Singing Children’s Songs with Grandchildren

Our colleague Susanne Weiler is convinced: With Kinderlieder aus Europa, children at nursery school can get to know each other better, and at the same time experience a great deal about the cultures of neighboring countries. And in the family too, the focus is once again on singing with children thanks to the beautiful song book…

Last year our first grandchild was born. And through this my view of singing with children has once again come more to the fore. Earlier on we sang a lot with our children. But that is a long time ago, and I have almost forgotten it. So it is lovely to be able to be do this again, this time with grandchildren.

At first, our singing closely together was helpful to calm the child and get her to sleep. Now we have moved on to movement and rhyming songs which is great fun for all involved. When I begin to sing “hab ‘ne Tante aus Marokko”, the little one begins to bounce up and down straight away and is full of smiles.

Soon our granddaughter will go to nursery school. She will meet children from different countries who bring their own traditions and songs with them. Singing together can help make foreign languages familiar, can facilitate learning together, can create emotional bonds and moods, and can encourage movement.

Kinderlieder aus Deutschland und Europa (Children’s Songs from Germany and across Europe) is a tremendous resource containing songs from all European cultures. Topics covered include “Begrüßung und Abschied” (Greetings and farewells), “Spielen und Tanzen” (Playing and dancing), “Durch das Jahr” (Through the year), and “Große und kleine Tiere” (Big and small animals).

Chord symbols make accompanying with instruments easy. Many of the songs in foreign languages are underlaid with German text. A CD with instrumental versions by Peter Schindler is included. And the imaginatively-arranged photos by Jan von Holleben also make the song book into a beautifully varied picture book.

With Kinderlieder aus Deutschland und Europa, children at nursery school can get to know each other better, and at the same time experience a great deal about the cultures of neighboring countries. That is what I wish for our granddaughter, and perhaps I will also learn something in the process.