Music is a big part of our lives and the human experience. It’s an important part of who we are, and it creates the soundtrack to our experiences and memories. When we teach children the wonders of music, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience, as we get to see the world through our children’s eyes. Writing songs with your kids is a great way to share in this incredibly rewarding experience.
Even if you don’t have formal music training or experience in songwriting, you can write songs with your kids. You just need these five simple ingredients, and you and your kids will be in a recording studio in no time!
#1: A Topic
Just like with any creative process, you need a topic! What is your song going to be about? Where can you and your kids find inspiration?
Do your kids like coloring? What about dinosaurs? Does your child play with dolls?
What time of year is it? Is it hot or cold outside?
What are your kids learning about currently in school? What are their favorite school subjects?
You can find songwriting inspiration all around you.
#2: A Melody
When writing songs with your children, we recommend using melodies of songs they already know. You could include classics like When the Saints Go Marching In, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, or Jingle Bells––to name a few.
Or it can be whatever you and your child want it to be! All you need to do is use a melody as a guide and replace the lyrics to suit your song topic. Before we get into the other steps, it’s important to know that sometimes a chorus and verses are not necessary––especially with younger kids. Adding in a chorus and verses can be a little too advanced!
#3: A Chorus
This is the part of a song that will get stuck in your head for days on end! When writing music, think of the chorus as the part that speaks the most important part of the song. When you come up with the chorus of the song with your kids, make sure it has a strong theme.
Another important part of the chorus is the rhyming scheme. This is a great way for your kids to learn rhymes and how to communicate in song.
#4: Verses
The verses are a great place to elaborate on the topic of the song or tell a story. Your song can have as many verses as you want. You can do what you like with the verses––just remember to stick to your rhyming scheme. The more verses you can come up with, the more likely it is that you can hold your children’s attention span.
#5: Purpose
Why are you writing this song? Is it intended for a specific person, or audience? You may simply be writing for fun, or to learn something new. A fun time to write a song with your kids could be during a special occasion like a birthday party, or for a holiday!
If your song has a purpose, your kids will be more motivated to write it and sing along.
Record Your Song and Play it Again Later
With today’s technology, it’s never been easier to record things on the fly, with apps like Garageband, or your phone’s back-facing camera. We guarantee your children will get a special kick out of hearing their song over and over again. Who knows, it might even become a road trip, birthday, or family tradition!
For more music-filled activities, visit The Music Room blog.