CHRISTMAS: Teaching young kids new songs.

Psalm 100:1-2
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Sometimes churches have teachers working with the young kids and sometimes it's just somebody who really loves music and kids but doesn't have a teaching background.  Teaching new songs to kids who don't read words or music can be a challenge.  Remember that kids learn by repetition.  The more they hear and sing the song, the better they'll know it.  Based on the developmental level of young kids (PreK to 3rd grade), here's what I suggest...

• Have the kids listen to the song first, verse and chorus.
• Repeat the first verse a couple of times, having the kids echo it back in short segments.  You sing the segment and point to the kids when it's their turn to sing after you.
• The next time you sing longer segments and have the kids sing after you until you're singing the whole verse and chorus and they are too. 
• Finally, let them sing while you mouth the words.
• If you have many verses, try to have hand motions or pictures to help the kids remember each verse.  
• Learn the first verse and chorus the first week and the next verse the next week, etc.  It'll be easier each week because the kids will be familiar with the tune.  
• Make sure you build the song so that they sing all the verses they've learned each week.  Don't sing just the first verse and then forget it while learning the other verses.