Music

Music is an effective tool both for teaching the Gospel and teaching the foundations of the Christian faith. Music falls into basically 2 catagories.

They are;

• pre recorded music- That includes songs by artists that reinforce the day's foundation/topic, as well as tapes that just have the music and you and/or the kids supply the words,
• "live" music- That also comes in 2 different forms. The 1st one is old familar tunes that have new words wriiten for them. The best known practitioner of this type of live music is Barney. All of his songs fall into this category. Even his theme song "I love you," has the tune of the "Farmer in the Dell" slowed down. You can also use prerecorded music in this area. Then there's the new songs that you write to reinforce you day's foundation/topic.

A word of suggestion

When you're writing your own songs, and even when you're picking existing ones unless it's a real familar song to the kids, (not just to you) pick/write only choruses. That's because what you picked the song in the first place for was to reinforce the day's topic/foundation. So the most effective way to drill the day's concept into the kid's heads, (and that's what you're trying to do) is to sing the chorus over and over. If you have verses, even if you sing them, and you have the kids just join in on the chorus, then you've given Satan the time to make the kid's minds wander. (And rest assured, he'll take advantage of it)

An example

A good example of both the power of music and how to effectively use it with kids, I'll tell you about music that I used in a recent class. I was teaching kids about the fact that God is everywhere. (For the theological minded, that's the omnipresence of God.) Anyway, I wrote a chorus that reinforced the day's topic/foundation. (This is real easy for me because I'm a writer and a guitarist.) Anyway, it went like this. "He's everywhere, oh, He's everywhere! Right here, and over there. Yes, He's everywhere! (Not exactly a masterpiece, but it's the simple things that work the best! Anyway, let me go over what I did to drive the message home, and keep the kids from getting bored at the same time. 1) First, I went over the chorus with them several times. If it's simple, and you don't have it on the board, or on some other type of sheet, then while the kids are learning it, it's being burned into their memories! 2) Then I taught them motions to the parts of the chorus. Going over those as they learned them not only burned it more into their consciouness, which meant they were actually having the day's topic reinforced without realizing it, but you are keeping them from becoming bored at the same time! 3) Then I had a contest to see who could go through the chorus singing the words and doing the motions faster and faster. This ,of course, gave me yet another excuse to continue reinforcing the topic/foundation of the day, while keeping the kid's interest at a fever pitch. However, even though they're really interested, be prepared for comments to show how bored and thus how cool various kids are!

Other ways I've used music!

• I've used prerecorded and live music to makes games and contests more lively.
• I've used both prerecorded and "live" music to enhance things like a "shootout." (The western version of a Bible drill.)
• I've had puppets sing songs, as well as mimie and act out others.
• I've had topical raps. (I use a rapper character that I play called Beardface. So called because I have a beard.)
• I've used songs that progressively have words missing. (Like a version of "Bingo" called Jesus.)

The key here is to let your sanctified imagination run wild!

Some other pages, (of which there are many on the web) that will give you ideas about songs to use, and ways to use music can be reached simply by clicking on Amanda's Fun House of Melodies or Kids and Stuff (especially the section on curriculum)

In order to go to the next page of other modules you can use, which will be special events and contests, just click on o-4.

Earn while you learn!

Write