Do you know that learning a language through songs is a very effective language learning method? The melody and the rhymes help us remember the words. How many of us remember “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or “Itsy Bitsy Spider”? What about Urdu songs? Do you remember hearing any of them around?
Songs are an important pedagogical tool in classrooms and beyond for multiple reasons; building vocabulary, familiarizing with various sentence structures and sentence patterns, building comfort with new pronunciation, and improving speaking skills. Songs also emotionally engage the young learners to continue learning a language. Research shows that rhymes strengthen the retention ability in our minds. And for all the good reasons, songs are a wonderful tool for educators and parents to include while teaching any language, including Urdu.
Now that you know why rhymes are so important to include, here are 3 Urdu songs for kids to include in your everyday life at home.
1) Utho Beta, Aankhen Kholo
This song will help you start your day right with just the right amount of Urdu for your child. As you wake your child up, sing this melody. Trust me, your child would want to wake up happily to this song to start a lovely bright day. If you don’t remember the words or not sure what they mean, I’ve got you covered. Here’s the song in Urdu with its English meaning.
Utho Beta, Aankhen Kholo (Wake up child, open your eyes)
Bister Chorro, Moo Haath Dho Lou, (Leave your bed, wash your face and hands)
Itna Sona Theek Naheen Hai (It’s not healthy/good to sleep till late)
Waqt Ka Khona Theek Naheen Hai (Losing time is not healthy/good)
Sooruj Nikla, Taaray Bhaagay, (Sun came out, stars ran away)
Duniya Waalay, Saaray Jaagay (All the people in the world have woken up)
Tum Bhi Utho, Baahir Jaao, (You wake up too, and go outside)
Achay Waqt Ka Lutf Uthaao (Enjoy the good times)
2) Abbu Laaye Motor Car
You’re in the car with your kids, going somewhere. Perhaps a weekend plan or a weekday trip to the grocery store. Sounds familiar? Yep, this song is for just those moments. Let’s lessen those awkward silences and tensions and turn the environment into a fun filled one. Convert the silent car into a singing car! And make every moment special with your child by singing a few songs together. And when those songs remind you of your childhood, how adorable would it be. Relive the moments, sing with your kids and make beautiful memories with them. Let’s do some Urdu learning through music! If you remember this one, awesome. If you don’t, you know we’ve got your back.
Abbu Laaye, Motor Car (Dad brought a Motor Car)
Us kay Neechay Paiyyay Chaar (It’s got 4 tires at the bottom)
Chaabi Say Ye Chulti Hai (It runs with a key)
Poo Poo Poo Poo Kerti Hai (It says poo poo poo poo)
Aagay Jaaye, Peechay Jaaye, (It goes forward, and goes backward)
Daaen Baaen, Ye Murr Jaaye (Right, left, it turns)
3) Baarish Aayi, Chum Chum Chum
It’s raining outside. What a joy to pause and enjoy the weather!
And when you add a few lyrics and humming to the weather, it builds pleasant memories for you and your kids. Here’s a perfect short song for you when the next time it rains. This is a perfect short nursery poem to sing at homes and in your classrooms. And this will be etched in the memories forever. I still enjoy singing this one to myself. Let’s sing it together:
Baarish Aayi, Chum Chum Chum (Rain fell like Chum Chum Chum)
Chutri Lay Ker, Niklay Hum (We took umbrella and went)
Pair Phisla, Gir Gaye Hum (Our foot slipped, we fell down)
Neechay Chutri, Ooper Hum (Umbrella was at the bottom, we were at the top)
Also, just for your note, an umbrella is called a “chutri” in Urdu and a “chaata” in Hindi.
You’ve got that first step to include, appreciate, and celebrate the Urdu language in your homes. Also, here is a little tip for you.
Teacher Tip: The rhythms in the the songs tend to stick to our brains. So, while singing these songs, don’t ask or force your kids to sing together. Asking or forcing them to sing with you may sound like a task to them and they wouldn’t wish to do it whole-heartedly. But when you sing to yourself, your kids would tend to remember the rhythm and the lyrics ~ they’d see how you’re enjoying singing, and either they would join you while you’re singing or would sing it on their own.
And if you’d like to continue, here’s a little gift for you.
Enroll your child in an interactive Urdu small group class, Speaking Urdu with Shairu: Building Conversation Skills and Vocabulary with Annie. This course meets once every week for 30-minutes for young Urdu learners (Ages 4 – 6) to learn Urdu conversation skills through games and activities. Click the link below for more details.
Are there more Urdu songs that you’d add to this list? Share with us in the comment below.
Annie A.
References:
Pourkalhor, O., & Tavakoli, M. (2017). Nursery rhymes and language learning: Issues and pedagogical implications. International Journal of English Language & Translation Studies, 5(1), 111-116
