Value of music in a child’s program:

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This is the final blog on the subject of the usefulness of having a child’s program in church. This topic is touching upon the value of music in training children and in performing music in a program during church. I hope these comments can be of use to youth programs, family devotionals, youth ministries and family home evenings.

–        The nice thing about having songs in the program, in addition to personal stories, Scriptures and a child’s thoughts is that songs provide variety in a program.

–        This is the first time I saw the words of the songs printed in the program. I really liked seeing this as many of the songs are different than the ones I learned when I was young. It’s also just nice to read the words, in conjunction with hearing children sing them.

–        Another virtue of songs in the program is. It gives a child, the experience to memorize the words of the song.

–        Here are some of the lyrics that I particularly enjoyed in the program today and it’s a great illustration of teaching the child about God, Christ and his gospel:

Families can be together forever.

I can be forgiven then improve myself each day.

I can be like Noah. Yes, I can be prepared.

If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say?

He gave me my eyes, that I may see the color of the butterfly wings.

Pray he is there; speak, he is listening.

I am a child of God, and he has sent me here.

–        Having children perform gives them their first experience in being a part of choir. It lets them, saying in parts (by class) and gives them the opportunity to see how a program may intermix speech and song to provide a variety for the audience as well the children. This variety of tasks can help of child combat temptations of wiggles and inattention.

–        As I mentioned in a previous post hearing children, saying in a program can be of comic experience. Multiple times throughout the program, I heard quiet little chuckles from adults and saw knowing smiles shared amongst the audience members that were amused by the antics and singing of the children. I think of this kind of exchange to be a little like warm fuzzes of experience between the child and the audience. Such childish actions as the words of songs being sung at an unusually high pitch, or of a little boy singing a note of a song a little longer than the rest.

–        At some point, I hope to do a blog specifically on how I’ve seen adults teach songs to children. The observation I have seen that seems to work well is that an adult will put a whole bunch of pictures up on the poster that represent different phrases of the song. The pictures will be visual cues for the different phrases. I believe in Christ may have a picture of Christ. Then as the children practice the song, week by week different pitchers start being taken away from the poster as the children learn the song. Eventually all the pictures are removed and the song is memorized. This is a delightful process of memorization for the child, and it makes it entertaining. Sometime I hope to get some examples of those to post at some future blog.

If you have some ideas to share about what has worked well for music and children. Please share them in the comment section this blog. Thanks

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