(I’m excited to bring you something of eternal value for your young children. Kathie Morrissey of Character Corner has graciously allowed me to share her post here and add some of my own favorite hymns.)
I often mention singing together as a family because it’s one of my favorite memories of when our kids were all at home. We sang with them from the time they were very young, all the way through the teen years.
Teach Them Young
We also played good Christian music when we were in the car, when they were playing, or even at nap time. We taught them lots of Scripture songs, kids choruses, and hymns. Today I want to share a list of 25 hymns that I think our young kids should know, because they are foundational to our faith.
I was brought up in a home where hymns played a big part. We sang them at church, my mom listened to them on Christian radio, and often sang hymns throughout the day as she worked.
I learned to love hymns, and the message of them. Today they still speak to my heart. I want to pass that on to my kids!
Music does something for your spirit, and it can also bring comfort during times of hurt. Singing together is a great way to bond with your kids, and spend time together in a profitable, enjoyable way.
If you start when the kids are young, they will develop a love for music, and as they get older the music will minister to them.
I have noticed that music continues to be important to my kids, even though they are older. It is comforting and encouraging to them. I’ve seen a couple of the kids, as teens, take their Bible and a hymn book to a quiet place to worship and spend time with God. They use the hymns to worship, and prepare their heart for what God has to say to them from His word.
We sing hymns about our salvation, the power of God’s Word, what Christ suffered for us, and His greatness; we sing some hymns to bring comfort when we have heartaches. Hymns are powerful and strong.
Teaching our young kids great hymns of our faith (and others that aren’t hymns, too) should be part of their education, as these hymns reinforce the Biblical beliefs we teach them daily.
There are many, many others that are good, but this list will get you started.
Why not start singing hymns as a family – when your kids are still young?
- This is My Father’s World
- When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
- Take My Life and Let It Be
- It is Well With My Soul
- All Creatures of Our God and King
- Great is Thy Faithfulness
- Oh, God Our Help In Ages Past
- Amazing Grace
- What a Friend We Have in Jesus
- Christ the Lord is Risen Today
- Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
- Blessed Assurance
- The Old Rugged Cross
- My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
- How Great Thou Art
- All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
- To God Be the Glory
- Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
- How Deep the Father’s Love
- Rock of Ages
- Trust and Obey
- Power In the Blood
- A Mighty Fortress
- All the Way My Savior Leads Me
- Praise To the Lord, the Almighty
Learning Theology While Young – Effortlessly
Elisabeth Elliot, missionary and author said this about hymns: “One of the things that I think is so important to teach and often neglected nowadays is the learning of hymns, because it’s an easy way to learn theology. My father was not a theologian, but he was a very, very devout Christian and a writer and an editor of a Christian magazine. But we sang a hymn every single morning after breakfast. Because of that, we children learned hymns by heart without any effort whatsoever.”
Hymns Help with Easy Memorizing
Here are some things we did to help children memorize all the stanzas easily:
1. Besides read alouds, sing hymns. Started by choosing 4 or 5 hymns and singing those same hymns every night until the children were very familiar with them. Then add more.
2. We would informally crowd together by the portable CD player in the kitchen and sing. Sometimes it was over lunch! We sang and read stories of the hymn writers. The children and I grew to love that time together. It also made our lunchtimes memorable, though they weren’t perfect!
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” ~Proverbs 18:10
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Bethany
My husband and I are expecting our first this January, but I would love to do this with my family! Hymns are such amazing ways to get God’s truth stuck in your head, but it seems like younger people are getting very unfamiliar with them. I grew up singing them, and want to pass that down to my children too!
Jacqueline
Oh, Bethany, I am so excited for you! What a rich heritage you will pass on! God bless you and this new little one! Sending up praises, ~J
Francis Ndenga
Wonderful. Just love the massage hear. Even the Bible says that “Train a child while still young and when old will not depart from the way.
Diana
What a great post! We sing a hymn every morning to start our homeschool day. We love to read about the authors and musicians and find out their testimony as it makes the song more alive.
Jacqueline
It is wonderful to hear of families that are discipling their children in the great hymns and the Word, Diana! We will never be sorry we took the time to do that with our children.
I will try and remember to tell Kathie. God bless you! ~J
Busy Mom In AL
Loved this list. Our church sings every one of these! I have fond memories of hymns I sang as a child and still know the words! They stay in your heart and mind. 🙂
Jacqueline
Hi, Busy Mom!!! It is great to hear from you! You are special to me after all these years! I am so glad the hymns are still thriving in homes and some churches! Blessings to you, old friend! ~J
Busy Mom in AL
Hi!! Yes, I am still around. Haha! And still enjoying your encouragement.❤️ Hugs to you. 🙂
Eloho
I found this really helpful & in line with our 2021 family goals. God bless you
Jacqueline
Eloho, I praying it will be powerful in your family’s life and growth! God bless you all! <3 ~Jacque
Jelaine S. Aprile
Has anyone created a Spotify playlist containing these songs?
Jacqueline
That is a great question, Jelaine! I would love it if someone would create one!
Jon Navy
Thank you Jacqueline for this list! Since I was a small child, I have had one favorite above all others, although it’s not in the list. We were encouraged as a congregation to raise our hand in church during our worship time for hymn requests. I always raised my hand and always asked for the same one – number 301, Near To The Heart of God (old Baptist Hymnal). Almost 60 years have passed and this song still ministers to me in a very special way. I recently learned it was written by Cleland McAfee (1866-1944), who had suffered the loss of two infant nieces to diphtheria in 1903.
“There is a place of quiet rest,
near to the heart of God;
a place where sin cannot molest,
near to the heart of God.
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
sent from the heart of God,
hold us who wait before thee
near to the heart of God.
McAfee was preacher and choir director of the campus Presbyterian church at Park College, Parkville, Mo. His daughter described the account in her book, Near to the Heart of God. Hymnologist William J. Reynolds quotes the account:
“The family and town were stricken with grief. My father often told us how he sat long and late thinking of what could be said in word and song on the coming Sunday…. So he wrote the little song. The choir learned it at the regular Saturday night rehearsal, and afterward they went to Howard McAfee’s home and sang it as they stood under the sky outside the darkened, quarantined house. It was sung again on Sunday morning at the communion service…. The hymn was first included in The Choir Leader, October, 1903.”
Thank you again. I can’t imagine anything sweeter than the praise from the lips of children to our God and Savior.
Jacqueline
How beautiful that you share that with me and other readers, Jon!
I love your heart for the Savior! We must be ready, as I feel He is coming soon!
God bless you!
~jacqueline
Lynn Saint
Thank you, Jacqueline, for these suggestions. I have been singing choruses to my grandchildren but need to buckle down and sing a few hymns.
My latest granddaughter is 2 1/2. She had brain surgery at two days of age for hydrocephalus. Due to this, she also developed cerebral palsy but is doing so well. She is able to crawl and sit up by herself. She just started taking 3-4 steps a couple of weeks ago while holding onto her mother’s hands.
She has a good memory for words and sings when she thinks no one is watching. The other night, in the dark, she started to sing, “The Joy of the Lord Is My Strength.” I was surprised she started singing, “He gives me living waters and I thirst no more,” a verse I didn’t realize she had absorbed.
With your hymn suggestions, I am going to look in my old hymnal for some of those hymns you mentioned. I used to sing many of them with my mom before her homegoing. I have also taken note of “Near to the Heart of God.”
My husband and I have buried four of our children, three infants from a rare genetic disease and our 16 (almost) year old son to a brain tumor. Singing kept me going…hymns, choruses, Psalms.
God bless you and thank you for your faithfulness.
–Lynn
Jacqueline
Hi, Lynn,
Yes, we must be doing the same thing – singing to our grandchildren. I do prefer the hymns but also throw some praise choruses in there (and since I know many of them by heart from when the Lord got my heart), they just bubble out.
How sweet that must have been hearing your littlest grand daughter singing and memorizing! She sure is processing something meaningful! The Lord can do that in her!
With your losses, these hymns will be even more meaningful.
Thank you for sharing with me your heart and this special part of your life.
God bless you and keep you,
Jacqueline
Stuart Langridge
One song that my mother sang to me as a child is Jesus Loves me:
1 Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong;
they are weak, but he is strong.
Refrain:
Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.
2 Jesus loves me he who died
heaven’s gate to open wide.
He will wash away my sin,
let his little child come in. [Refrain]
3 Jesus loves me, this I know,
as he loved so long ago,
taking children on his knee,
saying, “Let them come to me.” [Refrain]
Psalter Hymnal, 1987
Jacqueline
Stuart, thank you for sharing that! I love it, too!
Sending peace,
Jacque