Learn the song first

When you're preparing to teach a new song, first learn it really well yourself.

Over the years I've seen primary music leaders devote countless hours to coloring, assembling, laminating, and having nervous breakdowns over preparing visual aids.  Visual aids are a wonderful boon, and I (hopefully you too) will be posting lots more about them in the future. But one thing I feel very strongly about:  You are your best visual aid.

When you know a song inside and out, and have the words and tune so thoroughly memorized that you can sing it in your sleep, you've arrived at the best-possible situation: Hands-free teaching.

If you don't already do this, I can't stress enough how much this can help you! Without being tied to a music stand, or having to hold the music yourself, you're free to roam the room! You can find the child who is tuned-out, and go stand right in front of him as the song progresses, and sing in his face until he feels inclined to join in. (This works for tuned-out teachers as well, or even the presidency who are planning and chatting in the back of the room (why do they do that?)) Even if everyone is singing, your moving around can keep the children's attention, and put the spotlight on parts of the room other than front-and-center.  I think that eye-to-eye contact is the best tool in your well-filled toolbox.

And to me it seems only fair to do my best to memorize each song, when I'm expecting the children to do so.

Helps abound for getting a song learned well at home before coming on Sunday to teach. If you don't play piano or read music, you can use the CDs available from Church Distribution, or, even quicker, you can look up the song online at:

https://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook?lang=eng

Other songs, like "Scripture Power," which aren't in the blue songbook (because they were published after it was printed, usually in The Friend magazine) can be found here:

https://www.lds.org/music/library/church-magazine-music-friend?lang=eng

You can listen to them online, or download an mp3 version to take with you.

Give yourself time to learn a song, so it will stick. When I cram the words on Saturday night, I'm prone to big memory lapses when I'm standing in front of the crowd.

I have vivid memories of my mother (also a primary chorister) taping up words to a song she was learning in various doorways throughout the house so that she could practice singing it as she moved through her day.  I love it that my mother sang as she worked! Wonderful memories!

What ways have you found to help yourself learn the primary songs you want to teach? Please share!