Why Kids Need Music — and How You Can Help With a Ukulele • Alice Bulmer Music Teacher

This post is about something I care deeply about: connecting with children through live, personal music.

The joy of making music together is too precious to leave only to the experts.

If you’re wanting to bring music into the lives of small children, this is for you.

This isn’t just for tired, overworked parents. It’s for grandparents, aunties, uncles, caregivers, and friends — anyone who wants to share something truly special with a child.

And playing ukulele songs for preschoolers is just about the easiest way to start doing this.

In this post you’ll learn why music is so important. You’ll learn some easy ways to get started. I’ll cover what you need to know – and also, what you don’t need.

I’ll also talk about some of the common reasons why we don’t make music with small children.

I’ve written this from my own lifetime of experience, making music with children, and teaching adults to play music.

Music is magical for children

Music supports learning, wellbeing, motor skills, language development, and emotional growth. Experts in many fields emphasise the importance of music in early childhood. It helps children thrive — and they love it.

When I was a child, one of the most magical things was when an adult sang with me — not to me, but with me. That memory still shines. After raising my own children and teaching hundreds of ukulele students, I know:

Music is one of the most powerful ways to connect with a child.

So, why don’t we play music with kids more often?

Some common reasons why we don’t make music with kids:

“I don’t know what songs to play.”
“I can’t remember the words or chords.”
“I’m not confident singing.”

I’ve felt all of that. When I was a frazzled young mother, I didn’t have time or brain space to hunt for simple nursery songs to play on ukulele. That’s why I’m especially encouraging grandparents, aunties, uncles and family friends to get involved. It doesn’t have to fall solely on parents.

Why making music with kids is worth it

It’s fun. Small children want you to make music with them.
It’s simple. You don’t need to be a skilled musician — just a willing companion.
It’s bonding. Singing together builds trust and joy.
It’s supported by science. Music boosts child development in every domain.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. Kids don’t care about this — they just want you to join in.

Kids don’t care if you can’t sing well

Good news: young children don’t care how you sound. They just love that you’re singing with them.
Most well-known children’s songs are simple, familiar, and easy to sing.

And here’s something else important — singing is a powerful developmental tool for kids. The earlier they experience it, the better. (And yes, adults can learn to sing in tune — but it’s easiest when it starts in childhood.)

Music with kids is not a performance

When you sing with a small child, it’s not about performing or impressing anyone. It’s about sharing music. If there are other adults around, invite them to join in — don’t leave them clapping from the sidelines!

Why ukulele is perfect for music with kids

It’s not too loud.

Children’s ears are delicate — and some kids (and adults) are especially sensitive to noise. The ukulele’s gentle volume is perfect for little ears. There’s plenty of time for loud music when they’re teenagers!

You can look into their eyes

Unlike piano or violin, the ukulele allows you to make eye contact while you sing. That’s such a powerful way to connect.

It’s lap sized.

You can play ukulele while a child sits with you. I’ve done this! Try that with a cello or even a guitar — not so easy.

A ukulele is hardy and low-risk.

Ukuleles are not (usually) precious instruments. In fact they’re surprisingly durable. And they’re inexpensive enough that children can have their own.

Yes, you can use duct tape

Sooner or later, something gets knocked. But a taped-up uke often still sounds fine. One of mine is held together with tape and it plays just great.

A friend sent me a gorgeous photo of her twin boys playing their duct-taped ukes — pure joy!

Emergencies happen…

If you need to drop the ukulele mid-song to stop a toddler from climbing something dangerous, your ukulele will likely be just fine. (Bonus tip: Early childhood teachers swear by shoulder straps — sling your ukulele on your back when needed.)

Two chords = real music

Many children’s songs only use two chords. And if the kids can only play C, it still sounds like music. I discovered this while teaching 5–7-year-olds. At that age some children have the fine motor skills to play chords and others aren’t quite ready – but that’s no reason to leave them out of the group.

Already play another instrument?

Ukulele will complement your skills beautifully. It’s portable, fun, and friendly. Save your violin, flute, or saxophone for special occasions — the kids will love hearing that too.

Tips for guitarists:

If you’re a guitarist who wants a ukulele experience without learning new chord shapes, try a baritone ukulele. It’s tuned like the top four strings of a guitar.

You can play ukulele song charts on a guitar — the chord shapes are different, but the chords are the same.

How to get started making music with kids

Music doesn’t just “happen”. Even though it feels like that sometimes.

Here’s what you need to make music:

1. A few songs that you know well. Keep these on a list somewhere, because in the moment you may not be able to remember them!
2. An instrument, to play the chords for the songs – have I given you enough reasons to try ukulele? Find out how to choose a ukulele.
3. Video tutorials, for learning the songs to start with. Check out my play-along videos for children’s songs on my Youtube channel. It’s full of great easy ukulele songs for kids.
4. Song charts, so you can play the songs without looking at a video.

Making it easy for you

Getting all these pieces together can be just too much of a challenge, when you’re in the midst of looking after small children.

That’s why I’ve created my kids’ music resource, Auntie Alice’s Songbasket. All of the 22 songs in the Songbasket are well known, and none are difficult to play. Half the songs can be played with only two chords!

My hope is that you will use this as a springboard to build skills and then go out and find other songs to add to your own Songbasket.

A Songbasket full of surprises

When I started creating Auntie Alice’s Songbasket, I thought I knew exactly who it was for: aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, caregivers—and of course, the children themselves.

I wanted to make it easy for anyone who wants to make music with small children.

But like many creative projects, it turned into something bigger — and more personal.

A gift to my inner child

I realised this project also honours my inner child — the little girl who longed for adults to make music with her. That was a tender realisation.

And I saw that I didn’t sing much with my own kids when they were little. I was overwhelmed, without easy kids’ musical resources. What I needed then was Future Me’s Songbasket.

(Music was still part of our family life — more Beatles than “Wheels on the Bus,” but it counted!)

Claiming “Auntie Alice”

A friend asked why I chose the name Auntie Alice’s Songbasket. It’s about claiming an elder space.

In Māori culture, “auntie” is both a family role and a community role—wise women who support, guide, and pass on knowledge.

In contrast, Western culture tends to push older women toward invisibility or caricature. I’m not ready for the witch archetype (yet!), but I love being an aunt.

Honouring my real-life aunts

Two aunts shaped my life deeply:

Aunt Rosie, my dad’s sister, came to help when I was born, after working as a midwife for the Flying Doctor service in Australia. She returned to England soon after, but she was a mother figure to me, even from afar.

Aunt Mary, my mother’s sister, supported my musical journey by lending me her violin in 1985. That violin saw many joyous nights playing bluegrass with a hotel bar band in Glacier National Park.

Aunt Rosie passed away too soon. Aunt Mary, now 96, is still going strong in California.

So what started as a small project has grown into something much bigger:

A gift to my younger self.

A tribute to my aunts.

A celebration of elderhood.

And a wish—for all children to have adults in their lives who sing and make music with them.

Music, kids and connection – made easy

If this resonates with you, and you’d like help getting started, check out Auntie Alice’s Songbasket: a digital collection of well-known children’s songs arranged for ukulele. It includes a songbook and tutorial videos.

$55 USD gives you full access to everything.

Click the button below to find out more.

Auntie Alices Songbasket

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Why Kids Need Music — and How You Can Help With a Ukulele