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

Praise to the Man (vs. 1-3)

Several years ago I taught the primary children "Praise to the Man" verses 1 & 3. I was a little nervous that the words would be too hard or that they wouldn't understand.  I'm not sure how much they really understood all the words, but THEY LOVED IT!  

With a little explanation of some of the words and phrases, they were able to learn the words, we kept the tempo upbeat and the kids really enjoyed singing this song.

You can find my flipchart here:  Praise to the Man 

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

Gethsemane (by Melanie Hoffman)

I was asked by my Primary President to teach "Gethsemane" to the primary children this year.  And I was delighted to to find that the Church put this song out in the March 2018 Friend Magazine, so there was no worry about getting it approved or purchasing music. 

I love the sing-along video that the Church put up on their website (https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2018-03-0020-gethsemane?category=sing-along-videos&lang=eng) and I'm planning on showing it in primary to introduce the song.  There were a few flipcharts online that I was able to find, but all in portrait mode.  So, of course, I made my own version that is landscape mode so I can put it in my binder and hang it over my music stand.

You can find my flipchart here:  Gethsemane