Schools out, summer is here, and with it all the craziness that goes with it! It’s tough to keep a schedule and a plan going during the summer with travel plans and kids around. But don’t worry. I’ve compiled all of my favorite singing time activities that you can prep in just minutes!!
You’ll want to bookmark this post of Summer Low & No-Prep Singing Time ideas and refer back to it all season long. It even has fun activities that are perfect to leave with a sub, ideas to review all of you program songs, and tons of activities that will work with any song you plan to teach!
This is the most recent in my series of holiday singing time ideas, so if you haven’t visited that page already, make sure you do. It’s a gold mine of fun activities themed for different seasons and holidays throughout the year. With that, let’s jump right in to summer!
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Summer Songs List
Do you want to take summer a little easier and sing through some of the songs you don’t get to in the busy weeks of prepping for the Program? Summer is a great time do to this as a lot of families are out of town and it can be difficult to teach any new songs. Instead, browse through this list of themed 70+ Primary Songs for Summer!
30 Summer Low & No-Prep Singing Time Ideas
This post will help you find all of my xx teaching ideas around this blog. Plus, I’m also sharing additional favorite lesson plans from other Primary music leaders at the end of this post!
1. Beach Day
Could it get any better than a Beach Day singing time? This fun activity will have you exploring different objects that are associated with a trip to the beach and using the fun themed ways to sing actions that go with each object. There’s a great mix of themed actions and ways to sing that will be fun for everyone and no prep for you!
2. Garden Patch Review Game
It’s garden season, I have been loving watching my plants grow and the produce beginning to bud. It’s been such a joy. Your Primary will love this Garden Patch review game! Assign your list of songs to each of the veggies in the garden and let them pick from the produce which song to sing next.
3. Summer Bucket List
Have you ever made a Summer bucket list? In this activity you’ll ask the children what fun adventures and things do they have on their “bucket list” to try to do this summer? Such as playing baseball, visiting the pool, eating watermelon. Let’s dive in with some of these iconic summer favorite activities with ways to sing as we fill our summer Sunday with fun!
4. Camping Trip Review Game
Bring the outdoors inside with this adorable themed Camping Trip singing time review game. It’s perfect to sing through a mix of all your different songs learned so far this year with fun themed ways to sing or to create your own camping scene!
5. Balloon Games & Program Review
All kids love balloons and you can have so much fun in your Primary room with either with real balloons in this Balloon Bounce lesson plan or the safer alternative illustrated Balloons Games & Program review! There’s tons of fun and exciting ways to use balloons in Singing Time and I shared a bunch in that post and there’s even more in the packet, plus a whole printable Primary Program Song Tracker review game!
6. Arcade Tickets
Award the Primary children for being “super singers” with these cute themed Arcade Tickets for Singing Time. Everyone can work together to earn up enough tickets for a Primary party or have a small shop with gifts like stickers and candy to award kids with at the end of the lesson or at the end of summer.
7. Beach Ball Singing Time Ideas
Do you want to bring in a fun activity that feels extra summery? You can’t go wrong with a beach ball – though do note it can get a little loud in Primary. Head over to this post to get started with 10 Ways to Use a Beach Ball in Singing Time. You can pick and choose from a variety of activities with ones that will work best for your individual Primary size, ages, and group.
8. Summer Sports Yoga
This year is the Summer Olympics and the kids will absolutely love recreating some of their favorite sports they watch during the Olympics in this Summer Olympic Sports Yoga! You’ll transition from high energy sports activities to thoughtful yoga poses as you recreate each of the events while singing through your song of choice.
9. Fruit Rhythms Beat Patterns in Minutes!
Need to add some movement and get the wiggles out? You’ll love this Fruit Rhythms activity to teach any song! Simply let the kids make a pattern of different fruits that each represent an action or rhythm to try. Combine them in a row on the whiteboard to instantly create fun and engaging rhythm sequences for your song of choice.
10. Primary Pals Pennant Banner
You’ll love pulling out a getting to know you activity that’s SO easy like this Primary Pals Pennant Banner! Invite the kids to color in a pennant of their choice while you sing through a couple of warm up songs, then pick one of their finished drawings to select a helper and learn something new about one of your Primary children!
11. Name That Tune
You can never go wrong with a no-fuss Name That Tune Championship game! Pick out your song list and play a few notes, then see how well you can name your list of songs! You can award trophies to each song for how few of notes you were able to guess the song correctly, adding a fun challenge layer that will rope the boys into eagerly participating.
12. Let’s Get the Bugs Out Program Review
If you need to work out some of the kinks or just check in on how well the kids know your Primary Program songs so far this year, you’ll love this Get the Bugs Out Program Review game! It’s a cute theme that’s great for summer with all the bugs we find and perfect to use when many of your Primary kiddos will be out of town rather then trying to focus on learning new songs.
13. Magic Messages Song Titles!
This one is SO easy to prep, and it will completely wow the kiddos! Use this Magic Messages Song Review to sing through a mix of songs or to hide clues about which song you’ll be learning this month.
14. Stacking Tower Singing Time Game
A little Jenga anyone? Bring in a classic Stacking Tower blocks game for Singing Time and add your song choices or fun ways to sing right to the blocks. Super easy and it’s one they’ll want to play again and again. I love this one to leave with a sub as I can keep it in the closet and it’s ready to go whenever it might be needed.
15. UNO Review – Sing by Color
You can play a game of UNO, or what I like to call Sing by Color, literally in a moments notice! Just pick 4 songs or divide your song of choice into 4 parts by verse or line of the song. Then, you’ll bring in a few game cards and you’re ready to play! The kids will do the rest of the work in this fun lesson plan.
16. Hot & Cold Game
Do you want to know the #1 all time most requested game — and it literally takes ZERO effort on your part? You NEED to have Hot & Cold Singing Time game in your back pocket. You’ll simply hide an object and have a child go and hunt for it. While you do, the Primary room will sing louder the closer they get to the object. With this adorable set of themed cards, you’ll be ready for every month of the year!
17. Heads or Tails Review Game
Don’t want to pick which group signs win – you don’t have to? This adorable Heads or Tails Review Game will let fate decide and the kids get to be involved, too. It couldn’t be easier than this and you can sing through a single song on repeat or add in a mix of songs – its up to you!
18. Silent Singer Review Game
Have you played Silent Singer in Singing Time before? If not, you’ve been missing out! It’s a lovely and so simple game that it perfect to keep in your back pocket if plans don’t go quite right. Just invite a child to step out of the room and pick a couple of people to sing silently! See if your volunteer can guess correctly and find your silent singers.
19. Would You Rather?
Ask the kids which of two situations they would prefer and you’ll learn so much about your Primary while dividing your room into two groups for a singing time challenge! Would You Rather is a wonderful game to have in your back pocket for when you’re short on time.
20. Pin the Primary Songs
My #1 favorite “in a pinch” singing time game is this Pin the Primary Songs poster! You’ll find a whole mix of favorite Primary songs that you have taught recently and in years past. Spin a child and let them pick and random which song you’ll sing! It’s so easy and it never gets old.
21. Read My Lips
Read My Lips Primary Review Game is a fun and different game to give a try. You’ll give a child a secret word for one of your song titles. Then, they’ll have to mouth the word, without speaking it out loud. When the room has guessed the song, you’ll sing it aloud together!
22. Candy for Courage
If you want to help build up some confidence to sing in front of a group leading up to your Primary Program, a little candy motivation might be just what you need! In this Candy for Courage singing time game, you’ll offer a sweet treat incentive for singing a solo, in pairs, or small groups!
23. Singing Bee Review
Quiz the children with a specific song you’ve been practicing with this easy and fun game that will challenge them. Just pass the Singing Bee down the line until the music stops – can they name or sing the word that comes next?
24. Primary Song Mumbles – Mad Gab Game
Use this master list of Primary Song Mumbles (also known as Mad Gab) to say a series of seemingly silly words. If you say them quick enough, they’ll take on a whole new meaning and you’ll be able to decode the song title to sing next!
25. Singing Time Cue Cards
Use this master collection of Singing Time Cue Cards to easily pick from a series of different ways to sing to add in more singing time repetition. I always keep these in my singing time bag in case one of my activities are a flop, we can always switch to one of these cue cards – and the kids love to pick which one!
26. Penny, Penny, Who’s Got the Penny?
Did you grow up playing this game in Family Home Evening like I did? This game includes a fun mix of singing time challenges! Just play the Penny, Penny Game, then pick a challenge card for the next time through singing your song of choice.
27. Sing with Emojis!
Everyone LOVE emojis! Use this adorable Sing with Emojis singing time game to help you rank and give an emoji reaction to how well they know the song. You can stick to just a single song of your choice or mix and match from all the songs you’ve learned so far this year.
28. Primary Song Guess Game
This fun and simple game was inspired by Wheel of Fortune! Just print out letter tiles for this Primary Song Guess Game and keep them on hand and you can put your song titles up on the board at any time and let the kids guess the song title! It’s like a game of Hangman, but without the worry or concern about drawing a hanging man.
29. Memory Song Match
An activity that is wonderful to leave with a substitute is this Memory Song Match game. Simply decide on a song list and pick a picture to represent each song. In a pinch – no worries – just write the song name twice on a sheet of construction paper, and cut in half. Repeat for each song then mix them up all over the board!
30. 110+ Ways to Sing
If you haven’t found something by this point in the list, I’d be surprised. But let me leave you with one last gem that will help you month after month! This master list of 110+ Ways to Sing includes a fun variety of things to try while you sing to add in TONS of singing repetition with no prep needed!
For more activities, see these Patriotic & 4th of July Singing Time ideas!
Need even MORE easy Singing Time ideas for summer? You’ll love this post with 10 teaching activities you can easily make for ANY song in just a few minutes!
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What other fun singing time ideas have you tried? We’d love to see your fun ideas! Share them in the comments to add to this list.
