Need some simple songs for a Ukulele Club for kids.

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TheOsprey

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Hi everyone,

I figure this is the best place for this topic.

Basically, I'm starting a school Ukulele club for 7-9 year olds. It's only for a group of 8 children, for half an hour or so.

Basically, I've convinced the person with the money that we need high quality concert ukes, and the school is willing to fund them.

So now I need a song list. Preferably songs with 2 or 3 simple chords, progressing to songs with 4 or so chords. It would be ideal if the songs were familiar to the children, but really they just need to be kid friendly (no swearing, sexual themes etc). Some children at the school currently do guitar lessons, where they learn songs like another brick in the wall and smoke on the water, so I'm sure they'll be happy to learn songs they won't necessarily be familiar with.

Thanks for any help!
 
Go to http://www.den-uke.com/
And look under files for their song books. There are tons of two and three chord songs.

One of my favorites when I was a kid in music class was Iko Iko.
Iko Iko is a really fun song with just two chords - F and C7, but I wonder if the lyric "My grandma told your grandma I'm gonna set your flag on fire" is too violent? Some kids could also use sticks for rhythm on it like the Dixie Cups.
 
TheOsprey said:
Hi everyone,

I figure this is the best place for this topic.

Basically, I'm starting a school Ukulele club for 7-9 year olds. It's only for a group of 8 children, for half an hour or so.

Basically, I've convinced the person with the money that we need high quality concert ukes, and the school is willing to fund them.

So now I need a song list. Preferably songs with 2 or 3 simple chords, progressing to songs with 4 or so chords. It would be ideal if the songs were familiar to the children, but really they just need to be kid friendly (no swearing, sexual themes etc). Some children at the school currently do guitar lessons, where they learn songs like another brick in the wall and smoke on the water, so I'm sure they'll be happy to learn songs they won't necessarily be familiar with.

Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...

Suggest you have a trawl through Season Of The Ukulele 138 in the Contest section...the theme was exactly what you are talking about and there are some song and source material discussions in there as well as some very good renderings of the type of song that you may be after.....

CJ
 
7 to 9 year old kids? Ya gotta include The Dinosaur Song!
 
Last edited:
twentytabby said:
Go to http://www.den-uke.com/
And look under files for their song books. There are tons of two and three chord songs.

One of my favorites when I was a kid in music class was Iko Iko.
Iko Iko is a really fun song with just two chords - F and C7, but I wonder if the lyric "My grandma told your grandma I'm gonna set your flag on fire" is too violent? Some kids could also use sticks for rhythm on it like the Dixie Cups.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I'm looking for! Thanks!
 
CeeJay said:
Suggest you have a trawl through Season Of The Ukulele 138 in the Contest section...the theme was exactly what you are talking about and there are some song and source material discussions in there as well as some very good renderings of the type of song that you may be after.....

CJ
Click to expand...

Brilliant, thanks!

kkimura said:
7 to 9 year old kids? Ya gotta include The Dinosaur Song!
Click to expand...

The Dinosaur Song?
 
Go Tell Aunt Rhody - 4 notes
Boil Them cabbage down - 4 notes
Happy Birthday - 6 notes
Shortening Bread - one chord (try C6 then C7 then C for concept)
Put the Lime in the Coconut - one chord (ASL tie-in too)
John Henry - two chord. (Basically a G song one appearance of D7 - concept alternate voicing for D7)
Jambalaya - Two chord
I'll Fly Away - three Chord
Down by the Bay - Three Chord
Oh Susanna - Three chord, IV chord appears once
I've been Working on the Railroad - Three chord, II chord appears once
Jingle Bells (key of G occasional A7 and Am)
Amazing Grace - Key of C occasional C7 and Am
 
The first four chords that I teach are: C-0003, Am-2000, F-2010, G7-0212. Sart with two one finger chords, C and Am. Leave the bird finger on the 4th string and put the index on the 1st fret,2nd string for an F chord. Leave the index as an anchor and place the bird and ring fingers to make a G7.

Strum 2 of each chord for songs like 26 Miles Across The Sea, Heart And Soul...
Strum 4 of each chord for Poor Little Fool.
Strum 8 of each chord for Octopus's Garden. Repeat and replace the first C chord in the third line with an Am and back for the last line.
 
There are times that it seems like two-thirds of all popular songs can be handled (rhythm) by G, C, D and Em. Just experimenting with these chords can lead one to a myriad of quick stuff.
 
Jambalaya uses only two chords.

We also use Clementine and You Are My Sunshine to get started with.
 
SteveZ said:
There are times that it seems like two-thirds of all popular songs can be handled (rhythm) by G, C, D and Em. Just experimenting with these chords can lead one to a myriad of quick stuff.
Click to expand...

Steve, You're right. These chords G, Em, C, D (or D7) are a transposition of the four chords I mentioned above: C, Am, F, G7. I just realised on my way home from the store where I teach music, that a seasonal song that uses these chords in that order is The Monster Mash.
 
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