BINGO is a familiar song which all of our children know, thanks to the ever popular ABC TV children’s show ‘Play School‘!

We like to teach our children an interactive version of the song each year.

The Anglican Church of St. John the Divine

This year as we prepare for our Christmas Carols concert down in the Church with Father Tim, we are teaching the children a new version of BINGO.

Sung to the same tune we are replacing B-I-N-G-O with J-E-S-U-S

We ran the idea past Father Tim before we taught it to the children as we wanted to ensure it would not appear disrepectful to the church in any way and he LOVED it!

As we did with the B-I-N-G-O song the children start off with the cards showing the letters J-E-S-U-S and as the song progresses,  the children turn their cards around as one new letter each verse is replaced with a clap until we end up with clap-clap-clap-clap-clap. On the very last verse the children all turn their cards back around to spell J-E-S-U-S.

So at our Christmas Carols night this year the children will sing …

There was our God who had a son and Jesus was his name-o,

J-E-S-U-S,   J-E-S-U-S,   J-E-S-U-S

and Jesus was his name-o!

There was our God who had a son and Jesus was his name-o,

clap-E-S-U-S,   clap-E-S-U-S,   clap-E-S-U-S

and Jesus was his name-o!

There was our God who had a son and Jesus was his name-o,

clap-clap-S-U-S,    clap-clap-S-U-S,   clap-clap-S-U-S

and Jesus was his name-o!

There was our God who had a son and Jesus was his name-o,

clap-clap-clap-U-S,   clap-clap-clap-U-S,   clap-clap-clap-U-S

and Jesus was his name-o!

There was our God who had a son and Jesus was his name-o,

clap-clap-clap-clap-S,   clap-clap-clap-clap-S,   clap-clap-clap-clap-S

and Jesus was his name-o!

There was our God who had a son and Jesus was his name-o,

clap-clap-clap-clap-clap,   clap-clap-clap-clap-clap,   clap-clap-clap-clap-clap

and Jesus was his name-o!

J-E-S-U-S,   J-E-S-U-S,   J-E-S-U-S

and Jesus was his name-o!

A song which the children enjoy doing in a large group is the old favourite, “Bingo” – you know the one -

There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name-o,

B-I-N-G-O,    B-I-N-G-O,    B-I-N-G-O,

and Bingo was his name-o!

Five children hold prop cards which Sherry made with the letters on them and gradually turn them around …

… as the sounds are replaced by claps (adding an extra clap into each verse).

clap - I – N – G – O,    clap – I – N – G – O,    clap – I – N – G – O

and B – I – N – G – O was his name-o!

clap – clap - N – G – O

clap – clap – clap - G – O

clap – clap – clap – clap - O

clap – clap – clap – clap – clap

The children picked up the idea of turning the cards around very, very quickly!

At this time of year, with the children being a little older we can give them the letters in the wrong order.

Either the children with the cards sort themselves out, or other members of the group soon call out the correct order.

Not only good for literacy, but also great group cooperation!