Songwriting Workshop for Kids

Paper and pencil for writing lyrics

A whiteboard or large paper for displaying the finished song (optional)

A phone for recording the performance (optional)

Ask your child: "If you could write a song about anything, what would it be?" Pets, favorite foods, a best friend, something silly — anything goes.

Brainstorm together. Write every word related to the topic. For a dog song: fluffy, tail wagging, muddy paws, best friend. Aim for 10-15 words.

Pick a familiar melody — Twinkle Twinkle, Row Your Boat, or Happy Birthday. Hum the tune together first.

Fit words to the melody line by line. Count syllables together. "Flu-ffy pup-py wags his tail" — does it fit? Adjust until it does.

Write the final lyrics clearly on a whiteboard or big paper so your child can see the whole song.

Sing it together at least three times. The first try will be bumpy. By the third, it feels like a real song.

Add hand motions for key lines — a tail-wag gesture, a jumping move. These help kids remember lyrics.

Perform for family, stuffed animals, or record it on your phone. Kids beam hearing their own song.

Do not force rhymes. If one happens naturally, great. If not, move on. Forced rhymes make lyrics awkward.

Let your child lead creative decisions. You handle mechanics — syllable counting and melody fitting.

If writing is slow, have your child dictate while you write. Creative flow matters more than penmanship.

Save the lyrics in a songwriting notebook. Kids who write one song almost always want to write more.