primary chorister

May 2021 Primary Singing Time

This month’s singing time outline features the following suggested songs (I’ve included ways to sing them in your homes):

  1. When He Comes Again – While you watch this sing-along video, have the children match the pictures in this printable.  Keep playing and singing the first verse until they’re all matched up.  Then sing it with your kids once or twice with the pictures as your guide.  Some of these methods might seem repetitive but I can guarantee that your kids are listening and learning and that repetition is instrumental in that process.
  2. Have I Done Any Good? Introduce this song by watching this music video (featuring Alex Boye and Carmen Rasmussen).  For older children, you can also watch this short excerpt from a talk given by President Thomas S. Monson where he references this song.  There are some great images of things each of us can do to spread “goodness” throughout our communities and the world.  
  3. Choose The Right. Teach your kids how to sing and sign this song by watching this instructional video.  You can also watch the church’s sing-along video as an introduction.  You can also keep the kids’ hands moving as they sing by using these printable CTR shields found at the blog “In the Leafy Treetops”.’

April 2021 Primary Singing Time

What’s not to like about April?  Warmer weather, General Conference, Easter (most years, anyway) and my birthday!  Now I have another reason to love April – the suggested songs for Primary are short and sweet – perfect for teaching a classroom of rambunctious kids.  Or, since we’re still doing church pandemic-style, perfect for teaching whatever number of young’uns happen to live in your home.  

Here they are:

  1.  Jesus Has Risen  For this song, print and cut out a picture of the Savior for each child.  You can use this printable (6 to a page).  As you sing through the song, raise the picture up each time the Savior is referenced.  To “shake” things up a little bit, fill a plastic Easter egg with beans or rice, seal it up, and shake the egg each time the Savior is referenced.  The song’s message is simple and this exercise will reinforce the central importance of Jesus Christ in our lives.  (Modified slightly from a lesson on Camille’s Primary Ideas).
  2. I Want to Be a Missionary Now  Do you remember when we used these directional signs as we learned the first verse of this song during virtual singing time in February?  Dig them out and use them again with your families to learn the second and third verses.  You can also watch this sing-along video to help you.
  3. Jesus Said Love Everyone   Let’s learn a bit of sign language to go along with the words of this sweet song.  Check out this video to help you learn it!

Feel free to take the time to learn Joseph Smith’s First Prayer in your home over the course of this year.  Whether our Primary Program is virtual or in-person, I plan to include this beautiful hymn in some way.  You can use the storybook you received in January’s singing time packet. 

During virtual singing time a couple of months ago, we used our five senses to imagine what it must have been like that spring day – sun shining, birds singing, bees humming in a shady woodland.  That helped us learn the first verse of the song. 

I also have this printable to help learn the second verse.  It talks about some of the feelings young Joseph had as he prayed vocally for the first time.

And here’s a video I created for learning the third verse.  Grab a pair of glasses (or wait for the ones you’ll get in this month’s singing time packet) and try to imagine what Joseph saw as he spoke with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

 

March 2021 Primary Singing Time

It’s hard to believe it has been almost a full year since we last met together for singing time at church!  I miss meeting together, but I am a huge fan of home-centered learning.  Especially when it comes to the gospel.  The songs we sing in Primary can be sung just as easily at home, and we don’t really even need fancy methods for learning them (although they can help!) 

Parents: It’s important to remember that, while it may feel silly to sing these songs over and over, repetition is how children learn.  They also learn music by experiencing it – which is why I like to provide a few ideas for how to practice primary songs in new ways.  It may seem like a distraction and that the kids are just having fun, but since children learn by having fun, you can bet they are absorbing the music and words (especially if you do it more than once or twice).  In time, the meaning of the words will also sink deep into their souls and build their testimonies of eternal truths.

Here are the three suggested songs for March 2021(plus ways to introduce them to your children):

  1. The Church of Jesus Christ  Have you noticed how many times this song says the word “I”?  Print out this spinner activity on cardstock, attach a spinner (like this one you can buy on amazon) and follow the directions.  Play as many times as you want to!  You’ll have the song memorized before you know it.  You can also watch this sing-along video for some extra practice.
  2. When I am Baptized  Do you remember last year when we used ribbon wands as we sang this song?  You can try it again at home by making your own ribbon wand, or by using a scarf, or a bandana, or by using a stick(or even your hand).  Watch this instructional video on how to sing this song with ribbon wands (Borrowed from Camille’s Primary Ideas).  
  3. When He Comes Again  Cut on the dotted lines of this printable and have your kids match the words of the song to the corresponding picture as they listen to it.  Then sing the song together.  You can also watch this sing-along video.

Home-centered primary singing time for the win.

Mother’s Day Primary Songs How well do YOU know them?

Well, we didn’t get to practice and sing a song in sacrament meeting for our mothers this year. But that doesn’t mean we can’t review a few songs to remind us how much we love our moms, right?

Here are a few songs that you may have sung during your years in Primary. Let’s see how well you remember them by playing the games below. It’s simple: listen to each phrase and guess the missing word (or words). Then click to see if you’re right!

1. Mother Dear

2.  Mother, I Love You

3. I Often Go Walking

How did you do?  Either way, go hug your mom and tell her you love her.  Heaven knows she sure loves you!