MLK Day for Early Childhood with Songs

 

If you are an early childhood educator, you bring music into the classroom on a daily basis. Do not miss the opportunity as you discuss the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1960s African American Freedom Struggle this month to bring songs to share. Find ways of incorporating gestures and movements into the songs, too, to help it sink in even deeper for the child. And you can improvise on the lyrics when needed, too.

Here are a few songs I plan to share with my students (three to six years old):

We Shall Overcome: 

We shall overcome,
We shall overcome,
We shall overcome, some day.

Oh, deep in my heart,
I do believe
We shall overcome, some day.

We’ll walk hand in hand,
We’ll walk hand in hand,
We’ll walk hand in hand, some day.

Oh, deep in my heart. . . 

We shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace, some day.

Oh, deep in my heart,

We shall all be free,
We shall all be free,
We shall all be free, some day.

Oh, deep in my heart. . . 

We are not afraid,
We are not afraid,
We are not afraid, today.

Oh, deep in my heart. . . 

We shall overcome,
We shall overcome,
We shall overcome, some day.

Oh, deep in my heart,
I do believe
We shall overcome, some day.

etc…

This Little Light of Mine: 

This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, this little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
…
This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Ev’ry where I go
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, ev’ry where I go
I’m going to let it shine
…
Ev’ry where I go
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

All in my house
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, all in my house
I’m going to let it shine
…
All in my house
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

I’m not going to make it shine
I’m just going to let it shine
I’m not going to make it shine
I’m just going to let it shine
…
I’m not going to make it shine
I’m just going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

Out in the dark
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, out in the dark
I’m going to let it shine
…
Out in the dark
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine

 

We shall not be moved: 

We shall not, we shall not be moved. 

We shall not, we shall not be moved. 

Just like a tree that’s standing by the water, 

We shall not be moved. 

We will love and work together, 

we shall not be moved. 

We will love and work together, 

We shall not be moved. 

Just like a tree that’s standing by the water, 

We shall not be moved. 

 

Do you have other suggestions for early childhood songs related to the “Civil Rights Movement” of the 1960s? Post them below!