, print the page and fold the page in half lengthwise, then fold in half and half again to form the book.  This diagram shows as if looking down on the lengthwise fold.  Unfold and cut where the dashed line would be - the middle two pages. Then hold the ends and press them toward the center popping the middle two pages out.  Fold the middle two pages flat, then fold the book as shown.)

On a Golden Springtime

The last week of this year, sharing time is about Joseph Smith and the first vision.  The song "On a Golden Springtime" is perfect for this lesson, as well as for Easter.

You can find my flipchart here:  On a Golden Springtime

I Want to Be a Missionary Now

I have found that most primary children are familiar with the song "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission."  But not many have learned "I Want to Be a Missionary Now" which is a great song! It teaches children they can start being missionaries right now while they are young.

You can find my flipchart here:  I Want to Be a Missionary Now

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)