Children's Church Choir Ideas
A children's church choir has the advantage of high energy and fresh eagerness among its youthful members. Directing a children's choir is therefore all about channeling that lively spirit and creating something melodious. Successful church choir directors are able to take the children's natural excitement for life and incorporate it into the hymns.
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Seasonal Songs
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Engage with the children's excitement for an upcoming holiday or festive season by singing seasonal songs and hymns. For example, during the Christmas season, sing "Away in a Manger" or "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem." At Easter time, sing "Easter, Joyous Easter" and "Christ Has Risen." Relating the choir songs to the relevant season will also allow you to teach the children the gospel stories as they are discussed in the church service throughout the year.
Simple Choreography
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Teach the children simple choreography that they can perform during certain parts of each song. For example, if the children are singing "Jesus Loves Me," show them how they can put their hands to their hearts during the "loves me" lyrics and how they can create a book with their open palms when they sing "the Bible tells me so." Though choreography can take some practice to get perfectly, it will make for a more engaging performance during the church service.
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Costumes
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Create costumes for the children that relate to the season or the song they are singing. For example, at Christmas time, dress the children up as angels with gold pipe cleaner halos and white cloth robes. At Easter, dress the children up in floral costumes to represent the season's birth of new life. Cover their clothes in fake flowers, using safety pins to attach each flower. The costumes will add excitement to what would otherwise be a standard choral performance.
Engage the Parishioners
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Instruct the children to spread out around the church during one hymn in order to engage the parishioners and encourage them to sing. Have each member of the choir stand in a designated spot so they cover each aisle and the perimeter around the pews. Tell the children to raise their hands in a welcoming gesture during the song's chorus to invite the parishioners to sing along without reservation. If appropriate, add hand claps into the song so the parishioners can clap along.
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References
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