Music is an engaging way to foster communication. It encourages creativity while enhancing our reading, listening and math skills, and positively impacts early child development. When integrated with school curriculum, children’s music supports young learners in a multitude of ways, and can even improve academic performance!

As you work on new ways to set your classroom up for success, consider some of these fun and mindful kids songs that encourage teamwork. By maximizing opportunities to celebrate cooperation and teamwork, we help children stay engaged, and develop a yearning for collaboration.

7 Kids Songs that Encourage Teamwork

1. Hello, My Friends

“Hello, My Friends” is a new song we created to address the classic classroom Hello Song’s alienating traits. The new Hello Song takes a Call and Response approach that encourages listening and engagement.

It is a great gathering song to start the day with positive intention; acknowledge and say Hello to each friend; and to welcome each other to create and collaborate. The welcoming song stresses that magic word: TOGETHER!

2. Somos el Barco (We Are the Boat)

“We are the boat, we are the sea. I sail in you, you sail in me.”

The bilingual song, “Somos el Barco” explores the relationship between a boat, and the hands that built it; and the ocean, and the lands it touches. It is a soothing, folk-style exploration of far and wide connections, and how collaborations help us chart new waters and journeys.

This song provides an opportunity to engage with children, especially when combining other teaching methods. A Reggio Emilia inspired classroom, for instance, might use repurposed materials to not only explore rhythm, but also discuss how boats are made. Take it a step further and incorporate movement too: Boat Pose for kids yoga would be perfect!

3. Birds Fly South

“Birds Fly South” is an interactive kids yoga song that uses movement (Warrior 3 Pose) to explore what birds do once it gets cold up north! When describing how birds fly together for warmer weather, encourage children to spread their wings wide and fly together as a group.

Warrior 3 strengthens our balance and focus; balancing on one foot is a developmental milestone and can help build confidence!

4. Canoe

One of our favorite types of activities to get children working together in an imaginative and collaborative way is with partner yoga poses! The specific poses may vary, but can be adapted to your environment or paired with an easy sing-a-long song.

In “Canoe”, we use our knowledge of boats (and Boat Pose) to celebrate how much more fun floating and boating can be with two people instead of one! This pose helps us support each other as a team while improving balance.

What other activities do your kids enjoy that are more fun with two people? Sometimes running is fun when you do it together. What about practicing breathing exercises together? Or creating music? The options are endless.

5. You'll Sing A Song, and I'll Sing A Song

We love Ella Jenkins’ style of children’s music, as they often set the tone for teamwork. In “You’ll Sing a Song, and I’ll Sing a Song”, she promotes collaboration both lyrically and stylistically.

Rooted in Sub-Saharan African culture, Call and Response songs create musical conversation that engages children, fosters cooperation and harmony, and even welcomes improvisation!

So whether you’ll sing a song and I’ll sing a song; you’ll play and tune and I’ll play a tune; or you’ll hum a line, and I’ll hum a line -- we’ll be doing it together.

6. If I Could Be Any Animal

There are many animals in the jungle -- which would you be? “If I Could Be Any Animal” is a cooperation-based kids song that works even better when using other kids’ suggestions. It encourages listening and trying new things, and is a fun adventure when paired with creative animal yoga poses.

Hop like a frog, dance like a monkey, roar like a lion, or balance like a bird… so many animals to choose from!

7. Bus

“Bus” is one of our many favorite songs about travel and transportation for kids. We use our bodies to get moving and interacting with each other, and no matter how many people get on the bus we learn to make enough room for all of us!

Which teamwork song for kids will you try first?

One thing we love about music in the classroom is its use as a creative tool for encouraging teamwork and cooperation between students -- and even at home. There are so many fun songs to choose from, you can’t go wrong!

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