Sing a New Song: Music for the Whole Family

ByDanielle Ayers Jones

Do your children love music? It's not only fun, it's a simple way to trigger their memory and connect with them. That's why what we pour into little ears and little hearts really matters! Here are some of our favorite tunes to share Christ with young children.

We all jam ourselves into the car and buckle up. Windows down, I search for my keys while my daughter inevitably demands:

“Put the Jesus song on!”

I have to admit that I’m just a bit tired of it. After all, I have been listening to it for five plus years. But my daughter never gets tired of it.

“Again!” she often pleas. We have to put a limit on how many times it will repeat.

“After three times your brothers get to pick a song they want to listen to,” I’ll remind her.

But hey, at least she’s begging for a song about Jesus, right?

So what is this Jesus song that is in such high demand by my five year old?

Musical Theology

That would be the To Be Like Jesus song and cd. As soon as the drums kick in my daughter is off and singing. With themes of joy, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, To Be Like Jesus has songs that take on some deep ideas but makes them accessible to kids. Give Me Self-Control is one that has been helpful to our family with lines like, “When I say words I shouldn’t speak/And hurt the ones I know/On mornings when I’d rather sleep/I need Your self-control.”

Let’s Get Silly

And then there’s Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies, which has been a particular favorite with my boys. Some of the songs are complete nonsense but totally upbeat and fun like Tractor Tractor or tender like My Baby Loves to Dance. And our favorite song from this cd has to be the tongue-twisting God Made Me.

Sleepy Time Lullabies

Beautiful, comforting, scriptural, Hidden in My Heart: A Lullaby Journey Through Scripture is an album I’ll listen to even when my kids are not in the car with me. It is gorgeous musically and encouraging lyrically. I Will Never Leave You brings tears to my eyes because it was one I listened to when my husband had a health scare. With the words, “When your sky is cold and lonely/and your heart is filled with fear/I will wrap my arms around you/Know that I am here/I will keep you safe and sound/through the darkness that surrounds.” It’s the cd my kids will ask for at night if they are struggling with being afraid of the dark.

What faith-based music does your family recommend?

Blessings,

Danielle

Danielle Ayers Jones is a storyteller. Whether it’s with paper and pen or behind the lens, it’s one of the things she loves to do best. Her love of all things bookish and artsy led her to earn a degree in English and Graphic Design and to work in an art museum pre-motherhood. She has written for Ungrind.com, iBelieve.com, StartMarriageRight.com, Thriving Family, Clubhouse, Jr., Radiant, and Relevant. She also combines her love of writing and photography on her blog. It’s a space where she seeks to find beauty in the everyday, joy in hardship, and encouragement in unexpected places. Danielle lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.

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8 Comments

  1. We jam to the Newsboys and Toby Mac. My daughter is 11, and I need something that keeps her motivated to listen to Christian music instead of the mainstream junk. Especially now since she is paying attention to the words of the songs.

  2. When my kids were little we listened to WeeSing Bible songs. Over and over again. But hey! They learned all the book of the Bible! Now they are all teenagers and that tape has gone to the grave with all our old technology, but we still sing those songs, in the same order!

  3. We love all the Hidden in My Heart albums. (3). Also Steve Green Hide Em In Your Heart.

  4. We are obsessed with CrossKid Nation! Excellently done, this is music I would listen to with or without my kids in the car. Someone definitely needs to review this music. It’s music with a message and we cannot stay still when it comes on. It instantly changes a pity party into a dance party! Songs about the armor of God and Gods goodness teach my children truths they need to know. http://www.crosskidnation.com/store/

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