How to Teach Songwriting to Kids

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How to Teach Songwriting to Kids

Writing songs at a young age can offer children an array of excellent benefits. It provides them with a unique outlet to express their thoughts and emotions in a creative manner, allowing them to develop their literacy and language skills in an enjoyable way.

How to Encourage Kids to Write Songs

Encouraging your child to write songs can be fun and fulfilling. Here are some suggestions on how to help them begin.

  • Get your child a nice notebook, pencil, and pen to help them start the songwriting process. These items should be fun and inviting, letting your child know that writing songs should be a comforting and imaginative experience. Depending on their age, stickers could be a great addition!
  • Play games in your daily life that involve changing lyrics to popular songs. It can be as simple as substituting words and making new rhymes. This will challenge your child’s brain and get them thinking of different lyric possibilities. 
  • Practice creating playful jingles with your child, making silly commercials about your daily life. This helps with melody creation and rhyming practice.
  • Introducing your child to guitar, ukulele, or piano lessons can open up a new world of musical creativity. These versatile instruments provide a great foundation for their songwriting journey. If they are under the age of seven, the piano is the best instrument for them to start learning, as it provides a great foundation for them! 
  • Enroll them in songwriting lessons. Many schools offer songwriting classes for kids of all ages. It is a great way for them to boost their creativity with weekly guidance from teachers.

How to Pick a Theme for a Kids’ Song

When it comes to children writing songs, it is essential to make the process enjoyable and full of imaginative themes. Consider exploring what fascinates your child—whether it is animals, sports, friendship, or other interests. A few questions to ask: What are your favorite things? Where are some of your favorite places? Who are some of your favorite people? Have your child get out their new journal and pencils and write down a few ideas!

Explaining the Basic Song Structure for Kids

Explaining the basic parts of a song to a child can be easily achieved by using their favorite song. For example, “Let It Go” from Frozen and “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift follows a popular song structure:

Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Verse 2 / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus 

Once your child has chosen their theme, simply write down the song structure section by section and decide what they will write about in each part. For this blog, let’s write a song about trees.

Verse 1: We can introduce the topic of trees and how tall and green they are

Pre-Chorus: Talk about their roots and how sturdy they are

Chorus: Embrace the beauty of trees and how they provide shade

Verse 2: Talk about the specific types of trees (oak, maple, pine)

Bridge: Talk about the seasons 

Now that we know what each section will be about, it is time to develop rhymes.

Verse 1: Branches stretching to the sky / Leaves are dancing, waving high

Pre-Chorus: Down below the forest floor / Holding trees firm and secure

Chorus: Beautiful trees, beautiful trees, you shelter me / With your branches and leaves, so wild and free

Verse 2: Willows weeping by the stream / Oaks blocking the sun’s gleam

Bridge: In the fall, the leaves turn gold / Winter comes, the nights are cold

How to Create a Melody

Teaching children how to create a melody is easier than it seems. A melody consists of different elements, such as pitch, rhythm, and repetition. Here are a few things you can do.

  • You can also try clapping your hands or use simple percussion instruments as you and the child speak the lyrics to test out the rhythm and repetition.
  • A good exercise is to go on YouTube and look up instrumental tracks to put on in the background as your child speaks their song out loud. See if they naturally come up with melodies as the instrumental song plays. Simple searches such as “Olivia Rodrigo Style Instrumental” would bring up a bunch of instrumentals in a similar style to that artist. Just switch the name to your child’s favorite artist and see what comes up.
  • If they play an instrument, see what they come up with while they play a chord progression.

Practice the Song

After your child finishes writing a song, encourage them to perform it. Hearing the song aloud multiple times may help them develop new ideas and make improvements. This practice can also boost their confidence in their songwriting abilities. For added benefit, ask your child if they would like to perform it for friends and family! This kind of experience can build their confidence even further by surrounding them with the most supportive, encouraging audience possible.

Record the Song

Recording the song is the final step of the process. This is a great way to capture an essential moment in your child’s life. Using an app on your phone, such as Apple Voice Memos, Google Play Voice Notes, or BandLab, is a great way to save the song.

Crafting a song is a process that becomes more manageable when you divide it into sections. Patience is key throughout the creative process, especially when teaching it to young children. Children could greatly benefit from learning how to express themselves through the art of songwriting. But most importantly, it should be fun! Once a child becomes comfortable with the skill of composing their first song, they will have the lifelong ability to create music as often as they want. If you are interested in signing up your child for songwriting lessons, you can find out more about our music schools here.

Author: Madison

Madison is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Gender & Women’s Studies with a concentration in Media and Communications. As an independent recording artist, her music has received critical acclaim from the likes of EARMILK and Wonderland Magazine. Apart from her involvement with Ensemble Performing Arts, Madison performs shows across California.

Madison

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