Lullaby Babies

picture source, LDS.org

*This is a Christmas singing time. It will take some forethought and preparation...

PREP:
-Rocking Chair/Glider (from the Nursery or Mother's room?)
-Swaddled Baby Doll
-Ask 2 female singers to prepare Mary's Lullaby. Ask them to wear white.
-Ask a Mom to be "Mary". Have her dress appropriately and bring a swaddled baby doll (or even better, a Mom with a real baby!!!). And possibly manger prop (we happen to have a family who has one).

----> Discreetly set up manger in the back of the room before Primary. Instruct guest adults that they will quietly enter the room while we are singing our lullaby in the dark. Mary sits near the manger, caressing or holding the baby, the singers near/behind Mary.  When it's their turn, Mary tends to the baby while the others sing Mary's Lullaby to the Primary.


LESSON:

• Hold the swaddled baby doll and "shush" the children, pointing out that a baby is trying sleep! Maybe learning a song can help the baby sleep....

• Learn Oh Hush Thee, My Baby. (flip chart? or actions?)  Teach SR Primary the harmony on the chorus.

• Tell the children that we are going to rock a baby to sleep with this beautiful lullaby.  Dim the lights. Invite a girl to hold the baby and rock in the chair while we sing.

• After singing the lullaby to the baby, Ask: "Do you think Mary would have sung a lullaby to baby Jesus?"  (yes, probably, uh-huh).  Well, let's see for ourselves.... (direct attention to the other side of the room - cue pianist for Mary's Lullaby to be performed by guest singers).  [I wish, I wish, I wish I had a spotlight to shine on them.... I'm going to have to think about this...]

Journey to The Manger

At the end of my Christmas singing time this year (after this activity) I want to end by taking a mini (very mini) Journey to The Manger.

*Beforehand, set up a Manger somewhere in the church. Have a star somewhere near by that can be seen from afar. I borrowed the one pictured above from our Ward Christmas party. Also have hymnbooks ready.

TELL what we're doing..... faithfully following the star and looking for baby Jesus who was born in a Stable. 

1. SING while we WALK... (Oh Come All Ye Faithful or Away In A Manger)
2. ARRIVE at the Manger and DISCUSS.... paraphrasing, or even reading Luke 2:11-12. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Sing Who I Am (a Nativity idea)

Use nativity pieces to sing the verses of The Nativity Song (p 52).

1. Pull a nativity piece out of a bag.
2. Figure out what verse that nativity character is in.
3. Sing that verse.
4. Repeat.

*I am doing this with my SR kids who can read all of the verses. I think this is too advanced for JR Primary --- in JR I will do it this way instead, repeating just the 1st Verse of The Nativity Song over and over.

Who is New in the Nativity?

Grab a nativity set. Any one you have around the house.    

Explain that baby Jesus had people visit him in The Manger. Someone is going to have to go out into the hallway. When we sing, they'll come back in and have to figure out who the newest visitor to The Manger is.

1. Display the nativity with only Mary, Joesph and baby Jesus. 
2. Invite a child to go out into the hallway. 
3. Invite another child to pick a piece and add it to the set.
4. Sing while the child that was in the Hallway comes back in and examines the set.
5. See if they can figure out what piece is new before the song is over.
6. Repeat and keep adding on to the set.

*This activity is good for singing a song over and over again. Perhaps that song you got asked to do in the Ward Christmas Program? lol....

(I have this Fisher Price advent nativity that I'll probably use):

Christmas Symbols v.2

*THESE ARE FROM KRISTEN C. on the Facebook LDS Chorister's Group.  I already have another, simpler Christmas Symbols post, but I liked the meaning behind each symbol that Kristen gives:

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Angel: Represents the angels promised good tiding of great joy when Christ was born
Song: Samuel Tells of Baby Jesus (including vs. 2) p. 36

Santa: Represents the generosity and kindness of the Christmas season and the gifts that God has given us
Song: Have a Very Merry Christmas p. 51

Christmas Bells: "Christmas bells can serve as heralds of his coming." (Bruce D. Porter "KIng of Kings") and rings out to guide lost sheep back to the fold - all are precious to Jesus
Song: Christmas Bells p. 54

Christmas Tree: The green color of the evergreen tree remains green all year round. Our Christmas trees represent eternal life - the greatest gift from our Savior. The needles point heavenward, reminding us of Christ.
Song: Families Can be Together Forever p. 188

The Color Red: The color red helps us remember that Christ shed his blood for us. – focus on his love for us
Song: I Feel My Savior’s Love p.74

Candle: Symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world and when we see this great light we are reminded of Jesus who fills our lives with light
Song: Silent Night Hymns p. 204

Gift Bow: Ties as we should all be tied together in bonds of good will forever
Song: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day Hymn p.214

Candy Cane: "the candy cane is widely recognized as a reproduction of a shepherd's staff." (Bruce D. Porter "King of Kings") The crook on the staff helps to bring back sheep that have strayed. The candy cane is the symbol of Christ being our shepherd.
Song: Sleep Little Jesus p.47

Christmas Wreath: "The Christmas wreath originated in remembrance of the crown of thorns worn by the Savior on the cross; it may also remind us that God's plan is "one eternal round." (Bruce D. Porter "King of Kings")" The wreath symbolizes eternity and the eternal nature of Christ's love. It is a circle, without beginning and without end."
Song: I Lived in Heaven vs. 3 p. 4

Christmas Stockings: "Even the Christmas stockings hung by the fireplace may bring to mind those who have neither shoes nor stockings, whose store of worldly goods is bare, prompting us to reach out and share with the needy at this time of year. In the symbols and traditions of Christmas, all things bear record of him." (Bruce D Porter "King of Kings")
Song: I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus p.78

Tree Lights: Remind us that Christ is the light of the world.
Song: Mary’s Lullaby p. 44

Gifts: We give and receive gifts at Christmas time in remembrance of Heavenly Father's greatest gift of all: His son Jesus Christ.
Song: He Sent His Son p.34

Star: The star was fulfillment of the promise that a new star would arise on the night of Christ's birth. The people of the Book of Mormon also saw the star, as well as the Wise Men that came from the East.
Song: Stars Were Gleaming p.37

Jingle Sticks

• large wood sticks
• pipe cleaner
• jingle bells
• tape

I went with small jingle bells because they are quieter!   ;)   They'll be loud enough when we ALL have a jingle stick.   :)

I don't have much to type about directions.... put some bells (I did 3) on pipe cleaner, tape the pipe cleaner to the stick, wrap the pipe cleaner around.... that should be enough to be able to figure it out.

I'm using them to go a SLEIGH RIDE!

Indoor Sleigh Ride

My kids have had fun doing this at home. I hope we have fun doing this in Primary, too!  I think we will!!!

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BRING:

• jingle bells (I made jingle bell sticks)
• hands
• bubbles
• the video I made for this song or, print the visual aides and just play the song (Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson)

DO:

1. Tell everyone we're going on a Sleigh Ride!
2. Introduce and teach the movement moves we'll need. (JINGLE, TROT, WHIP CLAP, WHINNY)
3. Play the instrumental song Sleigh Ride (sometimes called Promenade) by Leroy Anderson, add the movement and HAVE FUN!

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Movement Moves:
*They go with the visual pictures cues below. Print and use the pictures, OR... I made a video to make it easier (scroll to the bottom)!!!

SLEIGH:
(no movement, just listening)


JINGLE BELLS:
shake jingle bells!
(you do this a lot during the song, so add some variety and bounce like you're riding in a sleigh while you jingle!)
*on the video, when the bell picture fades out jingle quieter and quieter



HORSE:
Trot on your lap to the beat.



SLEIGH DRIVER:"Whip Clap".... try these counts...--easy (JR):  TROT alternating hands with a random clap at approximately the right time
--hard (SR): alternating trotting hands 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-and-10-CLAP!  The clap is on the AND!!! 

HORSE WHINNY:
Everyone neighs at the end of the song!




BONUS! 
Have someone blow bubbles to make it "snow" indoors!
(FYI, it's when you see the snowflakes on the video.)


*****Pictures are from various online sources***

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And here's the VIDEO!

VIDEO: Mormon Tabernacle Choir, For Unto Us a Child is Born from Handel's Messiah

Here is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing "For Unto Us a Child is Born" from Handel's Messiah:

Framing the Christmas Story

image source

1. Either; a.) draw pictures on the board, or b.) print pictures that go with lyrics
• stable
• night
• angels
• CHORUS: baby Jesus
• Joseph
• Mary
• shepherds
2. As you sing, draw or hang up the pictures.
3. Sing again, and this time move the frame around each item.
4. Repeat: invite children to move the frame from picture to pictures as you sing.

*This is a mesh of ideas from Camielle's Primary Ideas and Primary Singing Ideas.

Lullaby Little One

Lullaby Little One was printed in The Friend in 1999.  Find it HERE

Christmas Lullaby by Wilcox/Perry

This song was in The Friend, December 1994.
Find it HERE

Mistletoe!

I have a mistletoe headband, so I HAD to find a reason to use it! This is what I did:

Bring mistletoe headband. Ask if they know what mistletoe is. Explain that when someone is under the mistletoe they get a kiss! (Really play this up, it's funny to get a reaction - from kids and teachers alike!) Explain that a teacher is going to wear the mistletoe and if we think that class sang really good that whole class gets a kiss!  (a chocolate kiss, haha! - pull out the jar of kisses now and laugh away! bwah haha!). Make them work for it and really sing for you, then invite them up to get their CHOCOLATE kiss. :)

*Not all Presidencies may go for this. - you be the judge.

Live Nativity / Picture a Christmas

Read a nativity book.

Tell children to look under their chair for a star (they're numbered).

In the numbered order children get to come up and choose which nativity character they'd like to be. When the nativity is assembled sing Picture a Christmas.

SR: Have each nativity child read a scripture that goes with their character.


PREP:

• Cut out stars
• Number stars
• Gather items for children to wear for each character (Joseph, Mary+Jesus [baby doll], Wise Men, Shepherds, Angel...)

Before children arrive:

• Tape stars under chairs

Away In a Manger

Fill up Jesus' manger with hay...

Tell the children that Jesus was not born in a hospital. Explain that he didn't have a nice warm bed like they have at home. Explain that we are going to sing to earn hay to make Jesus' manger nice and soft upon his arrival.

Sing Away In a Manger. Every time you sing it pick the class who was singing the best. Each child picks a piece of "hay" to put in Jesus' manger. At the end of singing time thank the children for singing so good and making a nice bed in the manger for Jesus and put Jesus in the manger.

PREP:

Using construction paper...

• Cut out a manger out of brown
• Cut out rectangles of yellow for hay
• Cut out a baby Jesus (oval body, round head)

Before the children arrive...

• Tape empty manger on the board
• Put tape on each piece of hay and tape around table or chalk board tray or something. You'll want the pieces ready to go so you're not fumbling with the tape dispenser!

Christmas Symbols

PREP: tape a paper tree to the board, or draw one draw and out out "gifts" put them in envelopes decorated as gifts DO: Children "unwrap" a gift and stick it on the tree. Each ornament is a symbol. Songs on the back of each ornament.

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Songs:
Away In a Manger, #42
Christmas Bells, # 54
Jesus Said Love Everyone, #61
Love One Another, # 136
Picture a Christmas, #50
Stars Were Gleaming, #37
Teach Me To Walk in the Light, # 177
Tell Me the Stories of Jesus, #57
We Are Different, # 263