December 6, 2006 12:16 PM
My #1 Christmas recommendation - hymns for kids
A while ago we were having a discussion about the importance of teaching our children hymns as part of our spiritual heritage. A reader's request for suggestions for a CD of hymns pulled in this comment from Nikki of Living in My Mind(and do be sure to click on her site for her hilarious picture-says-a-thousand-words Christmas scene):
I have three children under 5 and I've found the Hymns for a Kid's Heart collection to be a wonderful way for my children to learn hymns. I think that the music is very well done, especially for a children's CD. Reading the book that accompanies the CD has also been a wonderful addition to our family's study of the Word.I also think that having learned the hymns through this CD, my children are excited (and not as intimidated) to sing along when they hear the hymns orchestrated on an even grander scale. As a matter of fact, while I was listening to samples from the CD that Barbara suggested, my 1 year old began to excitedly sing along with Holy, Holy, Holy. (That is her favorite hymn at the moment. A day does not go by without her requesting 15-20 times the singing of, "Hoey, Hoey") :)
Since I don't like to recommend anything I wouldn't want for my own family - and you all know I recently learned a lesson in sticking to that :) - I wanted to actually hear the CDs before recommending them myself.
Now that I have them, I must first say a huge THANK YOU! to Nikki for recommending them. And the second thing I want to do is to tell you how important these books and CDs are. I think they should be in every family's library - No, they should be out on the coffee table for daily reading and the CDs should be playing in the background for your kids to enjoy!
From the covers:
KIDS WILL:*Be inspired by the true stories of the hymn-writers.
*Connect with tenderly written devotionals.
*Learn to sing twelve classic Christian hymns.
*Practice piano and guitar with printed music.
*Understand more about God’s character and grace.
*Memorize a Bible verse with each hymn.
*Learn to pray along with their singing.ADULTS WILL:
*Give children a lasting musical treasure.
*Experience the pleasure of filling young hearts with joy.
*Be equipped with the tools to teach children twelve classic hymns.
*Enlighten young people with an understandable theology.
*Enjoy prayer and Bible memorization along with kids.
As a mother with 37 years of experience (six adults and six children still at home) I can't emphasize enough that when it comes to spending money on presents for your family, you'll never regret things that will have a lasting and meaningful impact. This Christmas, forget the techno-toys and stuff that will be forgotten a month from now and invest in your family's heritage. A set of these books and CDs are one of the best gifts you can give your children - passing on the rich heritage of classic hymns and carols in a context they can embrace: child-friendly stories of the origin and meaning of each hymn, with interwoven tales of the composers' own childhoods - plus a CD with crystal-clear kids' voices singing against an orchestral background.
So much intelligence and love went into this project by Crossway Books, Focus on the Family, Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada. These books and CDs are absolutely perfect for children - and sure to enrich your family life and legacy!
If I only had $50 to spend, this is what I would buy my family this Christmas. To read more about them, click on the book images or order through Barbara's Amazon Link in the right sidebar.
I thinl my own grown children would agree that the hymns of their childhood - because we sang them each morning - are an important part of who they are today!
Posted in Christmas, Homeschooling, Music | Permalink
Comments
Barbara, I am so glad that you found this to be as wonderful as I did. I have volume 2 on my Christmas wish list, so I hope that I will soon have it to add to our daily hymn singing.
Posted by: Nicki | December 8, 2006 10:02 AM
I'm sending myself emails from reading things on your blog. I am in my 20th year of homeschooling and have been homeschooling my 7 year old grandson since he was 4 1/2. This collection sounds great. Our favorite hymn CD for children is called Small Offerings. It is put out by Hold That Thought http://holdthatthought.com/music.php?PHPSESSID=f882f750783e76d8707ac5aba1224e66
You can hear samples at the link. I hope you like it and maybe use it for a change in style.
Posted by: Liz | February 11, 2008 10:11 PM
