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Filipino Nursery Rhymes We Can Sing for Buwan ng Wika

by Kevyn Gohu
August 3, 2023

Here are some Filipino nursery rhymes we can sing to our little ones this Buwan ng Wika.

With Buwan ng Wika in full swing, we’re also looking for ways to celebrate the national event with our babies and little ones. But the best way (even Philippine history has proven) is through song! Because the Philippines is often taught through song or what many call oral tradition, we have a karaoke book worth of nursery rhymes taught in Filipino to sing to our little ones.

1. Bahay Kubo

The traditional Bahay Kubo never fails with its accompanying hand game. Kids would play and sing this nursery rhyme in school to pass the time and learn about the native vegetables in the Philippines. Bahay Kubo, according to many music majors, is a song that expresses an appreciation for the simplicity of Filipino folk life.

2. Ako May Lobo

A fun-sounding Filipino nursery rhyme with a moral lesson behind it, the song ends with, “Sa pagkain, sana nabusog pa ako,” as it refers to the money lost when the balloon flies away. Although the song sounds like it’s discouraging kids from buying toys, we’d like to think it’s more of teaching kids about taking care of their things so that it’s not a waste of money.

3. Pen Pen De Sarapen

Although this nursery rhyme originally doesn’t have any deeper meaning, Pen Pen De Sarapen is the Filipino version of Eenie Meenie Miney Mo. When playing in the barrios, kids often sing this nursery rhyme to select the “It” (or “taya”) of the game. The song, however, has an interesting history. During the colonial period, Filipinos would sing this to the Spaniards to mock their attempts to conquer them. Others deciphered this song as a “call to arms.”

4. Tong Tong Tong Tong Pakitong – Kitong

We’ve heard this Filipino nursery rhyme so many times but Tong Tong Tong Tong Pakitong – Kitong actually originated from Batangas — one of the coastal provinces! Because of their immediate access to water, Batangas often sang about the many fishes and species that lurked on their beaches. The nursery rhyme also serves as a warning to children to be careful about the crabs lurking in the area because they snap.

5. Mag-Ingat sa Dikya

Because the Philippines is surrounded by water, many Filipino nursery rhymes are lessons about beach life. Mag-Ingat sa Dikya is no different as it literally translates to, “Be Careful of the Jellyfish.” The song serves as a reminder to kids that although they can have fun on the beach, it’s always good to be careful.

6. Paru-Parong Bukid

This is also another classic Filipino nursery rhyme song but, it has several meanings. While some see Paru-Parong Bukid as a person’s way of admiring the wild butterflies in the field, others see the nursery rhyme as an allusion to a beautiful woman wearing her mestiza dress or Terno with butterfly sleeves hence, being compared to a butterfly. The song is also quite famous, becoming a classic in choir arrangements.

Encourage language development in kids with Filipino nursery rhymes!

The most common way kids learn to speak, write, and understand a language is through song! Because of the rhythm, the words become easier for their brains to process and relate. It’s similar to how some of our kids develop an affinity for Hangul (Korean) or Kanji (Japanese) after listening to K-Pop or J-pop songs for so long. The same applies to Filipino. By listening to Filipino songs for Buwan ng Wika, our kids may end up struggling less in their Filipino classes when they go to school.