How to Write a Personalized Birthday Song for Your Kid

Kids love music. Most, before they can articulate understandable phrases or run for more than a few steps without toddling or tumbling (guess that's why we refer to them as 'toddlers!), show us they enjoy music. They jump, rock and 'dance' to it, often signaling their wish to hear favorite tunes again and again ... and again. The rhythm and sound moves them in a way that may last their entire lives. It, simply, makes them feel good.

Music has, traditionally, been a part of birthday celebrations - especially for children. I suspect that "Happy Birthday" is one of the first songs most children learn and it really sticks. A child's birthday celebration is a big deal - a year in the life of a four-year-old is a big proportion of their life and in the year between three and four, a huge amount changes - both behaviorally and developmentally. The marking of these very special occasions can be easily enhanced by one of the adults taking the time to create a 'personal' birthday song for the child. Most of you can do it - and most of the children out there will really love it.

"But, I don't know how to write a song!" you say. Well, there's no magic or rocket science involved. Here are the elements that would allow almost anyone to create a special, personalized birthday song for a child.

1) Decide on a tune. It should be one you know well that comes from an era in your life long ago enough that it will sound new and novel to the child. That's right, to create a song for a child, you do not need to be a composer. You can use any existing tune you know and can carry the tune of, then 2) Write some simple lyrics to go with it!.. The lyrics should be simple enough for the child to follow, contain the child's name (several times) and reference to which birthday it is. Comments about the child's activities, likes, family, friends and personality can be considered.

Worried about rhyming? Don't. Approximate rhymes are fine for a young child. What matters is that the song is about them, about their birthday and conveys some love and some fun.

Make a special event even more special by creating a song for the child! You CAN do it.

Credit: Public domain

Copyright: Public domain