Music is incredible because it can change our moods in a matter of moments. It can make us smile when the skies are grey. It can make us feel understood with nuance and complexity. And music can help teach us the ways of the world.
Videos by American Songwriter
For young kids, that starts with basic education. Like numbers and spelling. As they progress, kids can also learn about the branches of government, self-assuredness and more through music. Indeed, here below are five of the best educational songs for kids. Songs that will help them today to be stronger for tomorrow.
1. “ABCs”
In 1835, Boston music publisher Charles Bradlee first copyrighted the song. Though, the song likely goes back further than that. Today, it’s used to teach young children the English alphabet. Sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” this song is as common as knowing your phone number.
2. “I’m Just a Bill”
In 2021, the iconic educational cartoon program turned 50 years old. Perhaps it’s best-known song, “I’m Just a Bill,” teaches kids about the inner workings of how a law is conceived of and potentially passed in American Congress. It’s an old-fashioned blues tune with informative lyrics.
3. “Animaniacs’ Nations of the World Song”
This song comes out of nowhere. Well, really, it comes from the popular Warner Brothers cartoon Animaniacs, known for its slapstick and at times pleasantly juvenile humor. But this was surprisingly informative and helpful. While not easy to memorize, it does give kids a few minutes to see the globe’s geography in full. In the U.S., especially, that can be a rare occurrence.
4. “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
While this song isn’t explicitly educational, it does highlight the rudimentary need of feeling happy and expressing it. It’s kind of like a pep talk in melody and rhythmic form. It encourages kids to feel happy, to prioritize it, and to let others know when they’re happy or even when they may not be.
5. “Three is a Magic Number”
Another from the impactful Schoolhouse Rock collection, this song was the show’s debut tune, released as the pilot in 1971. “Three Is a Magic Number,” which was written for the show by Bob Dorough, has since been sampled by the seminal hip-hop group, De La Soul. The song talks about numbers but also about everyday objects and how they’re connected. It informs as it demystifies.
Photo by Kari Rene Hall/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
