Children Praise the Lord:
A Thanksgiving Day Reading (with Actions)
From the lofty mountains,
To the valleys deep below,
Children praise the Lord,
Singing His songs as we go.
We clap our hands.
We lift our voices high.
He is our Creator.
We look upward to the sky.
Now it’s time to bow our heads,
And thank Him one by one,
For each and every thing He’s given,
For Jesus Christ, His Son.
*We thank Him for the sunshine.
We thank Him for the rain.
And for the little flowers,
Which grow right up again.
*We thank Him for our parents,
For our Sunday teachers, too.
We thank Him for our Pastor,
Who teach what’s right to do.
We know that He will bless us,
On our trip from young to old.
We are His special children.
He keeps us in His fold.
When we pray our prayers at night,
Extra thanks we’ll give,
For Thanksgiving Day itself,
And for our life to live.
— Charles B. Mayes
* Optional Verses
Children Praise the Lord:
A Thanksgiving Day Reading (with Actions)
From the lofty mountains,
(Hands, palms together, above head.)
To the valleys deep below,
(Hands flat, moving back and forth in front.)
Children praise the Lord,
(Hands raised with palms to audience.)
Singing His songs as we go.
(Cup hands around mouth.)
We clap our hands.
(Clap hands on “clap“.)
We lift our voices high.
(Hands out to the side.)
He is our Creator.
We look upward to the sky.
(Head looks up.)
Now it’s time to bow our heads,
(Bow head.)
And thank Him one by one,
(Hands in praying position, with palms together, pointing up.)
For each and every thing He’s given,
For Jesus Christ, His Son.
(One hand, point index finger up, as #1 gesture.)
*We thank Him for the sunshine.
(Fingers together above head making “the sun“.)
We thank Him for the rain.
(Hands from up to down with fingers wiggling.)
And for the little flowers,
Which grow right up again.
(Hands, with palms up, moving up.)
*We thank Him for our parents,
For our Sunday teachers, too.
We thank Him for our Pastor,
Who teach what’s right to do.
(Open hands, in front, making a “Bible” during above.)
We know that He will bless us,
On our trip from young to old.
(Move hand, with palm down, from very low to very high.)
We are His special children.
He keeps us in His fold.
(Hand, palm down, making wide circular motion.)
When we pray our prayers at night,
Extra thanks we’ll give,
(Hands in praying position, with palms together, pointing up.)
For Thanksgiving Day itself,
And for our life to live.
(Point index finger to chest.)
— Charles B. Mayes
* Optional Verses
Embolden Text – Say more loudly.
Children Praise the Lord: A Thanksgiving Day Reading (with Actions) © 2013 by Charles B. Mayes. All Rights Reserved.
Illustrations/graphics supplied by GospelGifs.com are copyrighted and used with permission.
Production Notes:
Children Praise the Lord: A Thanksgiving Day Reading (with Actions)
is written to be used as a Choral Reading, but could also be a Readers’ Theater by dividing up the verses among the children and having them read different parts. It is meant for children in the Elementary grades.
Notice that the accented words (in bold) are to go right along with the actions. I put these here not only so the actions would reflect the text, but also that the director would get away from any sing songy interpretation of the reading (i.e. a strong accent on the end of each line and/or the rhyming words) so the that the attention of the audience would be centered on the actual meaning.
These motions are only suggestions and the director has the freedom to change them. Some motions could be removed especially if the children are younger. The ideal would be to have one person leading the words; and another, sitting close by, leading the motions.
Please see that there are 2 Optional Verses. These could be used or not depending on the time allowed and/or the age of the children.
You could easily make this into a Children’s Day Reading, for which you have my permission, by changing the ending to the following:
When we pray our prayers at night,
Extra thanks we’ll give,
For Children’s Day itself,
And for our life to live.
I hope that you will enjoy having your children perform this; or reading the poem itself!
If you would like to use this poem reading as a performance; or on your website; in your newsletter; bulletin; speech; sermon; class; etc., you must indicate on the communication that the author is “Charles B. Mayes” and it is “Used by Permission”. If it is used on a website, please add our website address, or link to http://www.ChristianPoetryPublishing.com
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Thank you!
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