May 2006

Welcome to WWM Talk, the e-newsletter for Walk With Me curriculum. If you have any questions about information in this issue (or anything else), give us a call at 1-800-333-8300 or e-mail us.

In This Issue

  • Singing with Kids
  • Training Your Volunteers—An invitation!

Coming Next Month

Warm Fuzzies. Those “wow” moments we get to experience as we watch God at work in the lives of the kids. Do you have any stories you’d like to share about how God is connecting with your kids? We’d love to include them! E-mail us.

Coordinators’ Corner

Are They Singing?

Are the halls alive with the sound of music during your children’s ministry program? Or are you more likely to hear the sounds of silence? For many adults, singing is the scariest part of leading Sunday school. As a result, they may be tempted to skip the singing portion of the lesson—which is a shame because most kids love to sing! Share the musical notes in Teacher Talk (below) with your staff, and encourage your teaching team to lift their voices! If your program includes a large group time, these tips will come in handy for you (or your music leader) too.

And stay tuned. Sing With Me, a fresh, new children’s hymnal that contains much of the music of Walk With Me is coming soon! The Children’s Songbook and Leader’s Edition will be available this fall. Place your advanced order today! Click here for more information.

Equip Your Volunteers!
“Singing with Kids” is just one of the fun workshop options at the FREE third annual Walk With Me Coordinators Conference this August 11 and 12. If you’ve joined us before, we hope you’ll return this year for three exciting new workshops.

If you’ve never attended, we’d love to have you join us at this energizing conference. You’ll meet some great people who face many of the same challenges you face. And you’ll leave with lots of free ideas, workshops, and materials you can use to inspire your team for a new season! Get more information or download a brochure PDF here.

What Do You Do?

How do you incorporate music into your programs? We’d love to hear from you! E-mail us.

Teacher Talk

Music for the Unmusical

Let’s face it, most of us wouldn’t even make it to Round One of American Idol! The good news is, when it comes to singing with kids, your vocal talents don’t matter. Kids are looking for smiles, sincerity, eye contact, and movement—they’re not assessing your vocal range! So relax, breathe in, and check out the following tips to turn musical challenges into songs of blessings:

Make this your motto: “It’s not about me, it’s about God.” Singing with kids is not about how you look or sound, but all about bringing them one step closer to God.

Sing in the shower. Learn the songs before you lead them. Belt out a song while stuck in traffic and croon a tune while you work in the garden. Then, when it’s time to sing with the kids, you’ll be able to relax, make eye contact, and have fun as you praise God together!

Include kids in the process. If you’re directing a large group, invite some kids to stand beside you and help you lead. Before teaching a new song, see if anyone else knows it and would like to sing it with you. Encourage kids to teach you some of their favorite praise songs!

Add the actions. Even you won’t have time to pay attention to yourself when you’re busy clapping, snapping, and toe tapping! Your willingness to look silly will put the older kids—the mumblers—at ease. They’re probably mumbling because they feel the same way you used to feel!
Tip: Let them in on your “It’s not about me, it’s about God” motto!

Turn up the volume. Play the CD as you sing together—it will help you focus on the song, not yourself, and will help the kids keep the beat.
Tip: Before teaching a new song, play it as background music while the kids are doing an activity. You’ll be amazed at how much of the song seeps into their memory!

Make friends with a musician. Invite a musical guest occasionally to sing with you. Grab the guy with the guitar in the hallway, scoop up the kid with the tambourine, or ask the praise band drummer to drop by with some rhythm sticks. It’s great for kids to be up close and personal with the folks they see “up front” during the worship service.

Summer Success

Still not sure what to use for your summer ministry to children? Check out these great resources!

Dreams and SchemesWWJD Day Camp: Kids at Work in the Real World is an innovative new summer program that opens up new opportunities for children (grades 1-6) to serve their communities and learn about what Jesus would do—all in five action-packed days! This all-in-one resource includes complete plans for each day including service project ideas, Bible stories, skits, songs, crafts, and more. Download a sample chapter.


Dreams and SchemesDreams and Schemes and other summer unit lessons are fun for kids and easy for teachers. Each lesson is in a small group/large group format, and includes dramas, games, activities, and more. Just order one book for each of your leaders, and you're ready to go. Click here to see the full list of titles and view a sample chapter.

 

 

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