How to Use Nursery Rhymes for Children's Church Lessons
- 1). Select your favorite nursery rhymes from a book or online collection.
- 2). Look at the nursery rhyme closely. Think about the message behind it. Ask yourself which Bible story it applies to the most appropriately. For instance, the story of "Humpty Dumpty" could fit in with the battle of Jericho, as the nursery rhyme talks about falling off a wall. "Peas Porridge Hot" ties in with the story of Jacob and Esau and how Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of porridge.
- 3). Say or sing the nursery rhyme with the children. Relate and connect the nursery rhyme to the corresponding Bible story. A simple connecting sentence would be, "Today we are going to hear a story from the Bible about a young man who wanted a bowl of porridge so badly he gave away something very valuable for it" to relate "Peas Porridge Hot" to the story of Jacob and Esau.
- 4). Teach children new, Bible-based words to sing to familiar melodies, such as "Ring Around the Rosy" or "Rockabye Baby." This provides another method for incorporating nursery rhymes into children's church lessons.
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