It can be challenging to know when the Holy Ghost is speaking to us. In our busy lives, the voice of the Holy Ghost can sometimes be overshadowed. To help your primary children understand the message of the primary song The Holy Ghost, use this The Holy Ghost Quiet Calming Sounds lesson.
This activity will allow your primary children to engage their senses and listen to quiet sounds as you introduce or review this song in primary.
The Holy Ghost Quiet Calming Sounds
This activity will challenge your primary children to be extra reverent in singing time! The general idea for this activity is to show the difference between loud, disruptive sounds and quiet, calming sounds. Hopefully, this representation will help your primary kids learn how to listen quietly to the voice of the Holy Ghost.
You can start first by playing a noisy sound clip. Ask the children if they can hear you whisper. Keep lowering and lowering the volume until they can hear you. We can’t hear the Spirit if we’re always distracted by everything around us.
Now, call up helpers and ask them, one by one, if they could make a certain quiet or calm sound.
Examples of quiet sounds could include: Baby sleeping, gentle stream, vacuum, rain, fireplace, heartbeat, the ocean, fan, etc.
You can also play some quiet sounds to provide some examples. I’ve included free sound links to some of these gentle sounds below. Since each of these sounds is meant to be quiet, it will require lots of reverence to hear the sounds.
Examples of Calming Sounds:
If you choose to have the kids demonstrate quiet sounds, see what they can come up with! If the child asked can’t make a particular sound, just ask the next child in line to help and ask them to try one of the easier sounds next.
You’ll only spend a minute or two demonstrating calming sounds. You could also do one sound between each time singing through the song.
Then, briefly share how sometimes those noises are background noises that we don’t pay any attention to. We have to pay really close attention to notice and recognize certain quiet sounds.
Ask your primary children: How is the Holy Ghost like those quiet sounds?
Sing through The Holy Ghost song and share that we need to make time to have those quiet moments so that we can hear the Spirit talk to us. I always recommend sharing a brief testimony at the end of singing time. It can be a powerful moment for the kids to recognize the Holy Ghost.
If you have lots of primary children preparing for baptism, you may also want to briefly explain the ordinance of receiving the Holy Ghost. Explain that even though we can still feel the Holy Ghost from time to time, we can have the Holy Ghost with us all the time when we are confirmed.
Our ability to hear the Holy Ghost depends on our righteousness and willingness to listen. You could pair this song with a primary song about baptism to show how the two ordinances are related.
For additional ways to use this activity in primary, keep scrolling! I’ve included 4 extension ideas that can be used as you introduce or review this song in primary this year!
Extension Activities:
- Sing through The Holy Ghost at different volumes. Quiet, Normal, and Loud. You could use volume cards to “adjust” the volume throughout the song.
- Try an experiment! Have the pianist play through the song very loudly. You could also play a primary song loudly on a speaker. While the music is playing, whisper a simple phrase into a child’s ear. See if they can correctly guess what you said. Let the children try this a few times with a partner. Is it harder than you expected?
- Ask your primary teachers to share a few ways that they make time to listen to the Holy Ghost. How do they keep their heart open to receive the promptings of the Holy Ghost? You can also ask the kids to share.
- Have a child come to the front and start reading a short passage. While they are reading, make lots of noise or have the pianist play loudly. How might the Holy Ghost feel when we are too loud to hear his promptings?
You can find a similar nature & senses idea here with this Stand For the Right Work & Play Sounds!
You might also enjoy this The Holy Ghost Still Small Voice review activity!
How can you share your testimony of the Holy Ghost with your primary children?
