The kids are going to love all the movement and music making with this I Will Be Valiant Cup Pattern! They’ll get to try a couple different patterns working their way up in difficulty to the fun pattern for the final 2 lines of the song!
I Will Be Valiant (archives) is one of the song picks for this month, but it’s one I plan to include more with the Doctrine & Covenants Come Follow Me Primary songs. You can do whatever works best for you and include this fun activity if you didn’t learn this song last year!
*See all I Will Be Valiant Singing Time Ideas Here*
How to Use the I Will Be Valiant Cup Pattern
Sing through I Will Be Valiant with this flip chart once before bringing out the plastic cups.
Explain the rules of using the cups (follow along, don’t crush them, etc) and then pass them out.
You can start the pattern off slowly by simply repeating the lap-lap-palm-palm pattern through the entire song.
Next, try the knee-knee and switch hands after every line. Repeat for the entire song.
Finally, try the lap-palm pattern with the cup facing downward.
Now, show the kids how to add all the pattern together with a short demo that we’ll start with our lap-lap-palm-palm pattern, then switch to knee-knee, continue with your other hand, now the upside-down cup for lap-palm.
Do you think you can do all those in order? I have one more pattern for us to add to the last part! Try this with me – demonstrate and have the kids try it a few times while you sing the words acapella.
Sing through I Will Be Valiant with the entire cup pattern.
Ask for volunteers to come up front and lead the actions and sing through it again!
I Will Be Valiant Cup Pattern
- Start on “The…” with one tap to the palm. Or, use “The…” as a lead in word only.
- Lap-Lap-Palm-Palm – Repeat 2 taps on the lap and then 2 taps on the palm through
- “Lord needs / valiant / servan- / ts to do his / work in / the latter / day- / s”
- Knee-Knee – Tap on the right and then the left knee following the fast double-speed.
- “Who / fol- / low / the teach- / ings / of Je- / sus”
- Switch Hands holding the cup and continue; Knee-Knee
- “And / serve / his / people / in a / loving / way”
- Flip the cup upside down; Lap-Palm – Using the flat backside of the cup tap lap and palm
- “I / will / be / his / ser- / vant / / and keep my / cov ‘nants / val- / iant / ly”
- Lap-Tap-Tap-Up – Tap lap, then two times on the palm, then raise the cup up high!
- “I’ll / stand-for / truth / I’ll / stand-for / right / The / Lord-can / depend / on / m-e /__ /”
Alternate Pattern: Heather Smith shared her fun variations she used for Junior to simplify and then a fun challenge for Senior that involves the whole room. Here’s her ideas:
For junior we just did a lap-lap palm-palm pattern and I said “freeze” and switched to the other side halfway through the song. For a challenge the second time through I said freeze more often (2 additional times).
For senior we started in our chairs with lap-lap palm-palm lap-lap switch hands . Then for a challenge we moved to the floor in a circle. Lap-lap palm-palm pass-the-cup pick-up-the-cup repeat. Then half way through we froze and switched to the other direction. We did the song a few more times faster each time. It was fun.
I Will Be Valiant Cup Pattern Demo Video
If you have any issues with the video loading or simply want to see more of our fun singing time demos, head over to our Primary Singing YouTube Playlist!
Extension Ideas & Additional Ways to Use the I Will Be Valiant Cup Pattern
- You can teach the actions with just their hands first, then pass out the cups after and let them try it with the cups. Or just stick with using this as a hand pattern!
- Let the kids help you come up with a new pattern to try at the end or mix up one of the patterns in the middle, maybe the knee-knee section.
- Switch from using a plastic cup to an egg shaker! Ask them to notice how it changes the feeling of the motion and the sound in the room.
For another really fun and clever way to use plastic cups in primary, head over to see our Redeemer of Israel Cup Actions lesson plan!
I Will Be Valiant Cup Pattern Printable Poster
The free in-post printable for this activity includes a 1-page pattern key to help you lead the actions!
You’ll find additional extended printables including a 2-page and 4-page larger pattern guide. This are included in the INSTANT Primary Singing membership when I Will Be Valiant 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.
Head over next to see our I Will Be Valiant Picture Puzzle singing time idea!
What other fun ways could you extend this I Will Be Valiant Cup Pattern? How did your Primary like this activity?
