Check out these singing time ideas for teaching the Primary song, I Know My Father Lives. My favorite is using keywords and handbells. But whatever you choose, these I Know My Father Lives singing time ideas are bound to accommodate your Primary’s learning style and needs!

Keywords & Handbells
Teach I Know My Father Lives in singing time as children point to pictures with keywords found around the room. Then optionally, bring in handbells! More details are on my post 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 I Know My Father Lives. 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.
Merry Bells
Or another handbell option for I Know My Father Lives is Merry Bells. 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!

ASL
ASL is always a great option as well! Nicole has great simplified ASL videos for teaching I Know My Father Lives. Check out her video here:
Then make sure to check out my post HERE for more helpful tips for teaching sign language in singing time!

Sharla Dance
Sharla Dance has a YouTube video for teaching this song using one of her favorite props … paper plates! She also suggests a melody map that can easily be drawn on the board. It begins at 00.45 in the video.
More Singing Time Ideas
Primary Singing has 27 various ways to teach I Know My Father Lives.

Also check out a few more ideas at LDS Primary Printables.

I Know My Father Lives History
This information comes from Stories from The Children’s Songbook by Sister Pat Graham (more information on that book HERE).
Reid Nibley, a concert pianist and Brigham Young University faculty member, was asked to write a song about testimony for the Sing with Me collection. He said he wrote quickly because as he started thinking of how a child would express a testimony, the words and music came at the same time.The song was very short and simple. Brother Nibley is a very knowledgeable musician, so he began adding notes. It became more and more complicated. He said, “Thank goodness I had a big eraser!” He erased all the unnecessary notes, and when he finished, the song was just as he had written it the first time! (Friend, Oct. 1985, p.15.)
Because the song is in the hymnbook, Brother Nibley was asked to make a different arrangement for [the Children’s Songbook]. He chose to write a duet accompaniment for this version of his song. This is one of the few songs in the book which does not have the melody in the accompaniment.
Leave your I Know My Father Lives Singing Time Ideas
How will you teach I Know My Father Lives in singing time? Leave a comment with your suggestions and ideas!
Check out this quick tutorial video for accessing the Resource Library:
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under Song Title > I Know My Father Lives.
2 thoughts on “I Know My Father Lives Singing Time Ideas”
Hello Camille:
I have just signed up for the Basic but would like the Premium. How do I do this? I couldn’t figure it out.
I LOVE everything you do. Thank you SO much for doing all of this all these many years. 🙂
Hi Jane!
Thank you for such a kind comment!! Right now, if you sign up for the BASIC plan, you have access to the PREMIUM. Just login, scroll down and you will see access to both plans. Then next month, you’ll have the option to upgrade to PREMIUM if you like. Let me know if you have any more questions!
~Camille