I Hope They Call Me on a Mission is one of my favorite primary songs! Maybe because it’s one of the first primary songs I learned to play on the piano growing up. Primary children are also drawn to its upbeat rhythm and message about their potential to be a missionary.
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I have sung I Hope They Call Me on a Mission in our nursery for YEARS! It’s so fun to pin on a missionary tag and march around the room. This singing time lesson plan is similar except it incorporates more activities that will engage older primary kids.
So arm yourself with enough missionary tags for each primary child:
Access my printables at my Resource Library. Instructions for accessing my Resource Library are found at the bottom of this post.
I recommend printing on card stock. Then cut them out and laminate (optional). The easiest way to put them on kids is to use clothes pins (Amazon affiliate link):
You and teachers sing along with the piano as you all pin on missionary tags. Post the words as needed like I do HERE.
Once everyone is wearing a missionary tag, ask the children if they are too young to be missionaries. Take answers. [while they are too young to serve a full time mission for the church, they can always be a missionary by sharing the gospel now].
Sing the song again while using the following missionary activities as you sing:
- Missionaries do lots of walking: Stomp to the rhythm of the song.
- Missionaries do lots of knocking: Knock to the rhythm of the song. Pass out a hymn book for everyone to “knock” on or knock on the
back of chairs, walls or doors. - Missionaries go out in pairs. Find the 3 pairs of rhyming words:
○ Two and Do (1st verse)
○ Teach and Preach (1st verse)
○ Truth and Youth (2nd verse)
Pin the Missionary Tag
Time permitting, draw a missionary (or 2) on the board. Or Susan Fitch has a free missionary printable HERE to print and put together.
Play “pin the missionary tag on the missionary.” Choose good singers to come put their tag (using tape) on the missionary. Optional to close eyes or leave them open. Repeat so each child receives a turn as the rest of the primary sings.
Susan also has a missionary kit that includes an Elder and a Sister missionary. More details HERE.
It’s meant to be used as a missionary singing time activity with multiple songs. If you want to teach I Hope They Call Me on a Mission, simply write the various phrases on the backs of each image. Pack the missionary’s belongs as you learn the song!
Bear Testimony
Bear testimony that we can serve the Lord by doing missionary work. We can go on a full time mission one day and also share the gospel with others now.
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under I Hope They Call Me on a Mission.
2 thoughts on “I Hope They Call Me on a Mission”
This activity is so great. I am planing to use it with the primary children in my branch. 👍
Hi Tracy!
Thanks for reaching out and letting me know – I’m so glad you like it!
~Camille