My favorite songbooks for working with children and the ukulele

Many of my ukulele students use the ukulele in their work with children—and I think it's fantastic! The ukulele is the perfect instrument for working with children because it's small, light, and quick to learn. It immediately creates a cheerful mood, and with just a few chords, you can accompany a variety of songs. So it's no wonder I keep getting asked, "Which songbooks with children's songs can you recommend for the ukulele?"

Here are my three favorites:

1. All the songs are already there – Helbling Verlag

This songbook is a true treasure for anyone who makes music with children! It contains a large selection of traditional and modern children's songs – 185 in total. A particularly practical feature: There's an accompanying CD and a teacher's guide with many additional ideas for song composition. Those who prefer to listen digitally can find a playlist with 63 songs from the book on Spotify. A great collection for everyday use in daycare and school! Click here for the book .

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2. The 100 best children's songs

This book is a wonderful compilation of 100 of the most well-known and popular children's songs. What I particularly like about it: There's a YouTube video for each song, so you can quickly get the melodies stuck in your head. Perfect for anyone who wants to try out less familiar songs! There's also a Spotify playlist with all 100 songs—a real treasure trove for musical work with children.Click here for the book .

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3. Treasure Chest of Music – Helbling Verlag

This book is especially suitable for anyone working with younger children (0–6 years old). In addition to many beautiful songs, it also offers plenty of practical tips for integrating music into everyday teaching in a playful way. It's not just about singing, but also about moving, listening, and experiencing music together—a truly enriching resource for anyone working in daycare centers or early musical education programs! Click here for the book.

My tip: Always have chords handy!

Unfortunately, these songbooks don't include ukulele chords, but don't worry: I've put together a handy overview of the most important chords for you. You can download it here for free, print it out, and keep it handy at all times: ➡ Download chord overview

I can only encourage you to incorporate the ukulele into your work with children – you'll see that not only you, but also the children will have a blast! And the best part: You'll quickly experience success and won't want to be without the ukulele.

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Have fun making music!

Best regards,
Daniela from UKUlala