06 April 2008

Help a girl out

I'm sure people around here wonder why I'm not more involved with kid-type stuff at church, considering that I'm the main contributor of kids to these functions. Well, I don't like kids. Ha!

But whether I like them or not, Dad is trying to recruit for VBS again and I'm in the habit of bailing him out. Last year I did the music, which I found somewhat less unappealing than teaching (I'm also not all that musically gifted, but that's life in a small town).

We use stuff from Pax Domini, which is economical, theologically reliable, and free of garish colors and patronizing lessons and activities designed around the premise that kids are stupid, which makes the week less painful for me. It's a bare-bones curriculum that gives suggestions rather than prescriptions for crafts and music. Last year we did "The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want" (easy to put actions to for the little guys), "All Who Believe and Are Baptized" (I had some visual aid type things for this one), and "I Am Trusting Thee Lord Jesus" (the older kids learned more of the verses). I may use one of these again, but I thought I'd ask if anybody stopping by had some recommendations for particularly kid-friendly hymns, possibly with actions or other extras to help non-readers learn the words over the course of the week (and maybe even remember them after that?). Please feel free to leave ideas in the comments of later posts after this one cycles out if you think of something two months from now, as I will doubtless still be putting it off at that time (I think I have until July).

6 comments:

sam said...

How about Lord, Keep Us SteadFast in Thy Word. It was originally written as a children's hymn if my memory is working properly. Also... if you use it... you need to use it with the verse about keeping us safe from the Papist and the Turk.

My .02

Reb. Mary said...

I'll let you know if I think of anything...meanwhile, can you help me think of how to get out of VBS snacktime?! Though really, as VBS duties go, I won't complain if I end up there again.

Jane said...

No suggestions, but I'll be watching the replies because I, too, end up doing music at VBS because I don't dislike it *quite* as much as teaching kids.

Pastor Petersen writes our VBS every year; sometimes he'll have suggestions for songs, but usually I just need to come up with something.

Dawn said...

"Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise" is a big hit in our house. Catchy tune, you know?

We like "Lord of All Hopefulness," too. Looks act-outable. And it has the added benefit of addressing specific times of the day, which might be handy, I suppose.

"Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart": good for what ails you.

Others we like:

"Children of the Heavenly Father"
"What is the World to Me"
"Crown Him with Many Crowns"
"The King of Love My Shepherd Is"

If you would like, I can get GirlOne in on the act-outableness of any song you pick. She's something when it comes to acting-outedness and she loves to help. And how. ;)

Dan @ Necessary Roughness said...

My kids know "I am Jesus' Little Lamb" and "Jesus Loves Me, This I know"...I'm intrigued to introduce them to "Crown Him with Many Crowns." Great hymns, all.

Rebekah said...

Thanks, everyone. Sam, Dad wouldn't have that one sung any other way.

One that I thought of after posting is "What Kind Of Love Is This?"--refrain for the little kids and verses for the older ones. I try to get a lot of theological bang for my buck out of VBS music since most of what the kids get the rest of the year isn't much more hard-hitting than "This Little Gospel Light Of Mine."

As for snacks, RM, when I'm on the hook for preschool I find boxes of raisins the best nexus of economy, health, simplicity, and acceptedness among otherwise malnourished children. But I suppose you can't give them raisins every day.