Top 5 Ukrainian Kid's songs

Top 5 Ukrainian Kid's songs

Ukrainian songs are very melodic and beautiful. Moreover, children's songs provoke unique, tender feelings.

Today we'll show you the best Ukrainian kid's songs well known in Ukraine and abroad.

1.   Ой хо́дить сон ко́ло віко́н Oi hodyt’ son kolo vikon

The Dream Passes by the Windows

This song is a traditional lullaby. You might have heard it performed by the famous Ukrainian Canadian singer Kvitka "Kasey" Cisyk (Кві́тка Ці́сик).

Here is the beginning of the song:

Ой хо́дить сон, ко́ло віко́н.

А дрімота́ ко́ло плота́.

Пита́ється сон дрімо́ти:

"Де ж ми бу́дем ночува́ти?"

The Dream passes by the window,

And Sleep by the fence.

The Dream asks Sleep:

"Where should we rest tonight?"

Lyrics are here.

2.   Ко́тику Cіре́нький Kotyku Sirenkyi

The Grey Cat

As you see, the best Ukrainian kid's songs are about cats. And it's not by chance because cats often were put to the kid's bed to warm them.

Ко́тику сіре́нький,

Ко́тику біле́нький,

Ко́тику волоха́тий,

Не ходи́ по ха́ті.

Не ходи́ по ха́ті,

Не буди́ дитя́ти.

Grey Cat,

White Cat,

Bushy cat,

Don't walk about the house,

Don't walk about the house,

Don't wake the child.

Lyrics are here.

3.   Танцюва́ла ри́ба з ра́ком Tantsiuvala ryba z rakom

The Fish Was Dancing with the Crayfish

This song is not about cats, but about other animals and plants having a party.

Танцюва́ла ри́ба з ра́ком,

А петру́шка з пастерна́ком,

А цибу́ля з часнико́м,

А дівчи́на з козако́м!

Цибу́ля диву́ється,

Як хо́роше танцю́ється.

The fish was dancing with the crayfish,

And the parsley with the parsnip

And the onion with the garlic

And the girl with the Cossack!

The onion is in wonderment at

How good they were dancing.

Lyrics are here.

4.   Два весе́лих гу́сі Dva veselyh husi

Two merry geese

This song is usually sung to the smallest kids. It's a fun and interactive song about two geese and a granny.

Жили у бабусі два веселих гусі:

Один – сірий, другий – білий,

Два веселих гусі!

Один – сірий, другий – білий,

Два веселих гусі!

There lived with Granny

Two merry geese:

One grey, the other white,

Two merry geese.

Lyrics are here and in English.

5.   Два пі́вники Dva pivnyky

Two Roosters

And new domestic animals over here: two roosters. It's a story about hard-working domestic animals.

You can learn about village life throughout the song.

Два півники, два півники

Горох молотили.

Дві курочки-чубарочки

До млина носили.

Two roosters, two roosters,

Threshed the peas,

Two mother hens

Took it to the mill.

Lyrics are here.

Now you can sing or just listen to songs in Ukrainian together with your kids. Which one do you like the most?

Interested in learning Ukrainian through music? Check out our coursebook, “Sing While Studying!” Designed to engage learners with Ukrainian language and culture, this book combines language learning with Ukrainian song traditions. It features both folk and modern songs, and includes a variety of exercises to enhance your language skills in an enjoyable way.