You will have a great time learning the lyrics to The Iron Rod with this engaging activity that uses one letter from each word as a clue to remember the words of the song. You’ll use this The Iron Rod First Letters singing time game to help teach the song for the first time or as a great review activity for multiple verses.
See all The Iron Rod Singing Time Ideas here!
The Iron Rod First Letters
How to Play:
Sing through The Iron Rod hymn (flip chart here) once, before introducing this activity. I recommend picking just a single verse to work on, plus the chorus, unless you just need to review multiple verses.
Put the word strips up on the board in a mixed up order.
Ask the children to pay attention while you sing through the song again and see if they can figure out what these silly letters mean!
After you sing through the song again, ask the children what they think the letters might mean. Take a few answers. You can try testing out one of their theories by starting to sing through the song again and then pause – what do you think? Were we right?
Let’s sing through the song again and this time we will try to figure out which letters come first! Use directed listening and enunciation through the first line of the song to pick out the first letter strip, then finish the song normally.
Work your way through sorting out the letters word strips into the correct order.
Extension Activities:
- Give the kids an extra layer of challenge! Divide the room into 2 groups. Have one group be the darker color and the other group be the lighter color (group one goes first and then just alternate). Have the children either say or sing the words in order alternating sides of the room. It will be easier for them to say the words and stay in sequence, but either option will work!
- Hide the word strips around the room or under the chairs. Have a child hunt for your letter strips, then stand up front to hold them for you. Rearrange the children (and word strips) into the correct order. Have the helper hold up their letters for their coordinating line of the song.
- For a harder unscramble challenge, mix the coordinating colored chorus letters in with your verse of choice. Now, they’ll have to pick from 8 different letter strips to arrange.
- If you’re learning the song for the first time, you can show the first letter strip and point to each letter as you say each word from the first line. Have the children repeat the line. Then, sing the line. Have the children sing the line back to you again as you point to each letter in sequence. Add the letters word strip to the board. Continue with the second letters strip, then start from the beginning singing the first and second line of the song.
- Invite a child to pick one of the word strips you’ve been working on. They will come up, pick a word strip, then say or sing the line of the song. Give them lots of praise! Then, let another child try with a different word strip from the ones left.
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this Behold the Great Redeemer Die First Letters singing time activity!
The Iron Rod First Letters Demonstration!
Come along with me into my virtual primary room to see how I would use this activity in singing time! In this video, I’ll provide a quick demonstration of what this activity might look like in primary and share some fun ways to adapt this activity for your primary kiddos!
–> The Iron Rod First Letters Demo Video <–
The Iron Rod Printable First Letters Chart
This free in-post printable includes printable first letters chart for the 1st verse and chorus.
Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including all 5 verses, larger letter word strips, alternating letter colors and black and white options! You’ll find these bonus files included when The Iron Rod hymn is the featured song of the month.
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Continue over to this The Iron Rod Movement Words activity for a fun and engaging way to learn the verses while adding movement to the chorus.
What other fun ways will you use this singing time activity in your Primary room?
