I LOVE TO SING - Independent Presbyterian Churchmail.indepres.org/media/littlelambs/I Love to...

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Transcript of I LOVE TO SING - Independent Presbyterian Churchmail.indepres.org/media/littlelambs/I Love to...

I LOVE TO SING

BffiLE BASIS

Psalm 100:1,2

LESSON AIM

That the child will learn that he can show his love for God by singing and that God loves to hear his singing voice.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Singing should have a prominent place in our worship experience because God tells us to sing to Him, (Psalm100:1,2) and in our obedience we find that we are blessed, uplifted and helped by hymns and songs of praise.Singing to the Lord powerfully affects us for good. Many hymns teach us great doctrine while others remindus of God's love for us. Any number of the Psalms have been set to music and are inspirational and comfortingto sing. In Ephesians 5:19 Paul tells us, "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Singand make music in your heart to the Lord." Our inability to sing or sing well should not deter us from being obe­dient to this command found throughout Scripture. If God has told us to sing, then we must obey and as ourhearts and voices rise in praise to our God and King, we will grow in our understanding of worship.

GREETING

Record yourself or a child singing" Jesus Loves Me" or any other song familiar to your children. As a childcomes in, greet him by letting him push the "PLAY" button on the recorder and listen to the singing. Conversa­t ion: .. (Child's name) , I have a special voice on my recorder today. Push the button and listen. What is the voicedoing? That is me (or a child) singing. I want God to know how much I love Him, so I'm singing to Him."

For this lesson, in particular, you will want to have a lot of spontaneous singing. You will want to encouragethe children to sing with you. Remind them that Jesus loves to hear us sing.

CENTER TIMEl. A Joyful Noise

The purpose of this center is to teach the children that their singing makes God happy by calling attention to theirsinging and praising them for it,

Begin by showing your Bible and reading Psalm 100:1,2 and explaining to the children that this verse meansGod wants to hear us sing, that it shows Him we love Him.

Lay a blanket on the floor and give the children a plastic colored egg. Tell them that they are going to makea musical instrument so they can sing for the Lord. Let each child open his own egg (if he is old enough). Pourpopcorn seeds into a pitcher (for easy pouring) and then pour some into each egg. Help the children snap theegg together. Before the children arrive, have white or any color tape cut in strips long enough to fit around theegg. Print the verse "Make a joyful noise" (Psalm 100:1) onto the tape. Place the tape around the egg. Thenencourage the children to sing "Jesus Loves Me" and "Praise Him" or any familiar song while they shake theireggs. You will want to sing very little, if at all, once the children get started. Stop them in the middle of theirsinging and have the following conversation:

"Sh-sh! Please stop for a minute. Can anyone tell me what you are doing? You are singing to the Lord. Youcan show Jesus how much you love Him when you sing to Him. You sang so pretty. Let's start our singing forthe Lord again."

A fun song to sing in this center and one which will use the names of the children is as follows:

* Child's name came to Sunday School,Sunday School, Sunday School.Child's name came to Sunday School,We love to see you here.

(to the tune of "Mary Had A Little Lamb)*Point to each child as you sing his name.

2. Puppet PraiseThe purpose of this center is to make the child think about singing for a puppet.Before class make four or five puppets from paper bags. Youmay want to draw the eyes and mouth on before

class if your center time is limited. Arrange chairs in a circle. If you have an autoharp or any other musical in­struments, the teacher at this center will want to play along as the puppets sing. The teacher may want to havethe following conversation:

"Now, we are going to teach our puppets to sing to the Lord. Are all the puppets ready? (Show the childrenhow to open and close their hands in the sack to make the mouth of the sack move.) Now, we are ready to sing'Jesus Loves Me.'" Begin to play your instrument. You may need to move your own puppet at first to get thechildren started.

End your time of puppet praise in prayer, thanking God that we can sing. The children may want the puppetsto repeat the prayer.

3. Hymnal HummingIf your children are too young for puppet manipulation (Puppet Praise, center #2), you may try placing chairs

in a circle or sitting at the table and "singing" from hymnals. Choose several songs familiar to the children. Youwill want to playa musical instrument while they are singing.

First, get the children to sit down. Let a child help pass out the hymnals (from your church sanctuary). Haveeveryone open the hymnals to any page. You will want to tell the children that Mommy and Daddy sing fromthese books in church.

Conversation: "We will sing just like Mommy and Daddy sing in church. Everyone please stand up. Let'ssing 'Jesus Loves Me.''' (You can sing along or play an instrument: bells, tamborine, etc.) "Everyone sang sopretty. We make God happy when we sing. Everyone may sit down."

You can repeat this procedure several times. Remind them how much God loves to hear us sing.

FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER

1. Listen

The purpose of this center is to define singing for the child.Children this age will enjoy turning a tape recorder on and off. Tape your voice or a child's voice

singing "Jesus Loves Me" or use any tape of children singing. Sit down on the floor and encouragethe children to sit down with you.

Conversation: " (Child's name) , would you like to hear some singing? Push this button and youwill hear some singing." (Turn volume down and place recorder to his ear so he will really listen.) "Listen,do you hear the children sing? Jesus loves to hear us sing to Him. Can you sing, (child's name) ?Where is your mouth? Jesus loves to hear (child's name) sing. I can sing." (You begin to sing aline or two of "Jesus Loves Me".)

To make this more interesting, put a tape recorder in a shoe box and cut a small hole in the centerof the box top. Turn the recorder down low so the child has to put his ear to the box. Use the aboveconversation,

2. Where's Your Mouth?

Find pictures of children singing or any pictures of children. Point out their mouths. Ask-the childif he can find his mouth. Clap for him as he makes progress. Remind him that he sings with his mouthand that Jesus loves to hear him sing. Put a mirror in front of his face and call attention to his mouth.Remind him that God made his mouth to sing. Thank God for his mouth.

*NOTE - Conversation with this age child often does not bring response, but what you say is stillimportant. The child hears your words. Remember, you are creating a feeling of joy as you teach, onethat the child will remember. It's the warm feeling that he remembers that enables him to walk intothat room without crying out to Mommy and Daddy.

3. Puppet PraiseGuide the child in holding any puppet that you may have. The softer and cuter the puppet, the better.

FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER

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;/(.\/ "-(5) FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER (cont'd.)Bring a microphone from a tape recorder or make one from a stick with a kleenex ball or any otherball stuck on top. Encourage the child to make the puppet sing "Jesus Loves Me" into the microphone.You will probably have to sing while the child moves the puppet. Youmay have to go through the mo­tions for them. Remind the child that God loves to hear him sing.

STORY TIME

1. Supplies NeededBible; any musical instrument; a hymnal; home center furniture; a raincoat or an umbrella.

2. Preparation For StoryEase the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing' 'Where

is ", act out monthly rhyme, say monthly Bible verse and begin story with prayer. "Dear God,thank you for my mouth that sings. In Jesus' name, Amen."

*BIBLE LEADER - Have one child come up and read (repeat after you while he is holding the open Bible)"Come before the Lord with singing."

3. Outline For StoryYou will want to have your story time around the home center in order to show the children that they can

sing to the Lord anywhere.Start your story sitting in a chair facing the children. Youwill need a musical instrument (bell, autoharp, tam­

borine, etc.) and a hymnal. You will want to cover the following points:

• "The Bible tells us that God loves to hear us sing. Singing about Jesus makes me feel happy."• "Sometimes when I'm sad I can sing 'Jesus Loves Me,' and it makes me feel good."." Be very quiet and listen to me sing." (Play an instrument as you sing the first four lines of "Jesus Loves Me."

Stop singing.)•,.Ihave a hymnal. Mommy and Daddy use this book in church. They sing from this book. They turn to a page

with a song on it, and they stand up and sing." (Turn a page, stand up and sing any song you like. Make it shortor stop after several lines.)

• (Stand up and go to the home center.) "If I'm in bed at night and I can't get to sleep, I can sing to the Lord."(Lie in bed or on a pallet and sing "Jesus Loves Me" or any other song familiar to the children.) "Singing helpsme go to sleep."

• "I can cook and sing." (Pretend to cook while you sing a few lines of "Praise Him".)• "I can go outside in the rain." (Put on a raincoat or use an umbrella and say "it's raining!" or "I can sing to

God about the rain." Sing "Pitter, Patter".)

• "God likes to hear me sing. The Bible (hold up Bible) tells me so."• "Let's sing 'Jesus Loves Me' together, and I will play my instrument while you sing." (The teachers of older

children should try to sing with very quiet voices.)• Close in prayer.

1. Supplies NeededBible; tape recorder; puppets.

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3\c~FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER (cont'd.)2. Preparation For Story

Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated,sing "Where is ", act out monthly rhyme and monthly Bible verse and begin storywith prayer. "Dear God, thank you for my mouth that sings. In Jesus' name, Amen."

3. Outline For Story*NaI'E - use your tape recorder and any puppets you have to tell the story.

• "Does everyone have a mouth? Where is your mouth? Here is my mouth. I can sing with my mouth."(Sing part of "Jesus Loves Me.")

• "Singing makes God happy. The Bible (hold up your Bible) tells me so."

• "Listen!" (Play your tape recorder with a song recorded on it.) "This is a song about Jesus."• "I can make a puppet sing." (Make the puppet sing a short song.)• " (Child's name) , would you like to come up and hold the puppet and make him sing?" (Choose

choose an older child and help him with the puppet. Youmay have to sing two or three lines of "JesusLoves Me." Clap for him when he is finished.)

• Let a teacher sit in a chair and sing "Jesus Loves Me." As he sings, point out to the children howhis mouth is moving as he sings. Thank God for his mouth that can sing.

• Close in prayer.

MUSIC TIME

• Sing "Jesus Loves Me" as the children enter the room.

• Have a special music chair. Let a teacher sit in the chair and sing a familiar song about Jesus. Point out hismouth to the children as he sings.

Conversation:" (Thacher's name) is singing to the Lord with his mouth. Watch his mouth move as hesings. Doesn't he sing pretty. God likes to hear (teacher's name) sing. Let's give him a hand!"• You may enjoy singing the following song to the tune of "Farmer in the Dell" (see music section).

God likes to hear me sing,God likes to hear me sing.I can sing ... I love you, God,God likes to hear me sing.

e Ask one child to sing a familiar song for the class. You might want to use a pretend microphone.• End your time by singing "When I Pray".

CRAFf TIME

1. Make enough copies of the song "God likes to hear me sing" (see craft). Then cut the sheets into individualsongs and glue onto background.

2. Cut out "singing" faces.3. Have the child glue the "singing" faces onto the background. Say, "It makes God happy to hear us sing." You

might want to sing "God likes to hear me sing" and/or "Jesus Loves Me" together.

NUfE TO PARENTS

The following points might be included in your note to parents.1. Advise them of the story and activities taught that day.2. Encourage the parent to sing songs with her child anywhere.3. Also encourage parents to use craft and song to reinforce the lesson and to remind the child that the Bible

says it makes God happy when we sing.

EXPANDED SESSION

I LOVE TO SING -Supplement

BmLE BASISPsalm 100:1,2

LESSON AIM

That the child will learn that he can show his lovefor God by singing and that God loves to hear his singing voice.

CENTER TIME

3. Others Hear Us Sing

TM purpose of this center is toshow tM children that they can share tMir loveof God with otMrs by singingfor otMrs.

Youcan use centers #1 and #2 to practice two or three easy songs, and then take your class to sing for anotherchildren's class or ';Jerhaps a nearby adult class. If the children seem shy about singing in front of others, youcan have them "lead" the singing and have everyone join in.

1. A Joyful Noise (refer to center #1 in main curriculum)

Other instruments you might want to make instead of or in addition to the plastic egg filled with popcornmight be the following:

Drum - illade from empty coffee can covered with butcher paper, topped with plastic lid.Autoharp - made from a small box and rubber bands of different sizes and thicknesses.

Bells - 8 ir.ch lengths of yam with 3 or 4 jingle bells knotted onto them and then tied in a circle.

2. Puppet Praise (refer to center #2 in main curriculum)

Each child will make his own puppet by gluing on eyes and lips to the paper bag. Be sure to emphasize theimportance of the IYlouthand how we use it to sing. The emphasis of this center is not the making of the puppetbut encouraging th(~children to sing.

Patterns for eyt·s and lips.

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STORY TIMERefer to main curriculum.