It doesn’t need to be Christmas time to use jingle bells in primary! Grab some bells and have some fun shaking along with this I Believe in Christ Jingle Bells pattern!
This simple jingle bells pattern includes rhythms that follow the natural flow of the song, making it super easy to learn! Both Junior and Senior primary kiddos will love using these simple instruments as you review I Believe in Christ (archives) in singing time this month.
I Believe in Christ Jingle Bells
You don’t need to have any fancy instruments for a successful singing time! This activity utilizes one of the simplest, cheapest instruments I can think of: Jingle Bells!
Whether you’d like to purchase a set of jingle bells or make your own, you can find our top recommendations in this post here! Or, take a look at all our living music activities for more ways to incorporate instruments and bring the music to life.
The cool thing about this jingle bells pattern is that it works beautifully with any verse of this hymn you are working on! I recommend focusing on just one verse at a time, but feel free to use this pattern with all 4 verses if you wish!
How to Play:
Just start by reviewing one verse of I Believe in Christ (flip chart here). Then, pass out jingle bells as you post the jingle bells pattern on the board.
Starting with the first page, demonstrate the pattern by doing 3 short, steady shakes with your jingle bell as you sing, “I believe in – .” Then, shake your bell fast as you sing, “Christ.” Repeat this rhythm for the second phrase. Here’s an example of what this looks like:
I / believe / in / *Christ; He / is / my / *King!
Then, quietly shake your bell as you make a large circle in the air. Use this action while you sing, “With all my heart.” Return to the steady shake for the phrase, “to him I’ll – “ and finish with a fast shake as you sing, “sing.”
Did you catch all the rhythms I used? Let’s try it together! Slowly try the first page of the pattern. It may help to speak the rhythm with the pattern before adding in notes. Then, try singing it together.
Once you’re ready to move on, the second part of the pattern uses rhythms we already know! The only new step is that you’ll switch hands halfway through singing the phrase, “I’ll raise my voice in praise and joy.” Here’s a visual to help:
I’ll / raise / my / voice / (SWITCH HANDS) in / praise / and / joy
Can we try the entire song? Sing through the entire song a few times as you try the jingle bells pattern. Once you reach the end of the 2-page pattern, repeat it for the second half of the song!
Jingle Bells Key & Pattern:
This simple pattern utilizes just 3 easy rhythms. I’ve included a key below, as well as a full outline for the pattern. Be sure to grab the printable pattern with symbols for each rhythm to use as you teach this pattern!
- . = Steady Shake (Typically in sets of 3-4 throughout the song)
- ^^^ = Fast Shake
- O = Quiet shake in a circle
… ^^^ … ^^^ (I / believe / in / *Christ; He / is / my / *King)
O … ^^^ (With all my heart – to / Him / I’ll / *sing)
…. SWITCH HANDS …. (I’ll / raise / my / voice (Switch) in / praise / and / joy)
O … ^^^ (In grand amens – my / tongue / em / *ploy )
Once you’ve reached this point in the pattern, just repeat it for the second half of the song! Super simple!
Extension Activities:
- Split the class into 3 groups – one for each rhythm. Have each group keep track of their rhythms and sing only the words that fall on their rhythm. This makes for a fun popcorn-singing style activity!
- Have one side of the room do the jingle bell actions for the first page and have the other side do the actions for the second page. This can be especially helpful for younger primary children who are having a hard time following the entire pattern.
- Choose one rhythm at a time and hum or stay quiet for lyrics that fall on that rhythm. Then, pick a different rhythm!
For another similar idea, head over to see this Choose the Right Jingle Bells singing time activity!
I Believe in Christ Jingle Bells Demo Video!
Want to get in some practice before using this activity? Try this jingle bells pattern along with me in this short demonstration video! In this video, I’ll explain all the rhythms used in this pattern and demonstrate the full pattern using the first verse as an example.
–> I Believe in Christ Jingle Bells Demo Video <–
I Believe in Christ Jingle Bells Printable Song Helps
This free in-post printable includes a 2-page, black and white pattern!
Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including a printable lesson plan, colorful pattern cards, 1-page version, and 1/4 page and full page pattern cards to mix and match your own patterns. You’ll find these bonus files included when I Believe in Christ is the featured song of the month.
Get more out of singing time with the INSTANT Primary Singing membership that includes printable lesson plans, tons of extended printables and an ad-free experience for each featured song of the month, or get immediate access to the entire song list for the year!
Learn more about INSTANT Primary Singing membership options here!
Have questions or need more help, see this FAQ page here.
See this I Believe in Christ Lyrics Split idea for a meaningful way to review this song and learn more about the Savior’s role!
What other fun ways will you use this fun jingle bells singing time activity in your Primary room?
