The sun is shining.
The breeze is perfect. Around us,
nature’s splendor decorates the day. My
children and I sit on a swing, rocking back and forth, enjoying it all while
singing praises.
Another day it is overcast.
Rain splashes on our minivan windshield as we drive from one appointment
to another. Yet, inside the car, we are
bright with song.
What song?
This is the day.
This is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it, and glad in it.
This is the day
that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice
and be glad in it.
This is the day.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
This refrain is one we have
enjoyed time and time again over the past few years, and one we have adapted
into a bit of a game.
A Little Vocabulary
and Science and A Lot of Thanksgiving
The game goes like this:
One child points out something in our
field of vision. Then, we either sing
something akin to:
That is the
tree. That is the tree that the Lord has
made…
Let us rejoice
and be glad He did….
That is the tree
that the Lord has made.
Or, if the thing pointed out is
man-made, something such as
That is the car. That is the car that the people made...
God gave them
the talent and I’m glad He did…
That is the sign
that the people made.
And on and on we sing, taking
turns noticing all that is around this.
In doing so, we get natural practice
with vocabulary through naming the things we notice. (I often try to notice things that might
include vocabulary the children rarely hear.)
We also get in a bit of scientific classification: What is natural and what is made by human hands? And, finally, we offer much thanks to God.
The children delight in song and play, while I
am uplifted by seeing the details of the world through their eyes while joining
them in praise.
What are some of your
favorite faith songs for children? Have
you adapted any of them into games or learning activities? Please share
in a comment and feel free to include lyrics, a link to an audio or video clip
or a link to a post you’ve written about it.
Also, please feel free to ask a question or share a thought, idea or resources for guiding faith
formation in young children. Other
readers and I would be happy to respond in future weeks of Training Happy
Hearts: A Call to Faith Formation for Young Children, published here
every Sunday.
P.S. If you’d be kind enough to do
so, please click over to our
contest entry at My Special Needs Network and leave a comment, which will
act as a vote towards helping our win $250 in sensory supplies and
equipment. And, if you have any friends
who might be interested in the Network or willing to vote for us, feel free to
pass the information along.
