Dutch · Preschoolers

Dutch for preschoolers

Preschoolers love to show what they know. They can sing whole choruses, count, name colors and shapes, and they get a real kick out of knowing a "secret" Dutch word. The songs are built around exactly the topics preschool covers: colors, numbers, shapes, animals, feelings and daily routines.

Is it a good fit? Preschoolers (about 3 to 5) are a core age for the songs: old enough to sing whole lines, young enough to pick up sounds by ear.

Match songs to what they're learning anyway

If nursery is doing colors this month, play the color songs at home. Learning the same idea in two languages doesn't add work; it gives your child two ways to talk about it.

Let them be the teacher

Preschoolers love correcting adults. Get a Dutch word "wrong" on purpose and let your child put you right, or ask them to teach a grandparent a word from today's song.

Give feelings a name

This is the age of big feelings. The feelings songs (happy, sad, angry, tired) give you a gentle, playful way to talk about them, in English and in Dutch.

Dutch words to start with

Words from the songs below that fit this moment. Tap one for pronunciation help and practice ideas.

English	Dutch	Sounds like ≈
colors	de kleuren	duh KLUR-un
numbers 1 to 10	één, twee, drie…	AYN, TVAY, DREE…
shapes	de cirkel, het vierkant, de driehoek…	SIR-kul, VEER-kahnt, DREE-hook…
feelings	de gevoelens	duh khuh-VOO-luns
animals	de dieren	duh DEE-run
the days of the week	maandag, dinsdag, woensdag…	MAHN-dakh, DINS-dakh, VOONS-dakh…

Good to know about Dutch: Dutch nouns are de-words or het-words. Two shortcuts: every plural takes de, and every little -je word (hondje, vogeltje) takes het.

Dutch songs for preschoolers

Hand-picked from the Dutch library. Songs marked Free are part of the free first unit; the rest are Premium.

Quick tips

Play a color or shape hunt around the house using the Dutch words from the songs.
Count everything: stairs, grapes, cars. Numbers are the easiest words to practise anywhere.
Put a song on during tidy-up time and name toys in Dutch as they go in the box.
Celebrate wins: a sticker for each new song they can sing all the way through.

Questions parents ask

How much time does a preschooler need each day?

There's no magic number. A song or two most days, plus using a few Dutch words in normal routines, is a realistic, sustainable rhythm for most families. Consistency matters more than long sessions.

Should I correct my child's pronunciation?

Gently, by example rather than correction. Repeat the word back the right way ("Yes, that's the word!") and let the songs do the rest; children adjust their sounds by listening.

Sing it in Dutch, free

The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.

Start free — no card