Written By/For Preschoolers

About a month ago, in an attempt to end my preschool music class on a high note, and to go along with my original intention from the get-go of encouraging the children to create their own music, I set about making a CD full of music for children written by children. To an extent.

The project went like this: each preschool class chose a topic. One class chose "Friends and Family", another class "Nature", another "School", and the last chose "Speed/Fast".

Next, the children all drew pictures relating to their topic. I wrote down the statements made by each child while they described their picture. Then, I asked the classes what instrument they wanted to have accompany their lyrics. They chose drums or guitar (some chose flute -- I had to step in for that one, I don't know the flute). They chose tempos, loud/soft, etc.

I then compiled all of their lyrics together into cohesive songs, writing down connecting lyrics to have it all make sense. Below are the finished children songs that I recorded. Three out of the four songs will be performed live at the school's spring program in May.

1. This song was inspired by the topic "Friends and Family". Most of the kids talked about their houses being destroyed by dinosaurs, lasers, cannonballs. Some kids talked about their family standing in the window and waving hello. You know, what you'd expect. Other kids drew pictures about their family dying. I was at a loss taking down notes. Then one kid drew a picture saying it was "Happy endings and hope." Bingo! Had the song idea. A song about hope despite the hardship life throws at us.



"Happy Endings"

In this house
Me and my family live
And I feel warm
From the love my family gives

And Mommy and Daddy are coming home from work
Dad cleans up my toys in my messy room
And mom comes out to hug me as I play in the snow
And I hug her back

CHORUS:
Because somebody loves me
Somebody loves me
Somebody loves me
And everything's gonna be right

Smoke comes out
Of the chimney, someone's home
Grandma's visiting
She waves to me from the front window

A ladybug dances into my hand
My dog plays with her toy in the front yard
My family stands outside and waves hello
I have all these signs

CHORUS

We will die and we'll be sad
But we know the love we had
It stays with us forever
A dinosaur can break the walls
But it can't break our love
It stays with us forever and I'll be fine

An airplane flies
Over our house with a banner behind
It says “Love conquers all”
A house of love will always stand and never fall

Cuz no cannonball or laser can bring us down
No fire or tornado can send us away
This house will stay together not because of bricks
But by something else . . .

CHORUS x2


2. The second class had "Nature" as their topic. A pretty easy concept. The most recurring theme was a boat floating in a river or a sea. I wrote a song about needing to get out of the house, getting something out of life.



"A Little Boat"

Open up the door for me
Step outside, in nature I will be
Forever more

Winds that blow the leaves on trees
Sunny days for make believe
Mom will tend a campfire
Flowers bloom and grow higher

CHORUS:
I'm gonna take a boat and sail away
From the chance to be stuck inside all day
Leave me here
In peace

The sun comes up and melts the snow
Children in a river swim against the flow
A rocket blasts off nearby into space
Rabbits will come out and give chase

CHORUS

I'll row that boat across the sea
And I don't care if a storm finds me
I'll jump into a submarine
And float below in waters serene

An elephant stomps in the mud
A forest breathes life into buds
And bloom – hear strange music in the air
It's Mother Nature's voice saying “Please take care”

CHORUS


3. The third class was the most fun to write. "School" was their topic. But they didn't write about school. They wrote about playing on the playground and in our indoor climber. Naturally, I wrote an anthem for the playground. A quasi-rebellious march made by children with tongue-in-cheek anti-establishment flourishes.



"The Playground Anthem"

We've been working hard all day long
Staying still learning all we can
Ring the bell, “Put on your shoes cuz
We're going outside!” What a plan!

CHORUS:
It's time to march, march, march outside
It's time to run and go down the slide
If it's hot or cold, rain or shine
It's time to march, march, march outside!!

We can't wait to say “Tag you're it!”
Dig in the sand, be a soccer goalie
Fly in the sky as a superhero
Get chased by a scary zombie!

CHORUS

All our voices singing “March, March, March March March!” x4

Looking at the sky with a smile on our faces
Splashing in the puddles made from snow or rain
Jedi Knights protect the galaxy
With lightsabers in hand we can't complain

CHORUS

Outside is better than snack time, we'd take it any day
We play til we sleep, that's our code
And when our moms and dads come to pick us up
We won't want to go home
We won't want to go home
We won't want to go home!!!



4. The last class topic was "Speed/Fast". This was the most fun to record, since it's more in line with recordings I've done in the past. It's the most Patch sounding, basically. Plus, the kids wrote a lot about monsters and police. And they wanted their song to be "rock n rolley". Their wish was my command . . .



"Get Up to Speed"

Hey, look out!
We got a monster coming for us!
Hey, look out!
With the police on his tail!
Hey, look out!
And there are rockets flying everywhere!
Run away, run
Let's get outta here!!

CHORUS:
Everything's fast, nothing is slow
Big race cars and huge speed boats
Trains chasing planes chasing racing motorcycles
C'mon, get up to speed and run, run, run!

RUN! RUN! RUN!
RUN! RUN! RUN!

There's a scooter laying down on my driveway
I'm gonna get on and go, go, go real far
Cuz I hear the commotion coming down the street
And I'm about to be chased by a police car!
Tigers running everywhere from police jets
Monsters breaking buildings falling down, down, down
Sadie, Sam, and Sophie got stuck in the mud
All these crazy scribbles, let's get outta here!!

CHORUS

Hey Daddio, get up to speed! X4

CHORUS

RUN! RUN! RUN!
RUN! RUN! RUN!