There is a song in the LDS Children’s Songbook called “Fun to Do” on page 253 (can also be found here: ‘Singing a Song is Fun to Do’ lyrics and mp3)

The lyrics are:-

Sing-ing a song is fun to do,

Fun to do, to do, to do!

Sing-ing a song is fun to do,

To do, to do to do!

Definitely not hard for young children to learn – the lyrics are not difficult at all and the tune is quite catchy.

I taught it to our Primary last week, and promised that if they sang it well, I would bring along some percussion instruments to play along with the song today.

They sang well, and today I brought along a bag full of percussion intruments.  I had 4 children up the front at a time and gave two children one instrument (e.g. bells) and the other two a different kind (e.g. claves), and we sang the song through twice singing “Playing the bells is fun to do” etc.  The children had an absolute ball doing this, and they all got a turn of different instruments.

Whilst those children up the front were using the percussion instruments, I showed the children sitting down how to ‘air play’ percussion instruments.  Ie. bells are a closed fist facing down, and you tap with your other hand.  Cymbals are clapping your hands together.  The triangle is your thumb extended and index finger pointing up, and tap with the index finger of your other hand.  Claves involves tapping both your index fingers.  The kids loved participating this way too.

I went and did a similar thing in Nursery today and the littlies just loved the instruments coming out of the bag.  I think it was the most attention I’ve ever been paid by 18 month olds!  I’m even more amazed that they banged/clanged/whacked perfectly in time!!!

Now, you don’t have to be in an LDS Primary to use this song or this idea.  If you teach littles in a group, this would be a perfect attention grabber song for them.  The bottom of the link above has some other actions the children can do if you choose.