An all-time classic singing time idea, you won’t want to miss this Liken the Scriptures Fill in the Blank activity! As you teach the new primary song, Liken the Scriptures (archives) from Shawna Edwards, fill in each missing word blank with the correct song lyrics!
Liken the Scriptures Fill in the Blank
I would be a bit surprised to meet a music leader who has never used some form of a fill-in-the-blank activity in singing time. This classic idea is classic for a reason! It’s a tried and true, quick go-to activity to gauge where your primary children are at with any song.
Especially when teaching lengthier songs, such as Liken the Scriptures, I always try to spend a little extra time focusing on the lyrics. This way, the children feel more confident as they sing and develop a personal connection with the song.
As you teach this sweet primary song, consider using this representation of words idea. In preparation for this activity, I’ve created a printable posters with fill in the blank word phrases for the first verse and chorus of this song.
What I also love about this type of activity is how adaptable it is! This activity works really well with older primary children, but don’t shy away if you have lots of littles! Rather than writing in each missing word, just say the phrase and have the children say the missing word aloud.
If your primary children guess all the blanks quickly, try adding an extra challenge. If they really struggle to fill in the blanks, maybe spend some extra time reviewing the lyrics! Either way, this activity is sure to be a hit!
Start by singing through Liken the Scriptures (flip chart here) once. Then, tape up the fill in the blank posters on the board.
Can you help me fill in all the missing words? Pick a helper to read the first phrase: “I may not be asked to _____” Hmm, do you know what comes next? If your helper knows the answer, have them write in the missing word. If they aren’t sure, ask the rest of the class!
Pick another volunteer to fill in the next word blank. After you have filled in a few word blanks, sing just to that point. You’ll get lots of repetition this way!
Continue filling each missing word blank with the correct song lyric until you finish the puzzle. Great job! Let’s sing through it one more time now that we have all the words.
Fill in the Blank Examples:
Here are just a few examples of the fill in the blank phrases used in this activity. Grab the printable version later in this post to save some time on singing time prep.
- I may not be asked to_______ (BUILD) a great big _______, (SHIP)
- Or sail my _________ (FAMILY) across the __________ (OCEAN) blue,
- But if I had the ________ (FAITH) and courage _____ (NEPHI) did
- Imagine all the ______ (GREAT) things I could _____ (DO).
- The Lord has a special _________ (MESSAGE) for me
- in every ________ (SCRIPTURE) story I _________, (READ)
Extension Activities:
- Draw pictures to add a visual element! Many of the missing words can be easily paired with a symbol – ex. “build” = hammer, “ship” = boat, “family” = stick figure family, “ocean” = ocean wave. Match each picture with the fill in the blank word phrase.
- Cut out the fill in the blank word strips and tape them around the room. As you sing, choose volunteers to pick one word blank and fill in the missing word.
- Team Challenge: Pass out a few fill in the blank word strips to each class. Have each class work together to complete their word blanks. Then, “popcorn sing” each phrase!
- Pick a fun action to do every time you sing one of the missing words. Jump up high, whisper sing, hum, high five a friend, clap, etc.
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this Mother Dear What Comes Next singing time activity!
Liken the Scriptures Fill in the Blank Printable Song Helps
This free in-post printable includes 2-pages of fill in the blank phrases for the first verse of Liken the Scriptures.
Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including the chorus and additional verses, plus colorful keyword cards and symbols cards. Plus 4 ways to sing actions for the missing keywords. You’ll find these bonus files included when Liken the Scriptures 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.
You won’t want to miss more Liken the Scriptures Singing Time Ideas!
What other fun ways will you use this fill in the blank singing time activity in your Primary room?
