7 Tips for Teaching Kids to Praise God with Their Heart and Voice
Singing Is for Everyone
Before suggesting practical tips on how to encourage our children to sing, I wanted to begin by thinking about why we sing at all. Kids need to understand its purpose so that its practice makes sense and inspires the effort.
There are many special talents that are shared among the people of God, including musical ones. There are many places in the Bible where we read of skilled musicians who step up to help lead the people in singing. But singing, like praying and meditation on God’s word, is for every believer.
We are created, commanded, and compelled (by the gospel) to sing. Our children need to see singing to the Lord as being in the “for everybody” category and not simply a matter of taste or great ability. It is a lifelong and eternal calling for all God’s people.
Singing songs of the Lord form us and regularly repeat to us and to others what we believe to be true. It is an expression of what it means to be a family, and it is an act of service to sing to and for one another—I sing for you and you sing for me. It is the fitting expression of each heart towards their Creator. Ultimately, it is one of the Lord’s leading gifts to us so that we can bring our thanksgiving and worship to him.
We are a singing people. It is who we are. It is for us and for our children throughout all generations.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
—Psalm 104:33
We Sing!
Kristyn Getty
This illustrated children’s book features rhyming poetry by acclaimed singer and hymn writer Kristyn Getty, to teach young readers about the importance of praising God through music.
1. Pick good songs.
We should enjoy a whole host of songs in a variety of styles and from different times with our children. But within that, it is more fulfilling and far-reaching to aim towards a core heart hymnal of songs that you can carry through life, speaking into every season, every part of the church service, every part of the gospel.
Does the song have a melody we can and will enjoy singing, perhaps even without accompaniment, for a longer time? Is the song clearly, deeply, honestly, and beautifully saying truths about the Lord I don’t want to forget? How does the song disciple my child in how to pray and how to share their faith? Will it grow a heart that better loves the Lord?
There are many treasures we seek to leave with our kids—great hymns of the faith they know and keep are one of them.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
—Psalm 34:1
2. Let songs of the Lord fill the spaces where life happens.
The songs that fill the big gathering moments should flow into the longer spaces in between. In our kitchens and our cars, in our comings and our goings. Words in music furrow deeper into the heart than if they were simply spoken. Such is the power of music to shape our thoughts and our emotions. Where we can, it is so helpful to find ways to bring songs to the Lord into the places where life happens.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk [sing!] of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
—Deuteronomy 6:6–7
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3. Choose a family hymn of the month.
One of the things we have found helpful is to have a family hymn of the month. We choose an old hymn or a new hymn that we would like our kids to know. We share the story behind it and devotional thoughts around it so as to link the song to real life. We write part of the lyric on a chalkboard in our kitchen right beside where we eat together. In our weekly family devotional times, we will sing it through together. We might play it in the car on the way to school or over our phones as they fall asleep at night. The goal over the month is to have several touch points for the song to weave in and nest.
4. Consider how church leadership helps.
There are a number of ways for the church to help families sing with their children throughout the week. First, within all the age-based activities of children’s ministry, find a way to keep them in the main service for a bit so they can sing with everybody together. This multi-generational piece is timeless and effective for everybody. Second, sharing the songs for Sunday worship ahead of time helps families get ready to sing them, especially if they are not as familiar. Also, a church children’s choir can be a great place to encourage younger voices and inspire all who listen to praise the Lord.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
—Psalm 8:2
Singing, like praying and meditation on God’s word, is for every believer.
5. Invest in music education.
For many centuries, children have been trained in voice and instruments through religious music. If a child is learning an instrument or singing, use hymns of the faith as their learning material. The more folk-like melodies of hymns are great to learn on piano or violin, for example. Both Keith and I developed our musical skills in our local churches. We had opportunities to grow and share there, seeing faith and gifting woven together in very practical ways.
Harmony singing really helped me as I grew up. My voice was lower, and a lot of the songs in church were too high for me! Harmonies create more space for each voice and also deepen that sense of the body of Christ working together. If your child has a relatively good ear, get them into choir or pull out a harmony line from a recording so that they can learn it. It’s a lot of fun when you get it.
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
—Psalm 33:2–3
6. Build to Sunday.
Prepare your kids’ minds and hearts for the special gathering time of the church service. Talk about why it is important and how we should act. Each of our daughters is different and at different stages. It’s not perfect, but we do try to be on time for church, play the hymns for that morning in the car on the way there, and encourage their thoughts towards the joy and the reverence of that special time.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
—Psalm 95:2
7. Do as our daughter suggested—incentivize!
For this seventh tip, I asked my fourteen-year-old daughter how to encourage kids to sing. She smiled and said, “Bribe them.” I would prefer to call it incentivizing, but potato, potahto!
Sometimes there is a real willingness of heart and everyone is ready to join in. Sometimes there’s a real dragging of feet. So we’ll use things like Let’s sing this song, and then let’s play pickleball. Let’s sing in the car together on the way for ice cream. Early in the day, energy is better for first things, and other things can come after. In all this is the building of disciplines, like getting dressed each morning or learning a language, and as they get older and see its value, it’s easier. Anything worthwhile takes work and incentive and timing—and failing and starting again!
Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
—Psalm 147:1
Kristyn Getty is the author of We Sing!: Teaching Kids to Praise God with Heart and Voice.
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