Keyword Topics: lds hymn, did you think to pray, lds primary songs, lds childrens songbook, lds primary song book, primary music leaders, lds primary singing time ideas, primary chorister, lds chorister, lds primary chorister, primary music, lds primary singing time, lds primary, lds primary music, lds singing time ideas, primary songs, lds primary printables, prayer, praying, prayer songs
Video Sing-Along / Silent Video * Sing to Punctuation * Living Pictures * Prayer Puzzles * Picture Order & This or That? * Melody Map
SIMPLE, ENGAGING PRIMARY SINGING TIME IDEAS
FOR LDS HYMN 140, "DID YOU THINK TO PRAY?"
1. VIDEO SING-ALONG
WHAT YOU NEED:
Way to Play the Video Below
HOW TO USE:
Mormon Channel released, "Did you think to pray?" featuring artists in Mongolia. This video is a beautiful way to remind children that anyone, anywhere, at any time can pray to Heavenly Father.
After the kids know the song well, let them sing along with this video. (I'd let them listen once as they sing the song in their heads then repeat with them singing along with the video).
Extension: SILENT VIDEO
Have the kids sing the song as they watch a video that shows people praying.
I've included a video below you can use (mute the video as the kids sing along).
Or use the second video below - that has no sound - and play that while the kids sing.
2. SING TO PUNCTUATION
[Idea thanks to Karen Briggs Morgan]
Today we "Sang to Punctuation" on "Did you think to pray?" [FOR SENIOR PRIMARY ONLY]
I teach senior music and so I gave out song sheets (hymnbooks would work too). I divided the Primary into two groups. The first group sang the verse until they came to a punctuation mark - any punctuation mark - and then the other group jumped in until they came to a punctuation mark, then the first group jumped back in, etc.
It went back and forth that way. It was really fun.
They had to stay alert and watch for the punctuation marks and we also enjoyed the song.
Our favorite was the last line: Don't forget .... because there is a punctuation mark in the word "don't" and that one was tricky: First group: Don' Second group: t forget .... They loved it.
We will definitely do it again. (We used to read family scriptures this way when our teen needed to stay awake at early morning scripture study.)
Action strips (see list below) - write each down and cut into strips
HOW TO PLAY:
Give five children two action strips each.
Show the kids the big empty picture frame. Say, "I have a picture frame, but I don’t have any pictures! Let’s make the pictures come alive. I have asked 5 people to help me show you some “pictures” in this frame while I sing this song. Ready?"
The children you have chosen to help you come up to the front. They each have two of these “picture” descriptions. As you sing, they proceed to do that one action in the frame.
Person with a pillow just waking up
Person praying
Person holding up a picture of Christ
Person asking something
Person holding a shield
Person praying
Person that is weary (tired, discouraged)
Person covering their eyes, then uncovering their eyes (night to day)
Person that is sad, tired (dreary)
Person praying
Sing the Song as the children do their action in the frame.
Extensions:
Have the 5 children give their two action slips to another child, and have 5 other children come up and do the actions while you sing the song again.
Sing the song silently (without sound, but mouthing the words) while the children do the actions.
Have all the children do the actions with the child in the frame.
Cut apart. Put the prayer puzzle pieces on the board (for Jr. one puzzle at a time, for Sr. mix
ALL the puzzle pieces together and kids have to try and match and put together. A fun challenge that allows lots of song repetition!).
Kids put the puzzles together as they sing.
5. PICTURE ORDER & THIS OR THAT?
WHAT YOU NEED:
Did You Think to Pray Song Visuals
Game Option 1: Using only the pictures that fit with each song phrase, have kids place in the correct order for each verse as they sing.
Game Option 2: This or That?
Put up two (or three for older kids) pictures for each song section and the kids determine which is correct based on the words of the phrase. Example: Ere you left your room this morning - Two pictures are bedroom and house or bedroom, house and car.
(Go over any difficult vocabulary with the kids briefly).
VERSE 1
Ere: before
Sue: ask, plead, beg
for loving favor: a kind thing
CHORUS
Weary: tired or discouraged
Dreary: sad, tired
VERSE 2
Anger: mad
Grace: God's love and forgiveness
Crossed: Offended, hurt us, done wrong to us
VERSE 3
Sore: Hard
Balm of Gilead: medicine - healing ointment
(Notes - Gilead, just east of the Jordan, was famous for its healing ointment (or balm), made from the storax tree (cf. Gen. 37:25; Jer. 46:11). When a person had a hurt, someone might say, “There is a balm nearby in Gilead that could help you.” The Balm of Gilead has a deeper symbolic purpose in Scripture. God shows Israel that they’d turned to a temporary healing solution, but they had far deeper spiritual cuts that needed ultimate healing. They needed the true physician, Jesus. His blood on the cross and willingness to give His life for us mirrors that of a healing balm that can heal us of our pertinence to sin).
6. MELODY MAP
WHAT YOU NEED:
Did You Think to Pray Melody Map - get free printable at Camille's here,
along with instructions on how to use.
Define hard words:
Ere: before
Sue: ask, plead, beg
for loving favor: a kind thing
Weary: tired or discouraged
Dreary: sad, tired
Or here's another melody map idea and video sing-along from Michael Monroe...
An idea for “Did You Think to Pray” tomorrow. Using a melody map, I’ll ask the children to put the four sections in order, then figure out what the shapes mean (triangles = pray/prayer, squares = you/your), then figure out what the filled shapes mean. Filled shapes will he emphasized/louder than the surrounding notes. And I’ll see if they can figure out what the comma means. (Take a breath).
I’ll have them listen tothis amazing recording from BYU Combined Choirs from General Conference,
and then will sing it with the piano to them the second and third times through.
Hello and welcome to LDS Primary Printables. I'm so excited you are here! LDS Primary Printables provides Come Follow Me, Gospel Topics, Primary Events, and Primary Singing Time Resources for Families, Primary Teachers and Primary Music Leaders.
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