As a Child of God: Melody Map Ideas

Melody Maps are powerful tools! I recently taught this song in only 6 minutes using this colorful map.  Here is the map, a video of how to use it, and a printable version which you will have to enlarge so the children can see it.

Older Children:

These maps are posted out of order at the front of the room.

Ask the children:  

• "What is the same?

• What is different?"  Receive their answers.

Ask:  

• "What do these posters have to do with this song?"

Sing the song and ask the children again

• "What do these posters have to do with this song?

 Sing again.

Ask:  

• "Are these posters in order?  

• “Which one comes first?"

Sing the song again to help them figure it out.

Ask questions about the various symbols on the map.

When the children have put the posters in order and have figured out what the different symbols stand for, have the children sing only the words with the symbols, and you sing the other words.  Then the next time, have the children sing only the other words (NOT the symbol words) while you sing only the symbol words.

Younger Children:

These maps are posted IN ORDER at the front of the room.  

Post also about 14 or 15 pictures of children.  (It is a nice touch if the pictures are of the children in your Primary, but isn't necessary for this to work.)

Ask the children:  

• What do you see?

• What do you notice?

Receive the children’s answers.

Sing the song and follow the melody line with your finger as you sing.

Tell the children you will tap a child on the shoulder so that they can come up and put a picture of a child on the melody map as you sing.

Sing (as many times as needed) while tapping different children to put the pictures up on the map. (It doesn't matter where they put the pictures.)

Sing again and follow the melody line with your finger as you sing.  

• Point out that when I sing about myself, the map has a smiley face.  

• Point out that when I sing about choices, the map has an arrow.

• Point out that when I sing about a special light like the Holy Ghost, the map has yellow marks.

Ask the children to sing with you and point to the map as you sing.

HERE is a link to a video of the teaching technique for older children

Here is a printable version of the 4 parts of the map.  (You will need to enlarge it so that all the children can see it.)

And here's a zip file of all of them together: as-a-child-of-god-melody-maps

Some have asked for directions to make their own melody maps with other songs.  Here they are: