Music Daily Lesson Plans
Day 1
Theme: The Mass is a MYSTERY that Jesus wants us to learn more about. We celebrate this special mystery in the Eucharist at every Mass.
Virtue: Patience (the ability to wait without grumbling or complaining)
Action Song Videos:
Theme Song: Come Live in Me (2:34)
Theme Connections:
Come Live in Me is the VBS theme song of the week. The chorus of this song reminds us to adore Jesus in the Eucharist, who is Love, and to invite Him to come live in our hearts each day. The verses remind us to embrace the mystery of Christ who is present in our everyday lives.
We Come to You is a song to help us put our focus on Jesus and to open up our hearts to Him in prayer. When we come to meet Jesus at every Mass, He welcomes us with arms open wide.
Move and Groove
Run through the Action Song Videos a couple times before playing any music games. The goal of these games is to highlight some of the lyrics of the songs while having fun singing along. These games can be played with minimal preparation. Be energetic, expressive and have fun with the kids.
Freeze Dance
- Play the theme song and let the kids dance around freely.
- Randomly stop the music, everyone must freeze in their current position.
- Anyone who has the best frozen pose and can sing the next word (or line) to the song can get a prize or treat.
- Start the music again and repeat the process.
Pass the Hula Hoop
- Have kids form groups of five or more players, holding hands in a circle.
- Each group will start with one hula hoop.
- Players must work together to move the hula hoop all the way around the team circle without breaking hands.
- Play the theme song. Pause the music at anytime and get the kids to sing along to the next part of the song.
Day 2
Theme: The Mass is a GIFT that Jesus wants us to love and cherish. Jesus is the Greatest Gift we receive at Mass. The more we prepare ourselves for the Mass, the more we will enjoy the gift of Jesus in the Eucharist.
Virtue: Peace (being quiet and calm inside our hearts)
Action Song Videos:
Theme Connections:
Greatest Gift of All draws us into an awareness of the gift of the Mass and the Eucharist. This song brings attention to different parts of the Mass and how we are called to live it out. It also brings our attention to the greatest gift of all: Jesus truly present in the Eucharist.
Giver of Life is a song of praise and thanks to God and reminds us that He is the faithful giver of life and blessings. What a wonderful gift we have in Jesus!
Move and Groove
Create Your Own Actions
- Divide kids into equal teams.
- Teams have 2 minutes to come up with their own actions to Greatest Gift of All or Giver of Life.
- Create easy dance moves or hand motions to go along with the song.
- The team with the most creative actions wins.
People Pictures
- Divide kids into teams of 5.
- Call out an object such as a church choir.
- Kids have 30 seconds to quickly form that object as a team.
- The team that best represents that object wins.
Play a few rounds by calling out other objects:
- Altar
- Baptismal Font
- Church
- Bells
- Candle
Day 3
Theme: The Mass is a CELEBRATION that unites us with our Catholic community. It is important to fully participate in this Eucharistic celebration knowing why and how we celebrate.
Virtue: Unity (in communion with God and others; being one Body in Christ)
Action Song Videos:
Theme Connections:
He’s in My Heart is a fun song of celebration and joy as we celebrate the presence of Jesus in our everyday lives.
Hey! helps us to celebrate the reason for our hope in knowing that we have won victory over sin and death through the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God.
Move and Groove
Hula Hoop Your Group
- Spread out several hula hoops on the floor.
- Play the VBS theme song while kids dance around.
- Encourage kids to do the actions.
- When the music stops, kids have to find a hula hoop to stand in.
- Remove one hula hoop at a time, until everyone tries to fit in 1-2 hoops.
Limbo
- Use a broom handle, stick, or pool noodle which you must go under without your hands touching the floor.
- Place the stick horizontally between two supports (like two chairs, or get two group leaders to hold each end).
- Have all players line up in front of the stick.
- Play the songs of the day.
- Each child must lean backward and try to pass under the stick without touching it or falling.
- After each round, lower the stick slightly.
- Keep going until only one player remains, who is declared the limbo champion!
Day 4
Theme: The Mass is a sacred MEAL that we share together, just like Jesus shared the Last Supper with the Apostles. Jesus comes to feed us with His Body and His Blood through the Eucharist.
Virtue: Faith (belief and trust in God)
Action Song Videos:
Jesus My Faith Is In You (2:34)
Theme Connections:
I Believe is a fun and upbeat way for us to confirm and proclaim our faith in God and what we believe as Catholics.
Jesus, My Faith is in You is a simple song of worship about putting our trust in God. This song is a great reminder for us to put our faith in Jesus who is truly present to us in the Eucharist.
Move and Groove
Human Knot
- Divide kids into equal teams.
- Have the kids on each team stand in a circle and reach across to grab hands with two different people.
- Without letting go of hands, they must work together to untangle themselves into a circle again.
- Play the VBS songs of the day. After about 2 minutes of play, stop the music and have everyone freeze. The leader determines which team has the least amount of knots.
Musical Chairs with a Twist
- Set up chairs in a circle facing outward, one fewer than the number of players.
- Play one of the daily songs while players walk around the chairs.
- Pause the music. Everyone must quickly find a chair to sit on, while singing the next word or line to the song.
- The person without a chair can team up and sit on the same chair as someone else.
- Remove one or two chairs each round.
- Play until everyone is grouped together on the last few remaining chairs.
Day 5
Theme: The Mass is a CALL for each one of us to say “yes” to Jesus. Jesus calls us to go out into the world and be His light to others.
Virtue: Generosity (giving unselfishly and cheerfully for the benefit of others)
Action Song Videos:
We’ve Gotta Tell the World (2:32)
Optional: “The Mystery” Lyric Video
Theme Connection:
We’ve Gotta Tell The World emphasizes the call for each of us to go into the world to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus and to be His light to others.
I Am Called reminds us that we are all called to be saints, and that God wants to lead us so that we can discover His amazing plan for our life.
The Mystery is a prayerful song that helps us reflect on the great mystery of God’s love through the Eucharist.
Move and Groove
Guess the Sound/Music Box
- Show younger kids a variety of instruments, including the names of the instruments and the sounds they make.
- Ask the kids to turn around or hide their eyes.
- Have a leader play one of the musical instruments (drum, maracas, flute, guitar, keyboard, etc.).
- Ask the kids: Can you guess which instrument made that sound?
- The person who guesses correctly can come make the next sound.
Variation: Kids can pick a musical instrument and take turns playing the instruments while the song is playing.
Name That Tune (older kids)
Play three second clips from the VBS songs of the week and see who can name that song.
(Opt.) Award points or prizes for correctly guessing!
Pass the Hat (younger kids)
Kids dance around in a circle and pass around a detective hat (or sunglasses) while the music plays.
When the music stops, the child holding the hat puts it on and everyone says their name: “Hello Detective Ben” or “Hello Detective Gloria” (or the leader asks “Who is the detective?” and everyone says, “Ben”.)
