In My Father’s Hands – Action Hands

My Primary always really likes doing action symbols with their hands. It’s an easy way to get everyone involved, let them move a bit, and help them remember the words! A win-win-win! Here’s the simple hand actions for In My Father’s Hands.

I highly recommend pairing this lesson plan with the Hand Cards over here! It made it a cinch to tie in the words and the hand actions and extended the activity a bit, too.

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In My Father’s Hands
Action Hands

How to Use Action Hands:

• Go line through line of the song (1 verse at a time) and introduce the hand actions.
• Sing through the verse, practicing the signs you’ve learned so far. Then, add more if you’re doing more than one verse!
• Have the one side of the room do signs only while the other side signs. Now switch having the other side sign while the first does the actions!

Extension Ideas:

• Have the children help you come up with action hand movements.
• Post the Hand Pictures keyword signs to tie in the keywords. Let the kids help you remove the signs a few at a time as you’ve learned them.
• Let the children come up front to “lead” the action hands!
• Repeat the actions with the beat (ex: beat fist down on top of the other fist 3x, tap hands in towards yourself 3x, shake hands up above your heads 3x). This is a fun way to get out lots of movement and reinforce the beat!

In My Father’s Hands
Simple Action Hands Sequence

First Verse:

• Firm and steady – Make a fist with both hands, and pound one on top of the other hand.
• Hold me – Hug yourself
• Leap free – Hands wide open and up high in the air
• Catch me – Scoop hands inward to your chest
• Know – Point fingers to forehead
• Safe – Baseball sign for “safe”, start hands crossed in front of you in an X and then swipe both arms away from each other.
• Strength – Show your muscles
• Father’s hands – wiggle fingers on both hands

Second Verse:

• Soft and humble – Hands together in front like saying a prayer
• Stumble – Roll hands
• Struggle – Roll fingers together and pull apart like a tug-o-war
• Troubles – Hands in fists, pull them forward and back in front of you
• Loved – Sign language for love, cross hands across chest in an X
• Gentle touch – Run fingers softly down one arm
• Father’s Hands – wiggle fingers on both hands

Third Verse:

• True and worthy – Raise your right arm like you are sustaining
• Power to bless me – One hand on top of the other and pushed out in front
• Full of faith – Both hands in towards your chest
• Blessing – Both hands on top of your head like giving a blessing
• God’s love – Hands come together to form a heart
• From above – Both hands straight up high, then make the steps moving up with the notes
• He’s real – Sign language for Jesus, alternate touching your palms with your other pointer finger.
• Will is revealed – Both palms faced up, bring down in front
• Father’s hands – wiggle fingers on both hands

See the Action Hands for
In My Father’s Hands

Watch this short video clip to see the actions live! Keep in mind, I didn’t practice or memorize the 2nd verse signs at all, since I won’t be personally using them.

Hopefully, you can give me a little grace when I don’t have them down perfectly in the video. I’m also being very distracted by my “helper.” I also CAN.NOT.REACH. those high notes, so I just didn’t sing them for you. 🙂

If for any reason this video isn’t loading for you, head over to my YouTube page to find the video there as well!

In My Father’s Hands
Printable Action Hands

This is a really simple 2-page printable of the In My Father’s Hands Actions with an instruction page and a summary of all the actions so you can keep it with you during Primary in case you need to reference or remember any of the actions!

Click here —> to Print In My Father’s Hands Action Hands

Are there any simple hand actions you’d change?