Where Love Is is the perfect song to teach around Valentine’s Day! The heart-shaped secret code will captivate your primary as they work to out its meaning. Then get some much-needed movement by adding wands (Valentine themed, of course!) that also double as the perfect Valentine’s Day gift to give to your primary. Check it out…
I have been wanting to teach this primary song in singing time for a LONG LONG time! It’s one of my favorites to play on the piano. But it seems like the timing never worked out.
So this is the year! And to make it even better, the primary will sing it in sacrament meeting on Mother’s Day! A total win-win! If you listen closely to the lyrics, it’s a perfect song for Mother’s Day!
Where love is, there God is also. Where love is, we want to be. Guide us, his truths to follow; Help us obey him faithfully.
Where love is, there God is also. We think of him rev’rently. Teach us to pray, to talk with him above And know that he will guide us with his love.
The comfort of loving arms around us, A song that makes us want to sing, The happiness we feel when love has found us, ’Tis love we get when love we bring.
Where love is, there God is also. And with him we want to be. Show us the way and guide us tenderly That we may dwell with him eternally.
There’s no better way to feel God’s love than from your mother!
Now, because the song is lengthy, the activity focuses on the first 2 verses. Then, the bells come in on the 3rd verse (no singing required!). The 3rd verse has a completely different melody than the rest of the song so it’s a great place to showcase the handbells.
And for now, the plan is to just omit the 4th verse but we’ll see how things go.
So the weeks between Valentine’s Day in February and Mother’s Day in May, just add this song into your monthly review week to keep it fresh. Easy!
Secret Code
This is the secret code to introduce the song. Can you crack it without the answers?
Access my printables at my Resource Library. Instructions for accessing my Resource Library are found at the bottom of this post.
Answer Key
- Red hearts: the word “love”
- White hearts: the word “God” and his pronouns
- Purple hearts: Rhyming words
- Gray hearts: All other words
And to clarify, the heart that is red/purple is both the word love and a rhyming word.
Remember, that the secret code is only for the 1st and 2nd verses out of 4. The 3rd verse has a completely different melody than the other 3.
Singing Time Idea
As you and the teachers sing the 1st and 2nd verses with the piano, have the primary decipher the attached code! Post the words as needed like I do HERE.
Once the code is deciphered, pass out a stick of some sort. I recommend something that will double as a Valentine’s Day gift! Check out these cute suggestions:
Heart suckers (Amazon affiliate link):
Heart bubble wands (Amazon affiliate link):
Heart pens (Amazon affiliate link):
Valentine Pencils (Amazon Affiliate link):
I decided on these oversize suckers that I found at Sam’s Club:
But if a Valentine gift isn’t in the budget, pass out unsharpened pencils or rhythm sticks.
Movement Activities
Do any of these following movement activities with your sticks after deciphering the code:
- Raise sticks on the various colors in the secret code and sing those words
- Use the sticks to conduct the song any way or teach 4/4 time
- Pitch lead (move the sticks up or down depending on how the notes are)
- Listen to and then sing the rhyming words – raise sticks when a rhyme is heard
- Create actions with sticks (draw a heart when “love” is sung”, point to heaven on “God”, draw a path for “guide” and “follow” etc.)
- Learn how to crescendo (draw a rainbow and gradually get louder as you reach the top of the rainbow) and decrescendo (get gradually softer as you reach the end of the rainbow)
- Sing the song legato or smoothly and wave sticks back and forth smoothly
- Breathing techniques – draw a rainbow with sticks and only breathe at the end of the phrase or rainbow
Wand Cards
These wand cards HERE also provide lots of additional movement!
Where Love Is Bell Chart
Once the 1st and 2nd verses are learned, add the bells on the 3rd verse (with the piano and no singing).
This bell chart is also available in my Resource Library. If you are unfamiliar with handbells, check out my post HERE that goes into detail about where to get them and how to use them.
Bear Testimony
Bear testimony that all good things come from Heavenly Father. Where love is, God is there and we all want to be wherever He is.
More Singing Time Ideas
Check out all of my Valentine’s Day singing time ideas HERE.
Check out this quick tutorial video for accessing the Resource Library:
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under Song Title > Where Love Is.
2 thoughts on “Where Love Is”
This will be so fun. I noticed the gray heart at the bottom should be a white heart for “his” love. I’m sure you’ve caught that by the time you read this.
Also… Thank you for providing all these resources. I’m in my first year as k-8 teacher and extremely overwhelmed with life. Your resources are saving me so much right now!
Hi Lynsie!
I’m so glad you caught that! I didn’t notice the typo even when I taught it in singing time a few weeks ago! Usually someone in primary will catch it for me, haha! I really appreciate your help and especially such a kind comment!! I’ve updated the file in my Resource Library.
~Camille