Many children love to move to music and start singing along at an early age. In daycare centers, singing together is a regular part of daily life. At home, that’s not always the case: Some parents feel they aren’t very musical or don’t have any instruments. With a smartphone or tablet, you can still accompany children’s songs and make music together.
Children’s song apps encourage kids to sing along and move to the music. Often, characters or animals tell little stories that go along with the song. Some apps display the lyrics or offer an instrumental version. In that case, only the melody plays, and you can sing along with your child.
The Android app “Fuxdoo: Sing Along to Children’s Songs ” includes well-known children’s songs. Additional songs can be purchased (starting at €0.99). A slider lets you adjust the volume of the sung lyrics. If you’d rather sing along yourself, you can turn off the vocal track entirely and use only the musical accompaniment.
The paid iOS app “Kleiner Fuchs Kinderlieder ” (€4.99) is designed for children ages two to six. Animated songs encourage kids to listen and sing along. In karaoke mode, children can sing on their own and make music using various sounds.
With music apps, your smartphone or tablet becomes a digital instrument. Parents can use them to play simple notes or chords and accompany their child as they sing. This way, the song comes together step by step, and you can adjust the tempo to suit your child.
GarageBand is available for free on iPhone and iPad. The app offers virtual instruments that let you play simple chords and melodies. You can record multiple audio tracks and combine them.
A free alternative for Android is Walk Band – Multitracks Music. The app includes piano, guitar, and drums, among other instruments. You can also record your own music and create multiple audio tracks. The many features can be overwhelming for younger children at first. So start by selecting one instrument and try out a few notes and rhythms together.
If you can read sheet music, the iOS app ” Kinderlieder ” offers lyrics, sheet music, and melodies for many well-known songs. Some additional content is available for a fee.
You can find more tools for making music together in our article: Experiencing Music Together.
Even without knowing how to read music, children can play their first melodies using apps. The free Android app “Piano – Music Games for Kids ” offers virtual instruments and simple music games. Children learn about different notes and can try out their own melodies.
In the Android app ” Kindermusik: Piano & Xylophone,” younger children discover familiar songs through simple mini-games. For example, they pop balloons by tapping on them. Each balloon plays the next note, gradually forming a melody.
During the first few attempts, sit down with your child and listen together to what happens when you tap the screen. Sing or clap along and move to the music. That way, the screen isn’t the center of attention—it becomes a starting point for music that everyone can join in on.
Take a look at a music app yourself before using it. Is it easy to use, and is it appropriate for your child’s age? Does it contain ads or paid add-ons? In-app purchases should be set up so that children cannot make them without permission.
Also check the access permissions. A children’s songs app generally doesn’t need access to contacts or location. For apps with a recording feature, it’s worth checking where voice and music recordings are stored and whether they can be shared or uploaded.
Digital instruments and music games can spark children’s curiosity about music. They complement singing and making music with real instruments or everyday objects. Younger children, in particular, benefit when parents explore the app with them. Clap out a rhythm together or use pots and pans as drums. This brings the music right from the screen into the kids’ room.
The Stiftung Lesen offers additional ideas for everyday family life with resources focused on music and language.
