Using Music In The Children’s Department

Music and childhood belong to each other. The fact is borne out in our daily observation of children, beginning from the time they are able to walk and talk. A tuneful rhythmic chant is characteristic of communication for the nursery age child, and develops on higher levels of creativity as the child grows. His joy in music and his ability to communicate his thoughts and feelings through music will be determined largely by the atmosphere and conditions set by his parents and teachers. This is where we of the Sunday school come in.

Plan to use the songs that support the lesson aim.

Choose song material suggested in the curriculum.

Use music as one means of enriching the session experience. Don’t set music apart in a separate "song period."

Teach new songs in informal fellowship time, not in formal worship time. Use it in worship after it has been learned.

Let the child hear all the music and then simply sing the song.

Relate the song to what the children are experiencing, but don’t tell too much about it. Let the song speak for itself.

To teach the tune, sing alone or along with accompaniment, or play a good recording.

Vigorous but not loud singing should be encouraged from the children.

Do not drill for perfection. Our purpose is not perfection, but spiritual experience and growth.

Use variety in presenting new songs:

Introduce at different times, such as informal times with a group of individuals, as piano prelude, or offertory in worship.

Use pictures.

Use different accompaniments, such as the auto-harp, if suitable. Children of primary and junior age will soon play the instrument themselves on simple songs.

Sometimes older primary and junior children can be used to introduce songs to their own group.

Use recordings.

Keep the music moving at the correct tempo and volume to express the mood of the text. Do not let the song drag.

Singing is extended speaking. Help children to think phrase-wise as in speaking, rather than word-wise, so that they will think about the meaning of the text as well as sing better.

(This article appeared in the "Fall, 1995" issue of "The Herald.")