Use this punch board any time of the year in singing time, depending on what color of tissue paper you cover it with! Create a U.S. flag to make it patriotic this summer (or any color and design depending on your country’s flag)! However, if you don’t have time to put together a punch board, scroll on down for a simplified variation to quickly pull together!!
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I’m a HUGE fan of doing the work once and having multiple uses afterwards! And this punch board definitely fits the bill! I also had SO much fun making this – probably because I don’t do it very often.
I found this idea on the PML FB group and LOVED it! In order to accommodate LOTS of turns, I’ve modified it slightly so most (if not all) of your primary kiddos can have a turn to PUNCH the board {Unless you have a ginormous Jr. and Sr. primary!}.
If that is the case, you may just want to bring a cup for each child to punch. Some cups will be filled and some will be empty. Maybe give each class red white and blue cups and only 3 of those cups will have slips of paper in them. Thinking out loud here…
Create a Punch Board
Create the base using foam board and 35 red solo cups. Line the cups on the foam board (with a little space between the cups so you can add tissue paper and rubber bands). I fit 7 cups across and 5 cups down. Then hot glue the bottoms to the board.
But before you cover your punch board (you really don’t want to forget!!), make sure to place a slip of paper inside each cup. The slips of paper will vary depending on the color that is punched.
I decided to use red, white and blue slips of paper as well (totally optional!). This way if they get mixed up in singing time (as is often the case), I can easily put them back in the right section when I use them for the next class.
Blue: Patriotic Questions
Fill the cups to be covered with blue tissue paper with strips of paper that contain patriotic questions. You need to fill 12 cups. Here are several ideas:
- How many stars are on the flag and what do they represent? [50/the 50 states]
- Where is your favorite place you have visited in the USA?
- Name the flags colors [red, white and blue]
- What is the capital of the United States? [Washington D.C.]
- What does U.S.A. stand for? [United States of America]
- What do we celebrate on the 4th of July? [Freedom for the USA from England]
- What is the name of our national anthem? [The Star Spangled Banner]
- How many colonies took part in signing the Declaration of Independence? [13]
- When does the United States of America commemorate its independence? [July 4th]
- Who was the first president after independence? [George Washington]
- What do the 13 stripes on the flag indicate? [the 13 colonies]
- What is one way we celebrate the 4th of July [parades, fireworks, barbecue, American flags, etc.]
- Name one thing you should do when the national anthem is playing? [stand, put your hand over your heart, sing]
- What is another name for the 4th of July? [Independence Day]
- Finish this phrase from the Pledge of Allegiance: “I pledge allegiance to the flag …” [of the United States of America]
Several of these questions came from HERE. You may or may not need to bring an answer key, haha!
TIP: For Junior primary, instead of asking the question, read it as a statement. Such as “U.S.A. stands for the United States of America” and so on.
RED: Songs to Sing
Fill the to be cups covered with red tissue paper with songs to sing. Make sure to split up the various verses if you need to stretch your song list.
Songs can be patriotic, pioneer, review, wiggle, or a combination of all of these! Just make sure you have 13. Here’s a list of patriotic/summer songs from the Children’s Songbook and Hymnbook:
- My Flag, My Flag p. 225
- My Country vs. 1 p. 224
- My Country vs. 2 p. 224
- Our Primary Colors p. 258
- Dare to Do Right p. 158
- My Heavenly Father Loves Me vs. 1 p. 228
- My Heavenly Father Loves Me vs. 2 p. 228
- Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime? vs. 1 p. 245
- Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime? vs. 2 p. 245
- Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime? vs. 3 p. 245
- The Star-Spangled Banner vs. 1 hymn #340
- My Country, ‘Tis of Thee vs. 1 hymn #339
- America the Beautiful vs. 1 hymn #338
Primary Singing has a great list of summer songs if you need more ideas!
White: Ways to Sing
Finally (and definitely the most fun!), fill the cups to be covered with white tissue paper with patriotic ways to sing. Such ideas include:
- Stand at attention and cover your heart with your right hand as you sing
- Wave a flag (wand or scarf) as you sing to the beat
- Sing loudly when the flag is raised and sing softer when it’s lowered
- Stand like the Statue of Liberty as you sing
- Kneel reverently for those who lost their lives for their freedom
- Volley the song phrases using a flag from one side to the other
- Tap on head with flag, hum, buzz or oooo if tapped
- Use scarves or ribbon wand movements (cards found HERE) using the flags
- March in place as if marching in a parade
- Drum the rhythm on your knees
- Have a moment of silence (don’t sing) when the flag is raised
- Choose a “firework” word to listen for throughout the song and then pop up when sung
Thank you to everyone who contributed to these suggestions HERE!
Make sure to bring flags (wands or scarves) to be used with several of these activities!
Cover your Punch Board
To make this punch board patriotic, use tissue paper in the shape of your country’s flag. If you live in the U.S., place blue squares of tissue paper in the upper lefthand corner (3 across and 4 down). Then alternate red and white tissue paper squares to create stripes. Attach the tissue paper using rubber bands.
Amazon carries a package of red, white and blue tissue paper here (Amazon affiliate link):
Then you also need 35 rubber bands. I purchased these (Amazon affiliate link):
But definitely feel free to buy it all from Wal-Mart including your red solo cups and foam board!
TIP: If you have Jr. and Sr. primary separate, make sure to bring extra tissue paper squares to re-fill the punch board for the next class. Or create 2 boards.
Here’s my finished product:
I was surprised how quickly this came together! But then, time flies when you’re having fun ;).
Patriotic Punch Board Singing Time Activity
The patriotic punch board is super simple! Have 3 children punch one RED, WHITE or BLUE cup. The blue reveals a patriotic question (or statement) to ask, the red has what song to sing and the white contains an action to do while you sing.
So ask and answer the question then sing the song with the activity. Repeat with new kiddos until all the cups have been punched and/or you run out of time!
I understand that there aren’t an equal amount of RED, WHITE and BLUE cups to punch, but oh well. I couldn’t find a way to make it all even. And I figure we most likely won’t get to everything during singing time.
Bear Testimony
Bear testimony that you are grateful for your country’s freedoms! And especially thankful to those who have served or given their lives to preserve the quality of life we now enjoy!
No Punch, No Problem
If you are limited on time and can’t make a punch board, simply get 3 bowls/buckets/jars and fill them with slips of paper. To make it more festive, use red, white and blue paper to correspond with the activities above!
- Blue paper: patriotic question/statement
- Red paper: Songs to sing
- White paper: ways to sing
Other Themed Boards
I’d love to know what other themed punch boards you can come up with! Maybe Christmas trees, fall leaves, Easter eggs, etc. Leave a comment with your ideas!
More Patriotic 4th of July Singing Time Ideas
Make sure to check out all of my patriotic singing time ideas.
2 thoughts on “Patriotic Punch Board Singing Time Ideas”
Do you make 2 boards? Or replace the paper after jr primary? Maybe do it for Jr primary near the 4th and Sr the next week? Hmmmm. I think 35 cups would give everyone a turn!
Hi Michelle!
I just quickly replaced the paper and slips of paper between Jr. and Sr. but your idea of creating 2 boards or using them on separate weeks would definitely work too! I hope that helps.
~Camille