Your Primary children need to know how they can have safety and peace in their own lives. And that’s from keeping the commandments. So make sure to teach Keep the Commandments using these Primary singing time ideas.
Drawing a connection to the commandments with the tablets that Moses received provides a wonderful visual! To teach Keep the Commandments I recommend drawing simple tables on the board and using a quick flip chart. It’s simple, memorable and effective!
Then make sure to check out all these ways to teach Keep the Commandments in singing time (click on the link to jump to that section):
This information comes from Stories from The Children’s Songbook by Sister Pat Graham.
When Harold B. Lee became the President of the Church, he was asked if he had a message for the world. “Keep the commandments” was the reply he gave at the press conference announcing him as the new prophet.
Barbara McConochie [the author] used those words for the message of this song. Because it was included in the 1985 hymnbook, another version was needed for this book.
Sister McConochie thought of many possible ideas. Since first writing the song, she has coped with many difficulties. She has learned that keeping the commandments doesn’t mean you won’t have problems but rather that you can be strong enough to meet the tests. As she tossed and turned in her bed suffering with tendonitis, she thought of Abraham3:24-25: And we shall prove them here with.” Her new second verse expresses that idea, and she also added an obbligato for voice or instrument…
Sister McConochie taught piano and was ward organist at the age of thirteen. She has been a high-school English teacher and has raised a combined family of nine children.
She said, “If we strive to keep the commandments, life will be sweet to us even in our most dire trials. True peace will come to each individual, family, and nation only as we learn obedience to the laws of our Heavenly Father. . . . Keeping the commandments is the anchor for our safety amidst the storm.
Find the sheet music to Keep the Commandments on the Church’s website. One of my favorite quotable lines comes from the lyrics in this song, “In this there is safety; in this there is peace.”:
1. Keep the commandments; keep the commandments! In this there is safety; in this there is peace. He will send blessings; He will send blessings. Words of a prophet:
[Chorus] Keep the commandments. In this there is safety and peace.
2. We are His children; we are His children, and we must be tested to show we are true. Hold to His promises; Hold to His promises, Heeding the prophets:
[Chorus] Keep the commandments. In this there is safety and peace.
You may also want to check out the sing along video for Keep the Commandments. It’s a great way for you to easily become more familiar with it or to show to your Primary during singing time.
Find Keep the Commandments lyrics in a printable flip chart format so you can easily post the words in your Primary!
Or this Keep the Commandments flip chart with pictures is also available to download:
If you want to help your Primary determine what commandments are, I love this article from the February 2024 Friend magazine entitled, What Are Commandments?
It really breaks down what commandments actually are:
Commandments are things Heavenly Father asks us to do. They keep us safe and happy.
Here are some of God’s commandments:
- Make Sunday a special day.
- Listen to our parents.
- Be honest and kind.
- I follow the commandments because I love Heavenly Father.
Draw tablets to resemble the tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain containing the 10 commandments. It’s super easy to implement and sure to keep your Primary kids engaged!
Discover the repetitive patterns found in Keep the Commandments using shapes and colors! You won’t look at this classic Primary song the same afterwards!
A Children’s Songbook Companion contains a singing time lesson plan for every single song in the Children’s Songbook including Keep the Commandments.
These printables are filed on the Resource Library page under Song Title > Keep the Commandments.
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This handbell chart for Keep the Commandments plays the additional music (also known as the obbligato). Find more details for using handbells in Primary.
Also available is this handbell chart that plays the melody:
These printables are filed on the Resource Library page under Song Title > Keep the Commandments
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Merry Bells also has a play-along video for Keep the Commandments:
Sharla Dance has a demonstration video for teaching Keep the Commandments that you’ll want to check out here:
Holly also has videos available for teaching Keep the Commandments. Check out her explanation video here:
Once you have the signs learned, sign along here:
Then make sure to check out more helpful tips for teaching sign language in singing time!
This body percussion activity is simple and involves little prep. The demonstration begins 3 minutes into the video:
Engage your Primary as you sing Keep the Commandments with these action signs! Keep it simple for younger children, or really give older children a challenge!
How will you teach Keep the Commandments in singing time? Leave a comment with your suggestions!
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under Song Title > Keep the Commandments.
Singing time just got even easier! With my Singing Time To-Go, all you have to do is print! Be prepared for the entire month – every month!
Be prepared in singing time for the entire month – every month! And all you have to do is print!
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Singing time just got even easier! With my Singing Time To-Go, all you have to do is print! Be prepared for the entire month – every month!
