Families Can Be Together Forever Action Words

Using actions is one of my favorite ways to teach a new primary song! My Junior primary children especially appreciate the helpful reminders as they take on a new song. This Families Can Be Together Forever Action Words activity is a great way to teach Families Can Be Together Forever in primary this month!

I can’t believe we are only months away from starting Come Follow Me, New Testament! Families Can Be Together Forever is on the LDS Primary Songs 2022 list for October AND the New Testament Primary song list for May of 2023. I’ll be teaching it this year to help familiarize the kids with the song.

As you start to transition from primary program mode to the new year, we have so many helpful tips for getting organized in primary. Here you’ll find our Singing Time Planner, Music Learning Styles Planner, and lots more!

*See all Families Can Be Together Forever Singing Time Ideas*

Families Can Be Together Forever Action Words

I have found that my Junior primary children especially learn better when there is movement involved. Whenever we learn a new song, I try to come up with a few key actions that the children can use to help the words stick! This activity includes a few simple actions that you can use as you teach Families Can Be Together Forever in primary!

For this activity, I’ve come up with some actions and movements to use while learning this song. When I started to think about some actions that would go with this song, it was a little tricky! Since the song is made of longer phrases, there is only about one action per phrase.

To help you plan this activity, I created a printable that includes pages with pictures or symbols as well as the written action. You can find this printable later in the post!

Actions List:

• Point to Self: For this action, simply use both thumbs to point to yourself. I put this action at the very beginning of the song when you sing “I have a family here on earth.” I also repeat this action in the chorus for the words, “I always want to be with my own family.”
• HUG: Give yourself a great big hug! Use this action when you sing “They are so good to me.”
• GIVING HANDS: This action is used a few times in the song. Bring your hands together by touching your pinky fingers and extending your arms, as if you are giving a treat to someone. This action is used when you sing “I want to share my life with them through all eternity” and then at the end of the song: “The Lord has shown me how I can.”
• MARCH: Stomp your feet to the beat of the song. You can stand up or stay seated for this action. Use this action when you sing “Families can be together forever.”
• OPEN SCRIPTURES: Since Heavenly Father’s plan in taught in the scriptures, we’ll create scriptures with our hands for this action. This action is similar to the “Giving Hands” action, except you keep your arms close to your body while holding out your hands. “Through Heavenly Father’s plan.”

That’s it! Just 5 actions! If you want to add more actions, have the children share some ideas or come up with some of your own!

Activity Instructions:

1. Before primary, choose keywords in the song. Think of a simple action that can demonstrate each of those keywords. You might also look for pictures to represent the actions you’ve chosen.
2. At the beginning of primary, tell the children you’ll be learning a new song about families.
3. Have the primary pianist play through the song. If the children are familiar with the song, invite them to sing along.
4. Then, put the action pictures on the board. Have the children look at the pictures and see if they can guess what word each picture represents.
5. Start teaching the first verse of Families Can Be Together Forever (flip chart here) using the action words!

Extension Ideas:

• Have the primary children add their own action words! Have them come up with some actions to add to the pattern.
• Use these action words to introduce the song! Scramble the action pictures on the board at the beginning of primary. Using the pictures, have the children try to guess what song they’ll be learning!
• Split the class into a few groups. Have each group be responsible for a small section of the song. While they sing, they’ll be doing the actions too.

For another fun activity using actions, try this I Love to See the Temple Action Words!

Families Can Be Together Forever Action Words Printable Actions Guide

This printable was recently updated to a 1-page printable guide to the actions for this song! You can put this on the music stand to help you follow along or post it up on the board for the kids to reference.

You’ll find additional print sizes including a 3-page poster and 1/2 sheet action cards plus a printable lesson plan included in the INSTANT Primary Singing membership when Families Can Be Together Forever is the featured song of the month.

To access the free in-post printables for this post, you’ll just need to create a free account or login with the Grow.me tool. Then, confirm by email and refresh the page and ALL my free printables will automatically unlock in every post!

For more information on why I use a content lock or how to create your account, you can see the FAQ page here.

For another fun way to review this song, try this Families Can Be Together Forever Ribbon Wands activity!

Have any other Families Can Be Together Actions you would add? Share them in the comments below!