It's common sense that what goes into the body eventually comes out, and nobody knows that better than parents. As parents we put a lot of thought into what we feed our kids: "Is it healthy? How much sugar is in that? You just ate a rock?!" But how often to do we really think about what music feeds our kids? A lot of the time, probably not until they let a few choice words go in front of the pastor or their grandparents. But it's important to not just monitor their physical nutrition but their spiritual nutrition as well.

In the past year, there's been an assortment of positive, fun and uplifting music put out in the Christian music world for kids. From VBS soundtracks to remixes for teens, there's been a good selection of music focused on the younger audience (of which I happen to have three)!

1. Sing the Bible with Slugs and Bugs by Randall Goodgame

By far, the favorite music of my kids is Randall Goodgame's Sing the Bible with Slugs and Bugs. Mr. Goodgame has done an awesome job bringing Scripture to life. Of the 18 tracks on the album, the one that gets the most air time in our house is "Alien." Our 7-yr old son requests this song multiple times a day while we're working on school work (yes, we're homeschoolers).

As a parent, I really like Sing the Bible because it's a great way for kids to learn Scripture. If there's a verse they need to learn for Sunday School or AWANA or something similar, putting it to song is a great way to help them do it. Besides that, it's fun to have a dance party in the school room or car when you're listening to Randall Goodgame's music.

2. Ultimate Kids Worship by Shout Praises Kids

Coming in a close second is Ultimate Kids Worship by Shout Praises Kids. Not only are there current worship songs that the adults sing in church, there are a lot of older songs that I remember singing when I was a kid. "Every Move I Make" is one that I remember from youth group, and I love being able to share that with my kids. Our 3-yr old likes not just that particular song; she's a fan of the whole album. While I was working at the kitchen table she came over to ask for some music, and when she saw the album cover she gasped and said "that's the one we were listening to! I LOVE that one!" Talk about melting mommy's heart.

Not only does she love listening to the music, she loves dancing to the music. If King David danced in worship, I figure it's OK for a 3-yr old. Of all the music my kids could love, I'm glad that it's worship music. Secretly, I like this one almost better than some of the more adult style worship music that I have (shhhhh). Ultimate Kids Worship is perfect length for car trips or just having on as the soundtrack for your day.

3. Shine by Go Fish

A good VBS soundtrack is Shine by Go Fish. Go Fish's sound is upbeat, fun and definitely makes kids (and parents) get up and dance. "Rise & Shine," from Shine, is a cool take on the old classics that you probably sung as a kid. "I'll Fly Away" is another updated version and a great way to get your kids into hymns. Overall, the whole CD is pretty fun. Our 7 year old couldn't decide which song was his favorite ("I just like the whole thing! It sounds cool") and our 3 year old danced her way through the house.
  4. Jungle Safari by Yancy

Jungle Safari by Yancy is another pretty fun VBS album. Little Miss 3-year-old called it "her" music because it's more of a pop/rock sound. Both albums are pretty short, which makes them perfect for a quick run to the store or the trip to church.

5. His Kidz United Volume 1 by His Kidz United

His Kidz United Volume 1 is another one that all three kids love, but especially the older two. I love that it covers a wide range of hits, from Audio A's "Big House" to Matt Redman's "10,000 Reasons." It's like a Christian version of those popular compilation CDs where they take modern pop hits and make them "kid-safe," only these songs don't have to be kid-proofed. Both our 7-yr old and 5-yr old were picking out songs that they sing in church.

Our son said that his favorite is "10,000 Reasons" because they sing it a lot in church and he likes the words. He also thought that "Big House" was pretty cool sounding, and he was shocked to learn that it was something I listened to growing up (because I'm oh so old). Our daughter came running when she heard TobyMac's "Speak Life" because it was one her class has done before. The message is great for 5-yr olds to be hearing. It's refreshing to have a CD that the kids can be excited about and we don't have to worry about the content.

6. Action Bible Remixed by Various

The last album we listened to was Action Bible Remixed. Although I honestly don't think my kids are old enough for this one, it is however something that I can see tweens and teens loving. Action Bible Remixed is an album of worship remixes done by KJ-52, Canton Jones, DJ Maj and other rap/hip-hop artists. I really liked the Milton Young, DJ Maj remix of "Great I Am." That's one of my favorite worship songs, and they did a spectacular job with the remix.
 
Final Thought:
It seems that gone are the days of "Jesus Loves Me," "Deep and Wide" and "Father Abraham," but that's OK. Sometimes I think kids are a little more in-tune with the worship that we sing during church, and it's great to see that come to the forefront of kids' music. If you're looking for positive music to crank up in the car and rock out to with your kids, there's a great selection out there if you know where to look.


Some other titles to check out include His Kidz United Christmas and the 3 album set Capitol Kids!, which includes Hits, Worship and Christmas.