Take a new spin on learning this song with this fun The Miracle Sign Instead singing time activity! You’ll substitute in a sign or an action in place of the keywords sprinkled throughout the song as you teach The Miracle Primary song (archives) to your Primary children this year.
The Miracle Sign Instead
Sing through The Miracle (flip chart here) once, before introducing this activity.
Explain that today you will skip specific words from the song and use an action, sign language word, or draw a symbol in place of those words you skip singing. I’ve included a big list of actions you can use, or let the kids help you make up actions for your group!
To add all of the actions, sing one line of the song and pause at each blank, add in your predetermined action or decide on an action together, then start from the beginning and continue on as you add actions as you go. Building up the song lyrics like this is a great way to help the kids learn and remember the words with lots of repetition.
When you’ve made your way all the way through the song or the verse you are using this activity for, begin at the beginning and see if the kids can remember all of the signs and when to sign instead of singing the keyword!
Invite several helpers to come up front to lead the signs and sing through the song with the sign instead actions again! I like to stand facing those helpers so I can help remind them of the actions as they go. I usually get lots of willing helpers – you can do this a few times, as long as you have helpers!
You can of course adapt this activity to sing all of the song lyrics, including those with actions. But don’t be afraid of skipping specific words to sing, the kids will sing them silently in their mind to stay on track and it will help build connections in their brain!
1st Verse Sign Instead Actions:
- Water – Draw a scalloped line like peaks of waves on the ocean
- Storm – Draw a circle overhead like a storm cloud
- Sea – One big clap for calming the sea in one big motion
- Healed – Swipe one hand across the top of the back of your other hand
- Lame – Asl sign for Lame = Point your pointer finger down. Point and “walk” your fingers forward pointing your right, then left, then right fingers moving slightly forward.
- See – Cover then reveal your eyes
- Fed – Hold your hand pinched with your fingers to your thumb to your mouth for “eat”
- Bread – Pat your lap
- Died – ASL sign for die = Hold both hands in front of you with one palm up and one palm down, flip both hands over to the right switching which palm is facing up
- Raised – Hold both palms face up, and raise them up
Extension Activities:
- Use the word blanks and cut out all the symbols. Have the children match where the symbols belong within the song lyrics. This is a great option if teaching the song for the first time you can work line by line singing the song lyrics, then reading the word blank and letting the kids seek for the missing word.
- Switch it up and this time sing only the keywords you have actions to match. To help, you might ask the teachers to sing all the written words and the kids to sing your action words so they can remember the melody and words as you go along.
- Use this activity as an envelope challenge for Senior Primary! Give each class one page with one of the verses and their matching symbols to unscramble while you sing. Now, have each class sing the verse they just sorted for a fun sprinkled singing effect. Then, swap verses for them to try to unscramble again while everyone sings.
- For a simplified actions activity, choose an action each time through the song. You can switch up the action each time through. You could pat your lap, clap, stomp, spin, etc.
- Use the word blanks to challenge the children to fill in the missing words! They can write or draw a symbol for the word that is missing. You can read the lyrics to your Junior Primary kiddos, they can still definitely participate!
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this Anytime Anywhere ASL Signs singing time activity!
The Miracle Sign Instead Printable Song Helps
This free in-post printable includes the sign instead activity posters for the 1st verse.
This activity has extended printables available including the sign instead actions for the rest of the song. Plus a blanks version with sign instead symbols you can match to each word blank. You’ll find these bonus printables included in the INSTANT Primary Singing membership when The Miracle 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.
For another engaging way to teach this song, head over to this The Miracle Silent Miracle Videos lesson plan next! It’s a wonderful way to bring the spirit into the room as you help the children see Jesus’ miracles as you sing!
What other fun ways will you use this sign instead singing time activity in your Primary room?
