An alternative to Ring Around the Rosie from Revelation 4.
Children love Ring Around the Rosie but you may not like the meaning behind the song. Many state that the song is about the Great Plague or Black Death. A rosy rash in the shape of a ring was a symptom along with sneezing. Posies were herbs thought to help ward the plague off, but when “we all fall down” the interpretation is that everybody dies. What a happy, fun song, huh?
Though some debate this interpretation of the origin, we know that life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21) Therefore, what we say matters. (See this article on The Power of Declaration in the Mouths of Children.) Shouldn’t we use a more edifying alternative?
Here’s a Biblical song based off of Revelation 4 that can be sung to the tune of Ring Around the Rosie:
“Ring around the throne,
Jesus is holy.
Praise Him!
Praise Him!
We all fall down.
And we cast our crowns
And say ‘You are Worthy!'”
When my older children were young, we would buy foam crowns from the Dollar Store and play this every night. When we all fell down, we cast our crowns on the floor and told Jesus He was holy and worthy of our praise. It became a before bedtime routine that lasted for years. They loved reading Revelation 4 and talking about what the throne room looks and sounds like. Our God is fascinating!
Have fun with this! Improvise and get creative. Make crowns out of card stock or construction paper and jewel stickers and talk about why the elders throw their crowns at Jesus’ feet and why you think the four living creatures have so many eyes. What do they see? Who knows! It may just become your favorite game to play with your children.
