When I’m teaching a short song like Kindness Begins With Me, I try to look for ways to keep singing time engaging. My Senior primary children especially love logical conclusions games that give them a little bit of a challenge!
If you’re looking for a simple way to review and teach the message of this sweet song, you will love this Kindness Begins With Me Word Map activity!
*** See all Kindness Begins with Me Singing Time Ideas ***
Kindness Begins With Me Word Map
A word map is a great way to help children remember the lesson behind the primary song. In a way, it’s a puzzle for the kids to solve. The only difference? They get to make the puzzle!
If you aren’t familiar with a word map, start with the primary message of the song. Some questions to ask yourself (or your primary children) might be, “What is the principle or doctrine we are learning?” In this song, the message is love and kindness.
This will be at the center of your word map. From there, you will work together to create a map of ways that we can show kindness to others. You could also think of words that are associated with kindness.
As you think of ways to show kindness, add these words to your word map. To help you get started, I’ve created a printable lesson plan that includes a word map template. I’ve chosen words and pictures that can be put together during primary to create your word map.
Of course, you can add your own ideas! You can invite children to share their ideas and draw Kindness Begins with Me song symbols up on the board to add to your word map!
For another fun Word Map activity, try this I Feel My Savior’s Love Word Map!
Word Map Ideas:
Since there are so many different ways you can add to your “Kindness Word Map,” I thought I’d share some ideas here. This list is a general list of words/phrases that may be associated with kindness. I’ve also included some examples of ways to be kind.
- Jesus
- Sharing Toys With Friends
- Helping Someone Who is Sad
- Praying for someone
- Going to the temple
- CTR
- Friendship
- Forgiveness
For this activity, I took some of the words and phrases and used pictures to represent some of the ideas. My Senior primary kids love taking turns reading, so I wanted to leave some as words.
Each time you sing through the song, add a new picture and ask the children how that picture relates to the word “Kindness.” You can also challenge them to add their own ideas!
Activity Instructions:
- Start by reviewing Kindness Begins With Me (feel free to use our cute Kindness Begins with Me flipchart here!)
- Ask the children what the main lesson of the song is. Write the word “Kindness” in the center of the board.
- Sing through the song again. This time, invite the children to think of ways they can be kind to others (Some examples: Forgiving others, sharing toys, helping clean up, etc).
- As they share ideas, write them on the board and attach them to the center of your word map. You can put up pictures if you already have pictures prepared.
- Continue singing and adding words/pictures to your ward map!
- Finish by sharing your testimony of the importance of sharing Christlike kindness with others.
Extension Ideas:
- Instead of posting pictures to the word map, show only the words and have the children draw pictures to represent the words!
- Start primary with all the words and pictures on the word map. As you sing, pick one picture and set it aside. Continue singing until you only have the word Kindness left!
- Have each class create their own word map! Give them an envelope with the words and pictures but challenge them to come up with at least 3 of their own ideas to add to the map!
Kindness Begins With Me Word Map Video!
I’ve created this helpful demonstration video to give you a better idea of what this activity looks like in singing time! Join me in my virtual primary room as I explain how to create a meaningful singing time activity using a word map! I’ll share a few different ways to create your word map and provide some tips for easy activity prep!
–> Kindness Begins With Me Word Map Demo Video <–
Kindness Begins With Me Word Map Printable Lesson Plan
This printable should give you a great start in preparing for this primary activity! The first page of the printable is the center for our word map. No need to cut out this page! The next two pages include words and pictures that you can include in your word map. What other ideas can you add?
You’ll find a printable lesson plan and bonus medium and large pictures in the INSTANT Primary Singing membership when Kindness Begins with Me is the featured song of the month.
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Try this sweet Kindness Begins With Me Stoplight Singing Activity next!
What words come to your mind when you think of “Kindness?”
