I use flip charts a lot of the time in Primary as I feel it’s helpful for those kids that aren’t always there each week and for the teachers (which encourages THEM to actually sing along with the kids!) It also makes it no-pressure for the children not sure about the song to sing out more confidently.
If you’re looking for 200+ Primary Singing Time Ideas, head over to our Visual Singing Time Post index to browse all of our printable lesson plans!
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Most of the time I just hold up the flip chart, or have a single helper. I even make my flip charts into individually bound booklets so they are much easier to hold! But sometimes, you’re in a pinch and need a last minute, easy to put together singing time idea and that’s when you can turn to your flip charts to help you out!
- See also my tips & tricks for using flip charts for some handy hacks!!
I like my flip charts to be as few of pages as absolutely possible because I don’t like fumbling around with my flip charts or the excess storage needed for tons of pages. That being said, still many of these ideas will work even with short and sweet flip charts! Pick some of the longer activities (like unscramble) for your long songs like Gethsemane!
- Get all of my free printable Primary flip charts here!
10 Singing Time Ideas Using Flip Charts
1 – Unscramble the Flip Chart
The classic go-to way to use flip charts is to post all of the pages out of order. Ask the children to help you unscramble the pages and put them back in order as you learn the song. You can mix up this idea by “accidentally” dropping the pages and asking for help putting them back together or simply present them scrambled in a different way each time!
Here’s an extension idea on that activity where I shared how I play Oops I dropped the pictures over in this post on what a typical singing time might look like!
2 – Puzzle Flip Chart
Cut up your flip chart pages into 4-6 large pieces. Let your Primary kids help you assemble them back together! You can split the Primary into small groups to each assemble one page or work together as a Primary as you sing through the song unscramble the first page and then repeat!
I used a similar idea to this over in this lesson plan and it was a HUGE hit!! See this If the Savior Stood Beside Me Unscramble Game activity for ideas!
3 – Which Flip Chart Pages Comes Next
After each time singing through the song, have the children help you find which flip chart page comes first! Then continue working your way through the song until you’ve got all the pages in order. This is similar to unscramble, but presents it in a fresh new way for the children! Instead of working to unscramble all the pages at once, you’ll just search for the first page only, and then the 2nd and so on.
Here’s another fun way to use the What Comes Next concept with a game we played while learning Gethsemane!
4 – Find the Page –
Post the pages of your flip chart around the Primary room. Ask the children to quietly look for the next page while you sing. Have one child who was singing and participating go and find the 1st page of your flip chart and bring it up front. Continue singing through the song again until you have all the pages up front!
5 – Flip Chart Helpers
Have a class come up front and each hold one of the flip chart pages for you. You can have them hold up their page high when it’s their part of the song! Or spin around backward when they’ve finished their part. Make it fun and interesting. Then, switch classes and do it again!
6 – Disappearing Flip Chart
Start with all of your flip chart pages up on the board and in the right order. After a few times singing through the song, have the children pick pages they are ready to take down! Slowly start removing the flip chart until there are no pages left on the board.
Download the I’ll Walk With You Flip Chart here!
7 – Coloring Page Flip Chart
Make a flip chart with a coloring page design or even just a blank spot by keywords. Let the children help you color in the pages or draw designs to represent the keywords! They’ll love taking part in creating your flip chart that you can use for weeks to come!
I had so much fun creating individual Comic Strip flip charts the kids could draw cartoon animations for when we were learning When I Am Baptized! Pop over there to see that idea, too.
8 – Cover the Flip Chart
Post the flip chart up on the board. Have colorful strips of paper and let the children start to cover up different words each time you sing through the song. Continue covering words on the flip chart until the whole flip chart is covered!
See our singing time ideas for In My Father’s Hand (the flip chart pictured).
9 – Mini Flip Chart Books
Create small flip chart books for your Primary kiddos! They can use these to follow along and sing through the song. You can make one with all the songs for the year and pull them out for different activities from time to time! Or, just use this idea for one song to keep it fresh and special.
10 – Flip Chart Groups
Make several copies of your flip chart. Pass them out to small groups of 4-6 children. Have them work to unscramble the chart and put it in order. Then, let them flip over pages and ONLY sing the pages that are facing up. You’ll get a popcorn singing effect from around the room!
I did something like this over here in this If the Savior Stood Beside Me Picture Match game! Easy and fun!
What other fun ideas do you have for using flip charts for teaching a new song?
Thank you for this help! You have a great blog with many resources for teaching primary songs! What song is pictured in idea #8? I don’t recognize it.
Thanks!
Katelyn
Great question – It’s in My Father’s Hands.
I really should have linked to that! Updated the post to reference it as well. 🙂