Combine the fun of a code with all the first letters of each word, then add in fun movement with actions for each matching first letter in this flexible I Know My Father Lives First Letter Actions singing time lesson.
This song is perfect for breaking it down with the first letters because it uses a lot of repeating letters and even a repeating final key phrase!
See all I Know My Father Lives Singing Time Ideas here.
I Know My Father Lives First Letter Actions
How to Play:
Pick which verse you’d like to work on. While you can do this for both verses, it will work better to focus on one verse.
Sing through I Know My Father lives first before introducing the activity.
Have a child come up front and blindly (or by choice) picks a letter card. Then, select an additional action idea either randomly or let them choose. Each time you sing a word with the starting letter (color coded to remember more easily) you’ll do the action with each matching first letter!
- Verse 1: A, T, M, I, L
- Verse 2: A, T, M, I, H, S, C
Add one new action at a time, slowly adding to the complexity.
Junior Primary Adaptation:
For Junior Primary, you can simplify if the kids are struggling to keep up at all by keeping just 2-3 letters and actions at a time. You can replace the letter, or action, or both. For example, maybe switch clapping for “T” words with stomping for “T” words.
Extension Activities:
- Pick one action at random, then try it through the song with one letter, then switch to the next letter, and then on through each of the letters. Then switch to a new action and repeat making your way through a variety of letters. This gives you lots of repetition and focus on the words.
- Skip singing the words from one selected letter or from all the letters currently with an action. Don’t worry about the kids not singing the words, they’re singing them in their head!
- Divide the actions with each to half the room. This will make it a bit of a competition between the two groups and will make it a little easier to focus on the 2-3 actions per group.
- Try singing double speed – with actions!
For another fun activity cracking first letters, see this Keep the Commandments First Letter singing time idea!
I Know My Father Lives First Letter Actions Demo Video
Come to my virtual primary room to get a feel for how this activity works in singing time! In this video, I’ll provide a few examples of ways to use this activity and give a short demonstration of what this activity might look like in primary.
–> I Know My Father Lives First Letter Actions Demo Video <–
I Know My Father Lives First Letter Actions Printable Lesson Plan
This free in-post printable includes a 1-page printable with the various action and letters that can be cut out as cards. Then, you’ll find a 1-page printable with the first letters for the 1st verse.
The verse page is color coded to match the letter cards so you can match either by color or by letter to make it easier to remember your actions associations.
You’ll find a printable lesson plan, first letters for the 2nd verse, larger formatting, and larger letter and action cards! These are included in the INSTANT Primary Singing membership when I Know My Father Lives is the featured song of the month.
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Check out our I Know My Father Lives Flip chart next!
What other fun extension activities could you add to this fun First Letter Actions activity?
