I Will Follow God's Plan for Me - LIFE GAME

I Will Follow God’s Plan for Me - LIFE GAME for Singing Time

This Singing Time Lesson uses the Game of Life App found HERE . Disclaimer: I bought it a few years ago, so sorry for any differences in images or order of the game.  

Lesson Outline - One line at a time…

My life is a gift;

Write on the board: “My Life is a “. Wrap up the real boxed version of the Game of Life. Call on a child to open it. Take the bow from the wrapping and put it on the board at the end of the sentence.  SIng the first line.

My life has a plan.

Write on the board: “My Life has a “. Have a different child look through the box to find the instructions.  Open it up to reveal the Plan of Salvation. (I used the article found in the August 2010 Friend. It has pictures and definitions.) Place the instruction manual on the board with a magnet.  Talk about the Plan of Happiness. (Read the definitions to the different parts of the plan and have the children place the pictures in the correct spots.)  SIng the first two lines.

My life has a purpose;

Write on the board, "My Life has a Purpose." Ask the children,"Now that you know the Plan of Salvation, why are we here?" This should be a review of what you just went over. Ask, "Did you know it that our purpose began in heaven?" leading into the next line. Sing first 3 lines.

in heav’n it began. My choice was to come to this loving home on earth And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.

Pull out two pictures from the Plan of Salvation under Pre-mortal Life. Tell the story of the War in Heaven, and how we all made the right choice to follow Christ. Place the pictures on the board next to or under the word "purpose". Sing to them the words of this line and then all 4 lines together.

"Now that we have the instructions to LIFE, who wants to play the game?!"
[How to hook up your iPad to computer] 

(Then bring computer to church and hook up on a tv monitor. Maybe if you have an Apple TV this would be easier?? Or just bring the iPad to church?)
As you play the game, present a LIFE tile for certain situations.  The song lines will unfold themselves throughout the game.  Be sure to play the game a few times to be ready for any surprises. Explain to the children, that throughout the game they will be making a lot of different choices. 

Opening screen on iPad 

Tap on Start Pass 'n' Play Game

Tap on 2 players

Call on a BOY to come up and CHOOSE a car.

Ask a BOY to come and choose a BOY because he is a BOY
and God made him a BOY on purpose. 

Type in Boys for the boy team.

Ask a GIRL to come up and CHOOSE a car.

Ask a different GIRL to come up and choose a GIRL because
she is a GIRL and God made her a GIRL on purpose.

Type in Girls for the girl team.

Pause the game (you don't literally have to). Have a child come up and draw a LIFE tile. (Have them in a pile in the correct order of the song.)

Front/Back

Very briefly explain that we are boys and girls for a reason and God has a plan for us. I loved this article about gender in The Friend this month. Sing this line:"I will follow God's plan for me,"

Spin to see who goes first.  Just keep calling up children to let as many possible have a turn. 

Let a child pick 3 cards.  These will help them in this game.  Not really a big deal.  Each team will get to draw them.

Pause the game. Have a child come draw the next LIFE tile.

Explain that some decisions will be harder than others and all with difference consequences, but if we always read our scriptures we will know that God always loves us; through good times and bad. Sing, "Holding fast to his word and his love."

Make sure you notice the PayDays.  You don't have to land on a PayDay, just make sure you Pause to go over PayDays before a team gets married.  This is why it's important to play a few times before hand. 

Pause the game. Pull out the big dollar from the LIFE game box. 

Ask, "How do we get money?" Work! We have to work to get a PayDay. Work brings happiness. Attach the LIFE tile to the back of the money. Sing the lines including, "I will work."

There might be a few turns each before reaching the Marriage space, but it comes soon after college graduation.  So be sure to do the PayDay before.  Also, there's an ELOPE space that might sneak up on you.  IF this happens just wait for the next player to get married to bring up this next line.

Pause the game.  Whoever spun the wheel to land on Marriage, playfully ask him or her,"Did you pray to know if this is the right person you should marry?"  We will need to pray to our Heavenly Father throughout our life for help and guidance.  Have another child come draw the next LIFE tile. Sing, "I will pray," along with the previous lines. 

Play until you reach the chance to buy a house.

Pause the game.  Talk about how we all come from different walks of life, but we all are children of God.  Remember the song, I'll Walk With You?   If there's time, you can sing the song.  Have a child draw a LIFE tile and Sing, "I will always walk in his way."

The last line to the song: "Then I will be happy on earth And in my home above." can be brought up at any point according to time.  There are more Gospel subjects (choices and consequences, children/having families, etc.) that can be brought up during the game, so if there's time you can keep it going for awhile.  After the child draws the last LIFE tile, talk about how even though this game ends, our real life never ends.  We get to live forever and forever with our families if we follow God's plan. 

Sing the whole song :-) 

Overall, it seems like a super long lesson but it actually can move pretty fast. The LIFE tiles can be used in a review lesson the next week (putting them in order or placing them all on the board and removing them one at a time until it's memorize).  This could be split into two lessons or combined with Sharing time.  Have fun playing the game of LIFE - I Will Follow God's Plan version.