I Will Follow God's Plan for Me: Action Word Actions for Younger Children

The body helps children to learn

like no other visual aid we can ever use!

Sing the song and ask the children to follow your hands. 

My life is a gift - hold out hands as if holding a gift

My life has a plan - point to my brain

My life has a purpose - point straight out with my arm and hand

In Heaven it began - wave hands above my head 

My choice was to come - point first to one side, then to the other as if making a choice

to this lovely home on earth - make a big circle with your hands representing an earth

to seek for God's light - hand over eyes as if seeking for something

to direct me from birth - arms cradling and rocking an imaginary baby 

I will follow God's - drum roll on the thighs

plan for me - point to the heavens and then to yourself

holding fast - grab hold to an imaginary iron rod

to his word and his love - hold out your hands like an open book, and then pulling them into a hug

I will work - pretend to push and pull something

and I will pray - pretend to fold your arms as if praying

I will always walk in his way - pretend to have your hands "walk"

And I will be happy on earth - do the sign language for happy, then hold your arms big and round like an earth

and in my home above - point to yourself, put your hands together like a roof, then point up to heaven 

Extender Activity

Ask for five children who can do the actions with you to come up front and do the actions for the other children.  I usually turn and face these five children a little further back in the room.  Ask the children to follow these five children.  Sing the song again and do the actions.  If there is time, have each of these children pick a partner or two to come up and do the actions with them.  Sing the song again doing the actions while this larger group is in front.  

The beauty of this activity is that the children have the experience of a concrete representation of the words which goes deep into their memories.  They are moving and participating, allowing the song to wash over them and into them.