In a meeting yesterday, I learned something that was a new idea to me: teaching kids that when another child is doing something they don’t like, they should “Talk, Walk, Squawk.”
I have learned that it is a fairly common “bullying prevention strategy” taught to elementary school students. I think the method would also work well with preschoolers, but I would never present it as bully prevention at that age. When preschool age children push, or steal a toy, or say something that feels hurtful, it’s very rare that it’s an intentional “bullying.” They push because it’s hard to wait for your turn on the slide when your impulse control is still developing, they take a toy because they want to play with that toy and their empathy is still developing, they say whatever comes to mind without being aware how it could feel to someone else.
But I do like the basic idea at the preschool level, because it gives kids an easily understood collection of options for what to do when another child is doing something that bothers them. (Note: some examples describe this as “what to do when someone is being mean to you”, but that assumes ill intent from the other person.)
You could choose what order to teach them in: some start with a “walk away” plan – you can always choose to remove yourself from the situation; some start with “stop” – first you say “stop” to quickly let the other child know you don’t like what’s happening; some start with “talk” – explaining what you don’t like (although I’d recommend instead teaching to explain what you would like the other child to do instead – we know children are more likely to respond well if you tell them what TO DO, instead of what not to do).
It’s also important to teach “Squawk.” You could think of this as “tell a grown-up”, but I prefer “ask a grown-up to help you problem solve the situation.” The tell a grown up approach could fit into a more authoritarian model where the grown-up intervenes and punishes, the ask a grown up for help fits better in a model where you’re supporting the children in learning their own problem solving skills, and learning what it means to interact well with others.
You can also teach children how to respond to being told to stop. Stop what you are doing, take a deep breath, try doing something different or asking a grown-up for help. They should know that if someone says stop, they should stop, even if they don’t think they’re doing anything wrong.
At my toddler class and preschool, I have children who speak lots of different languages at home: including Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Hindi and diverse Indian dialects. I speak a little Spanish, French and German – enough that I can count to ten, and name some colors and some farm animals. That means that I can sometimes talk with children in their home language. I’m now trying to take on some Mandarin, and feel like I’m way out of my league. But here’s where I’m starting.
First, this helpful video which explains the whole idea of tones and reading pinyin – the romanized version of writing Mandarin that includes pronunciation cues:
This was an a-ha moment for me. Last year, I had a student in class that I asked his mother how his name was pronounced. She said it, I echoed back what I thought I heard, she said no, and said it again – after several attempts I couldn’t get it right and couldn’t hear what I was doing wrong – I worked with my teacher who speaks Mandarin, and she couldn’t explain what I was doing wrong. (There’s research that shows that young babies can hear any tone human mouths can make, but by the time they are toddlers, they have learned to ignore tonal differences that don’t matter in their language – for example, the difference between L and R sounds in English matters, but it doesn’t matter in Japanese.) Because I was raised in an English speaking home, these different vowel tones are just not something my brain easily hears, so I will have to actively teach it to notice these differences. This video helped with that.
I know that music helps us to learn, so, to embark on Mandarin, I’m starting with children’s songs.
Where is My Friend
Lyrics:
yī èr sān sì wǔ liù qī wǒ de pénɡ you zài nǎ lǐ zài zhè lǐ zài zhè lǐ wǒ de pénɡ you zài zhè lǐ
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 / Where is my friend? / Over here, over here / My friend is over here
The song starts with counting to 7, so it’s a great early one to learn. I also like the video from our local library.
This video includes really clear pronunciation on the song, then teaches each of the words. (You’ll also see how she uses the fingers one one hand to count to 10 in the Chinese way rather than the method I’m familiar with which requires both hands.)
Liǎng zhī lǎo hǔ, Liǎng zhī lǎo hǔ, Pǎo de kuài, Pǎo de kuài, Yī zhǐ méi yǒu yǎnjīng, (or: Yī zhī méiyǒu ěrduo) Yī zhī méi yǒu wěibā, Zhēn qí guài, Zhēn qí guài.
Two little tigers, two little tigers / Running fast, running fast / One without eyes (or one has no ears) / One has no tail / it’s very strange, it’s very strange
This uses the same tune as Frere Jacques.
There are additional recordings at Bao Bao, and lots more. Here is a pronunciation guide from Bao Bao Learns Chinese.
bá luó bo, bá luó bo; hāi yāo hāi yāo bá luó bo; hāi yāo hāi yāo bá bū dòng; lǎo tài pó, kuài kuài lái; kuài lǎi bāng wǒ men bá luó bo
Pull the radish, pull the radish / hey-o, hey-o, pull the radish. / hey-o, hey-o, we can’t pull / Old lady come, quickly come / Come help us pull up the radish now
This video translates the title as picking carrots, but everything else I’ve seen says radish… In repeat verses, instead of calling the old lady, you could call for little girl, little kitten, little mouse, etc.
Or here is another version – I like this song, because I really like the sound of the hāi yāo hāi yāo bá luó bo refrain. The song appears in Ditty Bird Chinese songs volume 1 sound book.
Row Your Boat – Huá xiăo chuán
I decided to try a Mandarin version of a traditional English children’s song.
Huà huà huà xiǎo chuán shùn zhe xiǎo hé liú Kuài lè ba (4X) Rén shēng shì gè mèng
(I don’t sing the Ten Little Indians song, but it’s tune is the basis of many songs!
(C) 1 little, 2 little, 3 little snowflakes (G) 4 little, 5 little, 6 little snowflakes (C) 7 little, 8 little, 9 little snowflakes (G) 10 snowflakes on the (C) ground
(C) 1 little, 2 little, 3 little bubbles… in the sky
(C) Lift one foot and then the other, (G) Lift one foot and then the other (C) Lift one foot and then the other, (G) Lift them both to(C)gether.
(C) Where oh where are (baby’s) fingers? (G) Where oh where are ________ toes? (C) Where is _______ belly button? (G or G7) Round and round it (C) goes! (C) Where oh where are _______ ears? (G) Where oh where is _______ nose? (C) Where is _______ belly button? (G or G7) Round and round it (C) goes!
Open / Shut Them
(C) Open (G) shut them, (C) open (G) shut them, (C) give a little (G) clap clap clap. (C) Open (G) shut them, (C) open (G) shut them. ( ) Lay them in your (C) lap lap lap. ( ) Creep them (G) crawl them, (C) creep them (G) crawl them (C) Right up to your (G) chin chin chin (C) Open up your (G) little mouth, But ( ) do not let them (C) in!
Ring Around the Rosie Tune
(C) Ring around the rosie, A ( ) pocket full of posies, ( ) Ashes, ashes, We (G) all fall (C) down! ( ) Cows are in the meadow, ( ) Eating buttercups. ( ) Thunder! Lightning! We (G) all stand (C) up!
(C) Walk around the circle, ( ) all around the circle. ( ) Walking, walking, let’s (G) all do (C) this: [stop and do an action, like jump – they copy]
To play this chord, place your first finger (index finger) on the first fret of the E string, and your second finger (middle) on the second fret of the G string (the one closest to your face). Strum each string one at a time – do they all ring out, or do any of them sound dull and clunky? If they’re dull, adjust your fingers to be sure they are pressing firmly on the string you want to press on and that they’re not accidentally bumping up against one of the strings that should be played open. Once all four strings sound good separately, strum them together to make the F chord.
Start with F chord. Strum four times. Switch to C and strum four times. Repeat that several times till it feels smoother.
A nice thing about C and F is they use different fingers. When playing F with your first and second finger, you can keep your third finger (ring) poised above the string, ready to press back down when it’s time to play the C. So, for the switch, you put the ring finger down and lift the other two slightly above the strings.
Let’s Play a Song!
Every time you see parentheses, you’ll strum. When you see (F), you’ll strum once on the F chord. If you just see the parentheses with no letter between them, that means you strum the last chord again – no change needed. So, in this notation, you’ll strum F, and then strum it again on the top line, then switch to C, strum once, strum F, strum C, strum F.
(F)The farmer in the dell, the () farmer in the dell, (C)Hi-ho, (F)the derry-o! (C)The farmer in the (F)dell.
Try playing that several times to see how it goes. Then try shifting your strumming pattern:
Then try singing different words to that same tune:
Then try this one:
(F) Oh my darling, () oh my darling, () oh my darling () Clemen(C)tine, () You were lost and gone for(F)ever dreadful (C) sorry Clemen(F)tine
And a classic:
The (F) wheels on the bus go () round and round, (C) Round and round, (F) round and round, The () wheels on the bus go () round and round (C) All through the (F) town.
Play that several times till it’s feeling good. There are many different children’s songs set to the tune of Wheels on the Bus, so that tune will take you far!
A brief note on keys: songs can be played in different keys, which means using different sets of chords. I have intentionally, to simplify things, clustered songs together that are easy to play on the C and F chord, even though there are other perfectly fine ways to play them. Here’s Wheels played on C and G chords (everywhere you were playing F, play C, everywhere you were playing G, play C), and on D and A.
To learn more kids’ songs that only use C and F, check out my Easy Children’s Songs on Ukulele song sheets. Here’s Itsy Bitsy Spider, Kookaburra, and Mary Had a Little Lamb.
Hurray! You’ve learned lots of songs using C and F!
First, you need a ukulele. I recommend a soprano or a concert ukulele (they are tuned to the same pitch, just the concert neck is a little longer which makes playing chords easier for folks with bigger fingers, and means that the instrument has a wider range of notes to play. The concert also has a more resonant, richer tone, because it’s a larger instrument, but I think soprano sounds fine for preschool songs.)
If you look on your local Facebook marketplace or other places used instruments are sold, you’ll find ukuleles in varying quality and price points. Or, ask your friends, maybe someone you know has a ukulele they’re not using. All you really need is a ukulele. You don’t need a strap or a case, though they’re nice to have.
If you’re buying new, it may be best to go to a local shop that sells guitars and ukes and has knowledgeable staff, where you can try things out hands-on. I have ordered mine online. My Kala KA-15S was a fine starter instrument, though with only 12 frets, it will have a limited range as your skills build. It’s currently $99 including a bag, strap and tuner. I think the Enya Carbon Fiber is a better bet. It’s only $49 (with bag and strap, no tuner) but has a really nice sound, has 17 frets, and I am much more convinced that it would survive being stepped on by a preschooler. (This hasn’t happened in my classes yet, but I am certain it will someday!) Those links are Amazon affiliate links, and I do get a referral fee if you click through and purchase something. You can also find lots more recommendations for beginner ukuleles.
In this video, I compare the Enya, described above, with my Kala KA-SCAC-SLNG, which is a long neck soprano, which cost $259.
Choose a Tuner and/or App
There are ukulele specific tuners and chromatic tuners. I like a chromatic tuner. A basic tuner just tells you whether you’re playing a G, C, E, or A since those are the chords on a uke. If you’re tuning for C and you’re not in the range for C, it doesn’t show anything. When you’re getting closer to C, it shows that you’re too high or too low. When you’re in tune, it shows that. Here’s two images from beginner tuner in the Kala app.
A chromatic tuner tells you what note you’re playing – like that your G string is currently playing F# – and clues you into whether you need to tune up or down to find the correct note. From the insTuner app:
You could buy a clip-on tuner, or one might come with your uke. They probably work better than an app in a loud setting (like say at a preschool after the kids arrive!)
I just use an app on my phone – if you buy a Kala uke, it will give you access to the Kala app, which includes a basic tuner and a chromatic tuner. The YouKeLiLi Tuner app is an OK tuner, but I like that it also offers chord diagrams, for when I need to look up how to play a C6 chord or F#m. The main tuner I’m using now is insTuner, which is an easy to use chromatic tuner. Here’s a very brief video of Instuner in action.
Note: There are several apps which also have video lessons to help you learn ukulele: including the Kala app, the OK Music app. I haven’t used them much, but they’re probably worth checking out while you’re looking at apps.
Learn How to Tune
When you get a new ukulele, it is likely to be out of tune! If it’s a used uke, they do go out of tune over time. New ukes are shipped with the strings loose to avoid damage, and so you have to tune them up when you get them, and keep tuning them a lot in the first few weeks as those new strings stretch out and settle in.
When you’re holding a ukulele with the neck in your left hand, the top string is a G, the next one down is a C, then E, and A is the one at the bottom. To tune, you play a note on the string, check the tuner, and turn the tuning pegs clockwise or counter-clockwise till it’s in tune. The easiest way to learn this is to watch a video! Here’s my favorite on How to Tune a new ukulele fresh out of the box by Bernadette, who is my favorite online ukulele teacher.
Since it sometimes helps to be taught the same skill in a few different ways till you find the one that clicks with your learning style, you may also check out: How to Tune from Katie from One Music School – shows at the beginning how a tuning app works. https://youtu.be/2hZY_WzaS78?t=36; and How to Tune by Andy Guitar – easiest to see tuner as he tunes https://youtu.be/2VOuRBjmzAM?t=45
Learn How to Hold Your Uke
There are some written tutorials online, some with helpful diagrams, such as Zing instruments and the Wikihow.
Some key points: hold it so the back of the ukulele is pressed against your belly or chest, and your right forearm is braced against it to hold it in place. The neck is in your left hand – it rests in the space between your thumb and first finger – your thumb is on the back or top of the neck, your fingers are cupped, ready to make chord shapes on the fret board.
For your first few strums, let’s try strumming with your thumb. Stick your thumb up like you’re giving someone a thumbs up, then brush it across the strings like you’re brushing a hair off the strings with the side of your thumb. Here’s a video that clearly illustrates this: [note: all my video links are set to go to a specific point in a video, like this one starts at 3:04. That is the most relevant spot in this video, and then I recommend that you watch it up till 5:18. There’s lots of other good stuff in this video, but that’s the section to focus on for now.]
This is just a beginning strum technique – it works best when you just want to strum down once at the beginning of each bar of music. You’ll quickly move on from it to the next one, which is a lot more versatile, especially when we add in down-up strum patterns.
Learn to Strum with Your Index Finger
You can strum with just your index finger, or you can place your thumb against your index finger to give it more strength (and make your strums louder.) Some people use a pick for ukulele, but most do not. This video starts at 3:02 – watch to 5:07 to get the strumming technique.
Again, if you need more tips to help you find the way that works best for you, check out these three takes on strumming, from my video, which covers thumb and index finger strums, from Bernadette – https://youtu.be/VJZg_vxODOY?t=30 and from Phil Doleman – https://youtu.be/CTWCmCKggwg?t=442 – watch to 9:20.
Learn How to Play a Chord
Let’s start with the C chord. You only need to use one finger to make this chord. Just press the tip of your ring finger down on the neck of the uke, in the third fret (the space between the second and third fret markers – learn more about your fret board). First, just strum that one string (the A string, the one lowest down when you’re holding the ukelele.) Does it ring out nicely? Or is there a dull plunking sound? If it’s dull, you’ll need to press down harder, and be sure you’re pressing beteen the fret markers. Getting good pressure on the string can be tricky if your fingernails are long – that’s why most guitar and uke players have short fingernails on their left hand!
Once that note (the C note played on the A string) sounds good, strum all four strings together to make the C chord.
This video walks you slowly through how to play Row Your Boat using just a C chord. She shows you how to play it with just one strum per bar, and then gradually, playing it as half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes.
More Good Days with Kids 
