Personal Pictures: Teaching He Sent His Son with pictures of your particular children

Have you ever been around a new baby? How about a six month old baby? When a mother brings a new baby into Primary, the baby is like a magnet to most of the children. I think using the magnetism of a baby that the children know is a unique way for to help them connect more deeply with the song “He Sent His Son.”

One activity is to use personal pictures from the children in your Primary as a way to link and connect the children to this song.

As I sing, “How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness,” I show a picture of a baby that most of the children would recognize, perhaps a little sister or brother of one of the children.

As I sing, “How could the Father show the world the pathway they should go,” I show a picture or pictures of  children from our Primary helping or serving.

As I sing, “How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death,” I show a picture of something from our ward that shows sacrifice, or perhaps a graveside that shows death.

If the children already know the song, they sing the answer back to me.  Already displayed are pictures of Jesus Christ as a baby, healing someone, and in the tomb, although not in order (which gives the children a chance to order them in their head as the song is sung).

“As you sing this song with me now, think of another baby that you know.  Think of another place you have helped or served someone.  Think of someone you know that has really sacrificed.”  Sing the song again, but stop after the first question in the song.  “What baby were you thinking of?”  (Giving children a chance to speak it aloud helps their own inner voice become stronger.) Remind them to think of the next personal picture in their mind. Begin to sing again.

The visualization of a personal picture in their heads is a strong connection for the children, a great help for their memory, and gives them a more personal feel for what this song is all about.