The Top 100 Songs Every Child Should Know
As I began to write this post, it didn’t take me even an hour to come up with way more than 100 songs every child show know! One of my most favorite classes in college was Elementary Music Methods, and one of my most favorite jobs was elementary (K-4) music teacher at Willie Brown Elementary school in Mansfield, Texas. I taught some of these songs to my students, and today I’m happy to share them with you.
The Top 100 Songs Every Child Should Know
The songs below are linked to a YouTube video so you can learn it and teach it to your kids. It was my goal to include a variety of types of videos. Some modern, some old, some specifically made for kids, and others not. I hope you enjoy the mixture! (As usual, if you are extra careful about the content your child sees or hears, please preview each video first.)
Scroll to the bottom to download a printable version of this list.
And here is a YouTube playlist of the songs!
(YouTube doesn’t allow songs that were specifically created for children to be added to playlists, so some of the videos are different than those I’ve linked to below.)
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Folk Songs
Inch by Inch (the Garden Song)
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad
Make New Friends But Keep the Old
She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain
There’s a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea
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Sampler Music Appreciation Mini-Course
Patriotic Songs
Hymns and Christian Songs
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Spirituals
When the Saints Go Marching In
Lullabies
Hush Little Baby, Don’t Say a Word
Lullaby and Good Night (German Cradle Song/ Brahm’s Lullaby)
Preschool Songs
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
If You’re Happy and You Know It
You’ll love my online course
10 Songs All Preschoolers Should Know!
Historical Songs
Christmas Carols
See MANY Christmas Songs in this course
Music of Christmas
Other Holiday Songs
Over the River and Through the Woods
Cowboy Songs
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Singing Made Easy ~ Level for beginning singing lessons from age 3 through adult!
Songs in Other Languages
Did I miss any of your favorite songs? Leave a comment below to let me know!
It’s a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
My Favorite Things – Julie Andrews – Sound of Music
These are two songs we have fun with at our house!
Wonderful additions!
We had fun with “Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be?” today.
Yay! Very fun. 🙂
~Gena
TV THEME SONGS OF THE PAST (50s-90s) i.e. Animaniacs
Ducktales and other TV Theme Songs of the Past
I started elementary school in 1960. Music was always a huge part of my life and our lives in school. In 1965/66, our music teacher had all the 5th and 6th graders from the city get together for a couple of programs. One song that my best friend and I sang throughout our lives went something like this : Spring whispers in the wind, stirs among the sprouts, wakes the tender buds with its call, spring murmurs through the trees, rushes in the brook, something in the steep waterfall. Loud sounds the shepherds horn ‘mong the rocks, calling to summon home snowy flocks. Gay, gaily in the night, gaily in night sings the water sprite.
I know I missed quite a bit of it, but do you know of this song?
I did a Google search, but couldn’t find the song. I’m posting here in the hopes that someone else will know. 🙂
~Gena
I am searching for the origin, too! My mother and aunt taught me the song as a child (Michigan). I cannot find it anywhere on the internet.
This is what we know (and we know the melody that our family sings it to).
“Spring whispers in the wind, stirs among the boughs, wakes the tender buds with its call. Spring murmurs in the stream, surges in the brook, rushes in the clean waterfall. Loud sounds the shepherd’s horn among the rocks, calling to summon home snowy flocks. Gay, gaily in the night, gaily in the night, plays the water sprite.
Yet, in my beating heart, sorrow lingers on, colder than the touch of the snow…when I remember joy and the lovely days of a happy spring…long ago.”
Hoping someone can help you!
Blessings,
Gena
I also sang that song in Jr High in the early 60’s at the Spring Program every year! You didn’t grow up in Indianapolis, did you? I love it so much! I wish we could find a recorded version of it somehow. Thanks for the memories!!
No, I grew up in Texas. 🙂
~Gena
We’ve also enjoyed Froggie Went a courting, Crawdad Song, Los Pollitos, Little Liza Jane, The Happy Wanderer, Molly Malone, Down in the Valley, Cumberland Gap, Goober Peas, Loch Lomond, Will You Go Lassie, Country Life and Auld Lang Syne.
Thanks for these great additions!
~Gena
Hi everyone. I also grew up in the 60s. I remember the lyrics to a song going like this (remember, this is my 8-year-old memory working here, so I might be wrong): Olé, olé, olé. Come dance to the music gay. Olé, olé, olé. We’ll sing and we’ll dance and play. Oh, what fun to go dancing together, with a swing and a sway and a swirl. Every step is as light as a feather. Oh, what fun to go round in a whirl!
Hope someone remembers this and can add to or correct the lyrics. I couldn’t find anything on the internet.
I don’t know that one. Yes, hope someone else can chime in with the answer!
~Gena
Well, the words fit to the music of Mexican Hat Dance. You can hear a version here: https://youtu.be/XrEg2mL1jmY
Thank you!! That brings back memories. All of the lyrics I’ve looked up don’t go with what I remember, but it was nice seeing a video with the music. Thanks again.
Yes, I remember this song! I grew up in the 70s. I remember the beginning lyrics as, “Ole, ole, ole, fiesta begins today.” And the last line in our version was, “Oh, what fun for a boy and a girl!” I can’t find it on the internet, either.
That might be part of the same song. I guess we’ll never know. Thanks for your input.
Looking for the lyrics to a song sung prior to the 1960’s with the words…. GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING TO YOU , GOOD MORNING AND HOW DO YOU DO?”
Anyone?
I think I am trying to find the same song. I sing it to my cats every morning when we all wake up. I sing it a little differently…Good Morning Good, Morning I’m (we’re) glad to see you, Good Morning , Good Morning and how do you do?
Hi! I really hope someone can help you find this one! 🙂
~Gena
I wish there was a printable list!
Just added it!
~Gena
Yay!!! Thank you!!!
How ’bout My Darling Clementine?
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
Yes! Fun one. 🙂
~Gena
I absolutely love this list! I no longer have any kids doing homeschooling, but I’m a professional musician and music teacher. I’m a fan of E. D. Hirsch, who I think gets a bad rap. After reading his books on cultural literacy, especially the music section from his dictionary of cultural literacy, I thought to myself, “I should make a list called ‘Songs every American Should Know'” and endeavor to teach it to my private students. Thank you so much for this! I’m definitely bookmarking it.
Have you made a similar list with classical or popular tunes? I’d have to think about both, but the classical list would probably have about 50 items that at least 50% of Americans recognize 50% of (Hirsch’s definition of a common cultural heritage). Things like “Ode to Joy,” Hallelujah Chorus, Rhapsody in Blue, 1812 Overture, various Nutcracker themes, etc. The popular list would have only classics; probably nothing 20 years or younger, because it hasn’t withstood even a single generation’s test of time. Songs like Piano Man, We Will Rock You, Billie Jean, Your Song, and probably some Beatles and Elvis tunes like Hey Jude and Fools Fall in Love. But I know we’d have to be careful here, lyrically speaking, even if there are no obscenities. Even a song I love like Billie Jean isn’t something I’d love for my 4-year-old to be parroting all the words to!
I rambled in that last paragraph, but if you have a moment, could you email me a link if you’ve made such lists, or if you’ve seen lists that you trust?
Yes! I do have an article here: https://musicinourhomeschool.com/the-top-100-delightful-classical-music-pieces-all-children-should-hear/
as well as an online course here: https://learn.musicinourhomeschool.com/p/100-delightful-classical-music-pieces-mini-course
~Gena
The Pollywog In The Bog-BNL
Hey Ya-Outkast
I Think I Love You-Partridge Family
What’s New, Pussycat?-Tom Jones
I Want You Back-Jackson 5
Skinnamarink-Traditional Canadian folk song
Land of the Silver Birch-Traditional Canadian folk song
The Dummy Line-Folk song from New Jersey
The Great, Big Moose-Folk song from Aurora, Ontario, Canada
The Dreidel Song-Samuel Goldfarb
Hey Dum Diddley Dum-Splash N Boots feat. Sharon and Bram
Stomp Clap-Danny Go
Wiggle Dance-Danny Go
Math Whiz-Danny Go
Brain Attack-Raggs Kids’ Club Band
Big Kids Scare The Heck Outta Me-John Lithgow
A You’re Adorable-from I CAN SING BABY ANIMAL SONGS
Does Your Chewing Gum?-Lonnie Donegan (from I CAN SING BABY ANIMAL SONGS)
Oh, You Beautiful Doll!-from I CAN SING BABY ANIMAL SONGS
Yes, We Have No Bananas-from I CAN SING BABY ANIMAL SONGS
Mr. Bass Man-Johnny Cymbal (from I CAN PUT ON A SHOW)
PS Alouette dates back to the year, 1879; it’s from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Adeste Fidelis’ refrain, “venite adoramus dominum,” means “come and let us worship the Lord.”
I absolutely love this list! It brings back so many memories from my childhood and I can’t wait to introduce these songs to my kids. Music is such an important part of learning and I appreciate how you’ve combined fun and education. Thanks for sharing these timeless classics!
You’re welcome!
~Gena