On Folk Songs
The Homeschooling by Subject Series
This is going to sound familiar; a lot of what I had to say about hymns applies to folk songs, as well. Of course, there is a sacredness that goes along with hymns that you don’t find in folk songs but that doesn’t mean we should skip them. Folk songs pass culture from one generation to the next and help us learn about certain time periods, people, and places. They’re also a pretty trustworthy source of entertainment for your kids. Like I said last time, singing has been a part of humanity for all of time and it’s only recently that we’ve consigned it to the “experts” and you really only hear people singing on stage or in church. Let’s sing in our homes, too. To sing is to be human. If you’re still not convinced, I encourage you to read this for a more in depth look at the value of singing folk songs.
Folk Songs
Goal: to enjoy (and sing) the folk song
Time spent: We usually spend about four to six weeks on each folk song, learning one at a time, and try to sing it a few times a week.
Folk songs should take about five minutes a day.
Folk songs work really well during Morning Time but can also just be done in the car.
Remember: It’s nice if they know the story behind the song and the person who wrote it and composed the music but don’t lose sight of the goal. It really is this simple so don’t overcomplicate it.
Planning:
Choose 2-3 folk songs per term. I like to be mindful of the kids’ ages when choosing songs. Some are really great for little kids (like “English Country Garden” and “The Green Grass Grows All Around”) while some are better left for older kids (like “John Brown’s Body”) but really most can be enjoyed by all ages. I started with my favorite folk songs because kids will enjoy what you are passionate about. Then I choose a song in the foreign language we are learning. After that, Ambleside Online has some great suggestions. So does Cindy Rollins.
I find a version of the folk song that I like on YouTube or Amazon Music (or Spotify if that’s you). I make a playlist of all of our folk songs and play it in the background as a way to review. I usually play it on Wednesday mornings as we are getting ready.
Day 1 - Every other day:
Listen to the folk song.
This is all we do. You could, of course, print out lyrics and have the kids read along but because we don’t take folk song quite as serious as hymn study, I don’t get caught up with them knowing every word. I find that if I play it enough and if the kids like it, they’ll start singing along or even sing it on their own at another time. A good song is bound to get stuck in everyone’s head. If no one likes the song (after a few listens), I cut it from the list and we move on.If you start incorporating folk songs into your day when your kids are young, this will be easy. If you start when they’re older, you may get some push-back but be consistent and confident. This is worth it.
Encourage them to sing along by YOU singing along. Part of what you’re doing is normalizing the act of singing together. This can be super informal in the car or while you’re sweeping the floor or whenever.
Exams
For exams, they tell me their favorite folk song from the term and I ask them to sing (or say) or hum as much as they can. I don’t ask them to tell about its’ origin or anything else. I cannot stress this enough: the goal is to enjoy the song.
Resources*
Morning Time: A Liturgy of Love by Cindy Rollins
Our favorite folk songs (printable)
*Many of the resources contain affiliate links. If you purchase an affiliate product, your price does not increase but I do get a tiny "thank you" portion from the company for recommending their products. I only have an affiliate relationship with products I use and love.