I have to admit, this is one of my favorite primary songs. I’ve loved it since I was a little girl. You can download a copy of the music here.
Music Method
I love to tell the children that I am going to tell them a story. This is a wonderful story about some of Heavenly Father’s creations.
Sometimes, we gather on the floor, and I read through the flip chart. You could have your pianist play softly while you are speaking. Try to keep in pace with the music so the children can feel the flow of the song. Then, I will ask them if they would like to sing the story.
Typically, children pick up very quickly to the melody and the words. You could encourage them to think about something they like to see and are grateful for. This could be a quick discussion after singing the verses.
Here is a video for you to practice with.
Visual Aids
You can download a copy of the book (flipchart) below.
My Heavenly Father Loves Me (book)
Bind together the pictures with tape, glue or your choice of material. Here is a picture of the finished book.
Teaching Tips
A fun activity to go along with the learning of this song would be to play Thankful Pictionary. You could have everyone think of something they are thankful for and how they would draw it on the board. One of your best singers (or a singer who is trying their best) goes to the board and draws something they are thankful for, while the primary sings the first (or second) verse. Once the verse is sung, the child should stop drawing. Then the primary tries to guess what the picture is.
You could divide the primary into boy/girl teams. You could have the children versus the teachers. You could play with no competition. Trust me, you will get lots of reviews singing the song as they focus on guessing.
Happy Singing!