Music is a God-given means of teaching the Bible to one another (Colossians 3:16), and music is an especially ideal method for teaching the Bible to children. My kids are 2 and 5, and we have had so much fun learning to sing hymns together.
We try to play fun, upbeat Christian music in our home throughout the day, and then I play these songs for the kids at night as they lay down to sleep (affiliate link to the music on amazon). But one way to instruct the kids in solid doctrine during this season is to teach them the words to great hymns of the faith. They don’t fully understand all the words right now, although they understand more than one might expect!
Our kids need solid truths running through their hearts and minds when they face heartbreak, loss, pain, and challenges, and I trust that the words to some of the hymns we are teaching them will ring in their hearts long after this season where I sit on the couch beside them to teach and instruct them.
How we memorize the words to hymns
We memorize the lyrics to hymns by my singing them to the kids over and over again! Most mornings right after breakfast, the kids and I sit on the couch to read a Bible story and work on our memory verses. Then, I take a little hymnbook and work on the words to the hymns we are learning. This is their favorite time!
I usually select a hymn that has a repeating chorus (i.e., although the verse lyrics change, the chorus is the same each time we sing through the song), and we begin by learning the chorus. I often make up hand motions, and we clap and raise our arms, or whisper certain parts, or sing especially loud at certain times, etc. 
I usually have to sing solo on the verses for a few days! But before long, though, I’ll hear my kids humming the lyrics throughout the day, then singing the chorus. My youngest began singing the words to hymn choruses at 18 months! She was barely “talking,” but she could mimic our singing: “Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God!”
We may work on the same hymn for weeks, but in our singing time, I always try to sing at least one song that the kids know already so that they stay interested and engaged.
Five hymn selections for young children
These are five hymns that are good ones to begin with! I chose these based on their doctrine and their ease of learning for young kids.
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1. We Have Heard the Joyful Sound
This hymn is my kids’ favorite! Because the words “Jesus saves” are repeated over and over again, they were able to jump in and start singing with me on our very first time through. I love hearing my kids outside in the yard or upstairs playing with their toys and singing, “Jesus saves, Jesus saves!”
Spread the tidings all around: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to every land, climb the steeps and cross the waves;
Onward!—’tis our Lord’s command; Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Waft it on the rolling tide, Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Tell to sinners far and wide, Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Sing, ye islands of the sea, echo back, ye ocean caves;
Earth shall keep her jubilee, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Sing above the battle’s strife, Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
By His death and endless life, Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Sing it softly thru the gloom, when the heart for mercy craves,
Sing in triumph o’er the tomb, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Give the winds a mighty voice, Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Let the nations now rejoice, Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Shout salvation full and free, highest hills and deepest caves,
This our song of victory, Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
2. The Solid Rock
There are quite a few concepts in these lyrics that my kids do not understand yet, but this hymn is so rich in doctrine that I am confident it will serve them later on. We began with the chorus when learning this hymn, and the kids love to pound their fists on their open palms when they sing the word “rock.”
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Chorus: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
3. Standing on the Promises of God
I taught this hymn to my little children’s choir (ages 3-6) last year, and they did such a great job learning it! We made up motions for the words, and it was a favorite with the kids.
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.
Chorus: Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I now can see
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,
Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I shall not fall,
List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call.
Resting in my Savior as my All in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
4. Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow (The Doxology)
My husband began singing this hymn to our little boy right after he was born, and it is often our “night-night” song with the kids. It is simple, and the kids both learned it very young.
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
5. In Christ Alone
My kids LOVE this CD from Keith and Kristyn Getty (aff link). While they have not learned all the words to this hymn yet, my son often asks me to play this song. It is a beautiful, powerful hymn.
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
I hope that these suggestions are helpful for your family as you seek to teach your children the truths of God through song! Press on to plant those seeds of the Word, moms, planting little acorns of truth that we pray will yield strong, well-watered oaks of righteousness in the coming decades.
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