This month in singing time, help your primary kiddos better understand the commandments by learning Keep the Commandments in singing time. For a fun way to introduce, or review this song, try this Keep the Commandments Group Stories Activity!
*See all our ways to teach Keep the Commandments here!*
From the time we are Sunbeams in primary, we learn the 10 commandments and how to keep them. To help children better understand these commandments and their importance, it can be helpful to share experiences of keeping the commandments.
Instead of discussing what we “can’t” do, it can be beneficial to teach the reason behind the commandments we are given. I think this song says it best in the words, “in this there is safety and peace.”
Keep the Commandments Group Stories Singing Time Ideas
The idea behind this activity is pretty simple. At the beginning of primary, ask the children if they know what a commandments is. After a short discussion, split the room into small groups. Each group will be asked to share an example of a time they followed the commandments.
For this activity, it can also be helpful to print out a copy of the 10 commandments. You might choose to give each group one commandment and have them discuss what the commandment means. When they have an understanding of the commandment, they can share stories of times they followed that commandment.
To help you prep for this activity, I’ll be including a printable list of the 10 commandments on strips of paper. In the printout, I also included the 2 great commandments given in Matthew 22. Make sure to sign in to unlock all our printables!
Activity Instructions:
- Prepare a list of the 10 commandments. Write each commandment on a strip of paper.
- At the beginning of primary, ask children if they know what a commandment is. Chances are they have heard the word but may not understand what it means!
- Split the class into small groups. Give each group one commandment to focus on.
- Invite each group to discuss their commandment. While they do this, you might have the pianist play Keep the Commandments or use a speaker to play the music quietly.
- Invite children to share experiences of times they followed the commandments.
- Begin teaching the words to Keep the Commandments (flipchart here!)
How to Use this Activity as Review:
If you’ve already started learning Keep the Commandments, you can still use this activity! Split the class into groups and give each group a commandment on a strip of paper. You can spend a minute or two allowing children to share stories with their group.
On the back of each strip of paper, write a phrase of the song. Each class will be responsible for singing ONLY their section of the song. After singing through a few times, have groups switch their papers and sing a new phrase of the song!
Adaptation for Junior Primary
For Junior primary, you may want to choose simple commandments that they can understand and choose pictures to represent the commandment. A picture might give them some ideas of times they followed the commandment.
In my printable below, I’ve included pictures of some commandments that I would use when teaching Junior primary. You can still pass out the strip of paper with the commandment, but can send a picture along with it! Or you could give them the picture and have them guess what commandment it is!
Extension Ideas:
- On the back of each strip of paper, write a new way to sing the song! You can find some creative ideas in that post.
- After singing through the verse one time, have the groups switch commandments and share about a new one.
- Bring an item that represents each of the commandments (ex. you might bring a picture of your church building for keeping the sabbath day holy). Pass these items around as you sing the song!
- Play a game of match and try to match the commandment to the correct picture!
Keep the Commandments Group Stories Printable Lesson Plan
This printable is newly updated with larger font, easy to cut out commandments in a grid with 2-pages black and white printables. It includes just the text grid cutout of the commandments.
You’ll find bonus extended printables including a printable lesson plan and the commandments paired with a printable picture. Plus, larger color commandments strips for a variety of ways to use this activity. The additional printables are included in the INSTANT Primary Singing membership when Keep the Commandments 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!
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For another fun way to review Keep the Commandments this month, check out this fun Keep the Commandments First Letters activity!
