Your visual learners (learning style archives) will particularly love this For Such a Time as This Story Book activity! As you teach this lovely Old Testament song about Queen Esther, draw each scene for a neat way to bring this song to life!
For such a Time as This Story Book
I heard this new Shawna Edwards song, For Such a Time as This (archives) only a few weeks ago, and I am already finding myself humming it throughout the day! This song beautifully tells Esther’s story and reminds us that we, too have a special work on this earth.
Since this song tells the story so vividly, I though it would be fun to pair it with some visuals! This story book activity is super easy to put together. With a set of crayons or markers, you are ready to go!
The basic idea behind this activity is to create a story book during singing time by drawing pictures to represent each line of the song.
Today I am sharing a simple printable story book – but it’s missing the pictures! Your job during singing time is to use your imagination and draw pictures together for a fun way to visualize this scripture story!
As you review this Old Testament song (full list), draw the song line by line. It doesn’t matter if you draw stick figures or elaborate drawings! The purpose is to simply provide a visual element as you teach the song.
Activity Instructions:
Tape all the blank storybook pages to the board ahead of time. Before bringing out any coloring supplies, sing through For Such a Time as This (flip chart) once to refresh the lyrics. This is especially wise because this song is likely to be brand new to your primary children!
You can likely think of children in your own primary who aren’t able to come regularly. For this reason, I always like to put special effort to make sure these kids feel welcomed. Singing through the song together can help them feel included and ready to participate.
Invite a helper to read the words on the first page. Who is this song about? Esther! Can someone come up and draw Esther?
Then, choose another helper to read the next line and draw a picture. Try to give as many turns as you can! If a child wants to add to a picture someone else started, they totally can!
“She rose to say, ‘Oh let us humbly fast and pray.” Hmm, what could we draw here? Maybe we can draw some people praying?
Wow, we created an awesome book together! Point to each picture as you sing through the song once more. There is so much we can learn from Esther’s story, so don’t forget to share your testimony at the end!
P.S. If you’d like to create a real book that you can use next week, bring a stapler and staple the pages together. 🙂
5 Extension Activities:
- Create an art gallery by taping up blank pages with lyrics throughout the room. As you quietly listen to the song, take turns rotating through pictures. Set a timer for a minute or two, then let someone else add to the drawing.
- Have each class work together on 1-2 scenes from the story. Then, have each group take turns showing their pictures and singing their lines.
- Turn over one page of the storybook at a time. Can you still remember the lyrics without the visuals or words?
- Scramble up the pictures and have the children rearrange the pages into the correct order.
- Try a game of Pictionary! Invite a volunteer to come up and pick one song phrase from a hat. While they try to draw the scene, have the rest of the group guess what they are drawing.
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this God’s Love Draw the Song singing time activity!
For Such a Time as This Story Book Printable Song Helps
This free in-post printable includes blank picture pages with lyrics for the first verse of this song.
Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including…. You’ll find these bonus files included when XXX song 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.
Try this For Such a Time as This Color Code activity for a fun way to challenge your primary children and put their song knowledge to the test!
What other fun ways will you use this story book singing time activity in your Primary room?
