It had been many years since the release of a nondenominational hymnal especially for children. Hendrickson Worship has changed that with the launch of The Kids Hymnal products. Bright illustrations and an affirmation and application lesson for each song make the new songbook the perfect way for churches and parents to share their musical heritage with elementary school-aged kids.
Theres a need to reintroduce children to the theology and music of the founders, says Kids Hymnal creator and prolific childrens author Stephen Elkins. The great hymns of Wesley sing of the glory of God and use some pretty deep words. Thats OK, isnt it? It gives parents an opportunity to speak of grace in simpler terms and explain the meaning. Jesus said, Let the children come to me, so His message must certainly be applicable to them. So much of todays Christian music is very repetitive and lacks the spiritual depth found in the hymns.'
Elkins also points out that music is an excellent educational tool. Thats what hymns are: educational/praise songs that teach us about the Lord, he says. But isnt the frequently archaic and stylized language of many hymns too difficult for young children? For example, modern kidsmost of whom havent been on a farmreport misunderstanding bringing in the sheaves as bringing in the sheep,
the sheets, or even bringing in the cheese. In addition, the hymn is correlating physical farm produce with spiritual fruitnot a simple concept. Elkins argues that The Kids Hymnal addresses just this problem. I would call [hymns language] traditional language, which gives [kids] a little taste of history Elkins says. And thats how I like to frame it with kids: Listen to the language of our great-great grandfathers. Some might argue that the content is over the head of a 4-9 year old, he adds. To safeguard against that happening, we included an About This Hymn section on every hymn page. Kids can read an explanation of difficult terms or concepts. For example, Elkins says, in the song Come Christians, Join to Sing, a child comes to know what it means to be a Christian. The affirmation in this hymn is I will sing to the Lord, for I am a Christian. We apply the verses to the childs life and then the child speaks or affirms the principle Besides applications lessons, affirmations, and illustrations by Tim OConnor, The Kids Hymnal features melody lines, lyrics, and guitar chords; stories behind the hymns; and indexes by title and topic. Correlating products include a piano accompaniment book; a split-track, three-CD set; and a sing-along DVD with the words printed on the screen. Each product includes all 80 featured songs and hymns, grouped by categories:
Hymns
Sunday-school classis such as Deep and Wide
Scripture songs to help kids memorize Gods Word
Songs based on Jesus teachings
Seasonal songs, including Christmas carols and Easter melodies
Unison arrangements are in easy-to-sing keys, for use in childrens choirs in churches and schools, or for simple family fun at home. The CDs and DVD feature the popular Wonder Kids Choir (100 All-Time Favorite Bible Songs, The Jabez Prayer Song Collection). The hymnal released in October 2007, the correlating products in August 2007, and all except the accompaniment book carry a $9.97 introductory-value retail price. The kids love these songs, Elkins says. They have a modern sound without all the heavy drums and guitarsno heavy rock, no rap. Dont get me wrong, the rhythms are fun and engaging, but they still meet the conservative standard. [Kids] like learning these big church songs in an easy way, he says. They sound great when they sing, and its really good for their confidence
. Kids love singing out of their own hymn book, too. Most are accustomed to the words being up on a screen without the notes. How excited they are when they begin to understand how to read the music notes, even if its in a general way. CBD Retailers & Resources
