3rd Article of Faith: Stairsteps

Use a step stool with three different heights or improvise.  I used a thick book, a Sunbeam sized chair, and a regular chair when I did it with the children. 

Stand in front of the children and begin to sing.  

"We believe that through..."  (You will be stepping as you sing.)

• On the word "-lieve," step onto the first level.

• On the word "all," step onto the second level.

• On the word "-bedience," step onto the third level.

• On the word "laws," pop the open palm of one hand against the fist of the other hand up in the air.

• On the word "ordinances," step down to the second level.

• On the word "of," step down to the first level.

• On the word "gospel," step down to the ground level. 

Ask the children what word I sang when I stepped up to the first level.  Receive their answers.  (Often they won't quite remember.)  Say, "Let's check it."  (I then get another chance to sing the song for them while they focus in.)

Sing the song again, stepping onto the different levels (and popping your fist) once again as you sing.

Ask the children what words were sung on each level of the steps.  Receive their answers.  Say, "Let's check it by having YOU sing the word," and sing the song again, having the children sing the word as you step.

Now ask if there is a child who thinks they can step on the exact words we have just discovered.  Ask the other children in the room if they can pretend to step with their feet as we sing the song again and watch the child stepping.  

(The children don't even realize they have now heard the song at least three times.  When they are concentrating on which word goes with which level, the song sneaks into the back door of their brain.)  

Extender activity for Older Children to use a different week:

Draw a three-stair step diagram on the board with a circle up above it.  Have the words

• believe,

• all,

• obedience,

• laws,

• ordinances,

• of,

• gospel

on word strips posted throughout the room.  Sing the song and ask the children you tap on the shoulder to choose a word strip and put it in the right place on the diagram up front according to the words in the song.

Sing the song, tap children on the shoulder, and encourage the children to put the words in the right place.  

Sing the song over and over again until the words are all up.  Have the children sing with you to see if all the words are in the right place.