Michael J Tinker suggests 6 great Christian songs that will help families praise and worship down the motorway
Ah, parents, the summer holidays are upon us once more. Joyous trips, fun at the beach, cool refreshing ice creams, long boring car journeys. Hmmm… maybe not everything about the summer break will fill us with delight, but that can all change with a good playlist. Not only can it transform boredom into head-banging, hip-wiggling, terrible dad-dancing, memory-making fun, but it’s also a wonderful opportunity to help little hearts grasp big truths.
Here’s my thoughts on a playlist you could use. There are a number of well-known kids songwriters out there but I’ve gone for some, perhaps, lesser-known ones to expand your collection (though if you need reminding of some of the better known artists then check out the Spotify playlist at the end of the article).
1. ‘I Need Your Love’ is the second track from Ellie Holcomb’s latest ‘Sing’ kids album, and it’s channeling some super-cool Motown vibes. You’ll want to wind down the windows and get with the groove. And it’s a great message for kids to take through the summer and into the new school year…
https://open.spotify.com/track/1lvaxgKksdiVB2ho3IjMrH?si=be390290ad604c5a
2. ‘Who is a God Like You’ by Dumbrocks (aka Jeremy Smith). Jeremy has an enviably great way with words and tunes… which is a good combination for a songwriter. This is a stellar road-trip song which kicks off with the wonder of God’s creation. So, what better song to listen to as you’re driving through that creation! As a family you can enjoy how the world points to the master artist and celebrate that as you sing ‘all of them tell how great, my God, you are!’
https://open.spotify.com/track/3D30w3gGoheJ2VTfrK3QjW?si=23fe08f171fc48f1
3. ‘To Be A Child Again’ by JJ Heller. JJ is probably better known for her lullabies, but she has some stomping tunes as well! This one isn’t so explicitly about God, but that doesn’t mean it’s not got so much to teach us about living as a child of God. In a cynical world, this is a perfect song to get into a truly holiday mood where you can enjoy it like you used to as a child - enjoying all the good God gives us with innocent abandon, even while acknowledging the struggles and challenges we’ve been through in life.
https://open.spotify.com/track/3GVyR1anjqvOMI93mIfbyA?si=40f8edd6a60c4f65
4. ‘I Can Pray’ by Jenna Kuykendall. Jenna is a US-based kids songwriter who I was recently put on to by Yancy. If you need your fill of Vengaboys-Eurovision-summer-vibes, then this is definitely the song for you. She may be based in the US, but Jenna definitely knows how to party like she’s European!
https://open.spotify.com/track/7w2Jttt47hdN5vzZO80N63?si=bca9dd80b49a43a7
5. ‘Joy, Joy, Joy’ by Dan Warlow. Let’s go Down Under for the next track. Dan is an Australian following in Colin Buchanan’s country-infused-kids-bible-song footsteps (though without the whacky comedy segways). This is a classic song reimagined so no matter your age, you can sing along.
https://open.spotify.com/track/3eAcypUgG4U7tPsQjDzVrE?si=5e62479976ce4c17
6. ‘God is Wise’ by Michael J Tinker. Ok - this is me. The editors said to pop one of my songs on here, so this is what I’ve chosen! It’s got an Hawaiian feel about it, so will transport you to beautiful beaches and get your hips swaying. Though that is a difficult thing to do in a car. And even more difficult if the person next to you isn’t swaying in the same direction. Risk assessments are advised. The song is based on Proverbs and is an opportunity to chat with your kids about who they are listening to, while having a lot of fun singing!
https://open.spotify.com/track/04chYqtolaE4NipuN0RJQW?si=29b7ba0fe48e481c
I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I do.
Here’s a suggested playlist that includes the above tracks and more…
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/60ZaTGDzxsA3dWaNyDsElX?si=5c985ea90d6a4a6c
Have a great summer.
