This year, we are learning Follow the Prophet (archives) as we study the Old Testament. This song is a great reminder for children and adults alike to follow the words of the prophet.
This Follow the Prophet Listen & Sing activity is a great way to teach this principle as you review in singing time!
Follow the Prophet is one of the recommended songs to teach as part of both the Book of Mormon and Primary Old Testament Songs List! I like to teach it as part of the Old Testament year.
*See ALL Follow the Prophet Singing Time Ideas here!*
The important principle taught by the song Follow the Prophet is that when we follow the prophet, we will be blessed and protected by Heavenly Father. From a young age, children can learn this principle as they learn from the example of Old Testament prophets.
For young children, taking turns can be difficult. In this review activity, we’ll be practicing our listening skills as we take turns listening and singing.
Follow the Prophet Listen & Sing
The idea for this activity is to take turns singing while you practice Follow the Prophet. What I love most about this activity is that it requires ZERO prep materials and is great for both Junior and Senior primary!
For this activity, you’ll need a little bit of courage to sing on your own. When I first started teaching singing time, I was afraid to sing on my own in front of the children. However, as I’ve continued serving in this calling, I’ve learned the value of having the children listen to someone sing the song to teach it.
Even if you aren’t a professionally trained singer, the children will love hearing you sing the words to this song. As they listen, they will have a turn to sing back to you.
Activity Instructions:
- Write out the names of the prophets for each verse you will be teaching for this song! There are lots of verses! We even have a special verse for President Russell M. Nelson here!
- Put the names of prophets in a jar or bag for primary.
- Begin by reviewing a few verses of Follow the Prophet (lyrics here).
- Have the children choose which verse to review by picking a name of a prophet from the jar.
- Explain that you will start singing, and then they will start singing when you stop.
- Continue taking turns until you finish the verse. Choose a new one and continue singing!
Creating Signs for this Activity:
I have created some cute optional signs to use for this activity. These signs include a cartoon ear and microphone to help children know when it is their turn to sing. Simply print out these signs and tape them to a popsicle stick or just hold them up!
When you lead this activity, simply hold up the ear if you want the children to listen to you sing, and hold up the microphone to let them know it’s their turn to sing! These signs are included in the printable later in this post. They are easily accessible when signed in.
Discussion Questions:
After you take turns singing, you might engage in a short discussion about the experience. Here are some examples of questions you might ask to lead the discussion:
- Was it hard to listen when it wasn’t your turn?
- How did it feel to sing with your group?
- Can it be difficult to listen to the prophets?
- Why is it important to listen and follow the prophet?
These questions can help children better understand the importance of following the teachings of prophets. This activity can also help children understand the importance of sharing those teachings with others by setting an example or sharing their testimonies.
There are lots of adaptations to this fun activity! For young children, they love participating and getting to be in charge.
Find ways to let them lead this activity. For older children, they often enjoy some healthy competition. Check out some of my extension ideas for this activity below!
Extension Ideas:
- Split the class into right and left sides. Have the sides alternate singing while you review the song!
- Follow the Leader! Choose a child to come to the front. They get to lead the song and choose which side should sing. Have the child choose a new leader after they lead the class in one verse.
- Teachers VS Children – For this adaptation, have the teachers and children alternate singing. This is a great way to get the children to sing louder and add a little competition.
For another fun and similar singing time idea, head over to grab our Give Said the Little Stream Up & Down singing time idea! It’s easy to adapt to use with any song.
Follow the Prophet Listen & Sing Demo Video
Check out this short demo video for some extra tips for using this activity in singing time! In this video, I explain how I made these simple listen & sing cue cards and provide an example from the song!
–> Follow the Prophet Listen & Sing Demo Video <–
Follow the Prophet Listen & Sing Printable Helps
The free printable for this post includes half page listen & sing cards in one style.
You’ll find two additional styles and black and white options plus full page cards included in the INSTANT Primary Singing Membership when Follow the Prophet is the featured song of the month.
Get more out of singing time with the INSTANT Primary Singing membership that includes printable lesson plans, tons of extended printables and an ad-free experience for each featured song of the month, or get immediate access to the entire song list for the year!
Learn more about INSTANT Primary Singing membership options here!
Have questions or need more help, see this FAQ page here.
For another fun way to review Follow the Prophet this month, try out these Follow the Prophet Treasure Hunt!
What activities will you be using this month in singing time?
