Check out these singing time ideas for teaching the Primary song, Search, Ponder, and Pray in singing time! Ideas range from searching the Primary room, simplified ASL to handbells to more! There’s bound to be something to accommodate your Primary’s learning style and needs!
Search & Ponder
My lesson plan HERE LITERALLY has the kids searching and pondering! There are 2 lesson plans available, one catered more toward Jr. and the other to Sr.
- Searching activity
- Melody Map
- Phrase Chart
- Decipher the Code
- Scripture Match-up
But all the activities can be modified to fit both groups!
Sharla Dance
Simplified ASL
Holly also has videos available for teaching Search, Ponder, and Pray. Check out her explanation video here:
Once you have the signs learned, sign along here:
A Children's Songbook Companion
A Children’s Songbook Companion contains a singing time lesson plan for every single song in the Children’s Songbook including Search, Ponder, and Pray. More details on this book can be found HERE.
Access this in my Resource Library. Instructions for accessing my Resource Library are found at the bottom of this post.
Teach Search, Ponder, and Pray with Handbells
Merry Bells has handbell charts for Search, Ponder, and Pray. There are several options to choose from:
- Play Along DVD Primary Songs HERE
- Digital Download Multi-Note Harmony HERE
- Digital Download Single-Note Melody HERE
- Printable Handbell Charts HERE
Make sure to use coupon code CPI for 10% off your entire order!
More Singing Time Ideas
Primary Singing has ideas for teaching Search, Ponder, and Pray.
LDS Primary Printables also has a few more ideas.
Search, Ponder, and Pray History
This information comes from Stories from The Children’s Songbook by Sister Pat Graham (more information on that book HERE).
Jadyn Milne [author] enjoys writing as a hobby and has collaborated with her friend, Carol Black [composer]. One of their compositions, “The Miracle of America,” was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC at the nation’s bicentennial celebration.
Their song, “Search, Ponder and Pray,” won the children’s song category of the 1986 Church Music Contest, and was printed in the Children’s Sacrament Meeting Presentation that year.
The words teach what to do to gain a testimony, and the music causes a warm feeling when singing it. That is an example of the songbook preface statement, “As you sing, you may feel good inside. The Holy Ghost gives you warm feelings to help you understand that the words and messages of the songs are true.”
Sister Milne believes that Heavenly Father is always near. As a young child, she remembers being made well almost immediately after priesthood blessings. She attended Dixie Jr. and Weber State Colleges and has been successful in turning her writing hobby into published songs.
Sister Black began serving in the Church as the Primary pianist when she was twelve. When Primary was held after school, she would run from school to the Church to begin playing prelude music for the children as they entered the chapel.
She said, “My parents provided me with the opportunity of taking piano lessons, but I have had no formal training in music theory or composition. I do, however, possess a great love for good music and a testimony of its influence in our lives.” She has been composing at the request of Sister Milne since 1985.
Leave your Search, Ponder, and Pray Singing Time Ideas
How are you teaching Search, Ponder, and Pray in singing time? Leave a comment with your suggestions!
Check out this quick tutorial video for accessing the Resource Library:
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under Song Title > Search, Ponder, and Pray.
