“L'Orchestre des Animaux” — Animal Orchestra Song in French for Kids
In “L'Orchestre des Animaux” (The Animal Orchestra), kids sing key French words like l'orchestre, l'éléphant joue de la trompette, le chat joue du violon and la grenouille joue du tambour, going back and forth between English and French, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a next-step (A2) song from Unit 30: Music & Instruments, 2:10 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇫🇷 French
- Level: A2
- Unit 30 · La Musique
- ⏱ 2:10
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“L'Orchestre des Animaux” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. French is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| In the forest, take your place! | Dans la forêt, à vos places ! |
| Dans la forêt, prêts ? | In the forest, ready? |
| Owl taps her stick: one, two, three— | La chouette tape sa baguette : un, deux, trois — |
| La chouette dit : « Jouez ! » | The owl says, “Play!” |
| Orchestra! | L’orchestre ! |
| L’orchestre ! | Orchestra! |
| The elephant plays the trumpet! | L’éléphant joue de la trompette ! |
| L’éléphant joue de la trompette ! | The elephant plays the trumpet! |
| The cat plays the violin! | Le chat joue du violon ! |
| Le chat joue du violon ! | The cat plays the violin! |
| The frog plays the drum! | La grenouille joue du tambour ! |
| La grenouille joue du tambour ! | The frog plays the drum! |
| Ready? | Prêts ? |
| Prêts ? | Ready? |
| Play! | Jouez ! |
| Jouez ! | Play! |
| All together! | Tous ensemble ! |
| Tous ensemble ! | All together! |
| Bravo! | |
| Bravo ! | |
| Tous ensemble, tous ensemble, | All together, all together, |
| Bravo, bravo—one more time! | Bravo, bravo — encore une fois ! |
| The bird plays the flute! | L’oiseau joue de la flûte ! |
| L’oiseau joue de la flûte ! | The bird plays the flute! |
| The bear plays the piano! | L’ours joue du piano ! |
| L’ours joue du piano ! | The bear plays the piano! |
| The elephant—trumpet! | L’éléphant — la trompette ! |
| L’éléphant joue de la trompette ! | The elephant—trumpet! |
| The cat—violin! | Le chat — le violon ! |
| Le chat joue du violon ! | The cat—violin! |
| The frog—drum! | La grenouille — le tambour ! |
| La grenouille joue du tambour ! | The frog—drum! |
| Ready? | Prêts ? |
| Prêts ? | Ready? |
| Play! | Jouez ! |
| Jouez ! | Play! |
| All together! | Tous ensemble ! |
| Tous ensemble ! | All together! |
| Bravo! | |
| Bravo ! | |
| Tous ensemble, tous ensemble, | All together, all together, |
| Bravo, bravo—one more time! | Bravo, bravo — encore une fois ! |
| Listen softly—who can play? | Écoute doucement — qui sait jouer ? |
| L’oiseau joue de la flûte ! | The bird plays the flute! |
| And the bear, what does he play? | Et l’ours, de quoi joue-t-il ? |
| L’ours joue du piano ! | And the bear, what does he play? |
| Now we smile and take a bow! | Maintenant on sourit et on salue ! |
| On salue, on salue ! | We bow, we bow! |
| Ready? | Prêts ? |
| Prêts ? | Ready? |
| Play! | Jouez ! |
| Jouez ! | Play! |
| All together! | Tous ensemble ! |
| Tous ensemble ! | All together! |
| Elephant, cat, frog, bird, bear— | Éléphant, chat, grenouille, oiseau, ours — |
| L’orchestre joue dans la clairière ! | The orchestra plays in the clearing! |
| Bravo! | |
| Bravo ! | |
| Tous ensemble, tous ensemble, | All together, all together, |
| On salue—bravo, bravo ! | We bow — bravo, bravo! |
| Everyone bows: on salue ! | |
| Bravo, forest friends—bravo ! | Bravo, les amis de la forêt — bravo ! |
Key French words in this song
The 11 words and phrases this song is built around.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'orchestre | orchestra |
| l'éléphant joue de la trompette | the elephant plays the trumpet |
| le chat joue du violon | the cat plays the violin |
| la grenouille joue du tambour | the frog plays the drum |
| l'oiseau joue de la flûte | the bird plays the flute |
| l'ours joue du piano | the bear plays the piano |
| prêts ? | ready? |
| jouez ! | play! |
| tous ensemble | all together |
| bravo | bravo |
| on salue | a bow |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Listen for “bravo”
“bravo” (bravo) is sung on 7 lines of this song. Ask your child to clap or raise a hand every time they hear it; by the end they will be saying it with the song.
- 2
Split the parts
Once the song is familiar, you sing the English lines and your child sings the French ones, then swap. It turns listening into speaking.
- 3
Make it a routine
At 2:10, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Be the conductor: count to three in French, then everyone plays.
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“The Animal Orchestra” in other languages
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