REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 301–315, September 2022  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 THE ROLE OF SONGBOOKS IN THE PRESERVATION 
OF CHILDREN’S FOLK SONGS IN KINDERGARTEN 
  
Potrjeno/Accepted  
30. 3. 2022 
 
Objavljeno/Published 
23. 9. 2022 
LORENA MIHELAČ 
 
School center Novo mesto, Novo mesto, Slovenia 
 
 
 
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR/KORESPONDENČNI AVTOR/ 
lorena.mihelac@sc-nm.si 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Keywords: 
children’s folk songs, 
preschool education, 
songbooks 
 
 
Ključne besede: 
otroške ljudske pesmi, 
predšolska vzgoja, 
pesmarice 
 
UDK/UDC 
784.4:373.2 
Abstract/Izvleček 
The paper presents an analysis of songbooks used in kindergarten. It 
outlines the need for renewal of the existing kindergarten curriculum from 
the perspective of preserving the Slovenian music tradition, and within this 
context, the indispensable role of children’s folk songs in the preservation 
of Slovenian folk music. Furthermore, it tackles the following three issues: 
(i) the disproportionate representation of children’s folk songs and author 
songs in songbooks; (ii) the information provided about children’s folk 
songs in songbooks, and (iii) the representation of children’s folk songs in 
kindergarten. 
 
Vloga pesmaric pri ohranjanju otroških ljudskih pesmi v vrtcih 
Prispevek obravnava analizo pesmaric, ki se uporabljajo v vrtcih. 
Izpostavlja potrebo po prenovi obstoječega Kurikuluma za vrtce z vidika 
ohranjanja slovenske glasbene tradicije in v tem okviru tudi o vlogi otroških 
ljudskih pesmi. Poleg tega obravnava vprašanja (i) o nesorazmerju otroških 
ljudskih pesmi in avtorskih pesmi v pesmaricah, (ii) o informacijah o 
otroških ljudskih pesmih podanih v pesmaricah, in (iii) o predstavljanju 
otroških ljudskih pesmi v pesmaricah. 
 
DOI https://doi.org/10.18690/rei.15.3.301-315.2022  
Besedilo / Text © 2022 Avtor(ji) / The Author(s) 
To delo je objavljeno pod licenco Creative Commons CC BY Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna. 
Uporabnikom je dovoljeno tako nekomercialno kot tudi komercialno reproduciranje, distribuiranje, 
dajanje v najem, javna priobčitev in predelava avtorskega dela, pod pogojem, da navedejo avtorja 
izvirnega dela. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 
 

302 
REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
  JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
 
 
 
Introduction 
 
In Slovenia, public and private kindergartens are provided for early childhood 
education and care, with a range of educational programs, giving parents the 
possibility to choose a kindergarten in accordance with their personal views. 
Enrolment in kindergarten is not obligatory. Parents can choose whether to enrol 
their child and if they decide to do so, then the child can be enrolled from the age 
of eleven months. Currently 82.7% of children (in total 87,708 children) from one 
to five years old are enrolled in 1179 public/private kindergartens (Statistični urad 
RS; Ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost in šport, 2021).  
The crucial national document that governs the work and content of education in 
Slovenian kindergartens is the Kindergarten Curriculum (1999). Besides the goals 
and principles conducive to the achievement of kindergarten curriculum objectives, 
outlining children’s characteristics and cooperation with parents, five fields of 
activity are defined, separately for the first age group (1- to 3-year-old children), 
and the second age group (3- to 6-year-old children): Movement, Language, Art, 
Society, Nature, and Mathematics. The suggested content and activities allow 
alternatives and methods for achieving the objectives (to be selected by a 
preschool teacher).  
The role of kindergartens in Slovenia also involves preserving, encouraging, 
developing, and arousing love for the Slovenian folk tradition in preschool 
children, and the proposed activities for both age groups in the Kindergarten 
Curriculum show that the Slovenian folk tradition is implemented in all fields. 
However, recent studies have shown an imbalance of activities in the field of the 
preservation of Slovenian folk tradition across kindergartens in Slovenia, a 
disproportion in activities introducing Slovenian folk music, and a lack of literature 
presenting the Slovenian tradition in depth from different points of view.  
Since an in-depth study about the preservation of Slovenian folk tradition across 
kindergartens in Slovenia, and about the disproportion in activities introducing 
Slovenian folk music would be beyond the scope of this paper, the current 
research deals only with the third issue, more specifically with songbooks containing 
children’s folk songs. We examine the current trends in the field of songbooks 
used in kindergartens, with special emphasis on children’s folk songs, i.e., their 
frequency of appearance in songbooks, the information provided about these 
songs in educational literature for kindergartens and in songbooks, and the way 
children’s folk songs are presented by preschool teachers in kindergartens.  

L. Mihelač: The Role of Songbooks in the Preservation of Children’s Folk Songs in Kindergarten 303 
 
 
 
Background 
 
In the past, family, and social community were the most important factors in 
preserving musical cultural heritage. These roles have been newly assigned to 
kindergarten, which has become focused on more than childcare and preparing 
children for school; the change appears in the continuation of the preservation of 
cultural heritage, providing increasingly varied activities, with the purpose of 
discovering the richness of heritage, revealing how heritage is transmitted, and 
discovering the world, and one’s identity through heritage (Morrison, 1998; Vah 
Jevšnik, 2010).  
In the Slovenian Kindergarten Curriculum (Kurikulum za vrtce, 1999), European 
policies about cultural heritage are firmly implemented (see Council of Europe, 
2021), which is noticeable either in the principles conducive to the achievement of 
the kindergarten curriculum objectives, or within specific fields of activities for the 
preservation of the Slovenian folk tradition, defined separately for each field 
(Language, Art, Society, Movement, Science, Mathematics), and age-group (from 1 
to 3 years old and from 4 to 6 years old).  
In the domain of Music, the preservation of folk tradition involves the singing of 
children’s songs, folk songs, author’s songs from well-known composers, in 
children’s learning of counting-out rhymes and teasing chants (Kurikulum za vrtce, 
1999, pp. 26-28). However, there is no detailed description of all the knowledge 
and skills the children are expected to learn from the perspective of the 
preservation of Slovenian folk music, and especially how to include it in cross-
curricular activities.  
This means, that the understanding of the importance of Slovenian folk music, and 
why and how it should (or could) be covered in various activities in a kindergarten 
still depends on (i) the individual preschool teacher’s curriculum, (ii) their 
willingness to include such activities in the daily program, and (iii) personal 
preferences, which are (or are not) connected with the preschool teacher’s abilities 
(e.g., whether the preschool teacher prefers to sing, dance, or to play instruments, 
which can depend on background knowledge, work experience, or age, for 
example).  
Recent studies outline that musical activities involving Slovenian folk music are not 
equally represented in kindergartens. The most common activity is the singing of 
(children’s) folk songs; less common are listening to these songs, playing on folk 

304 
REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
  JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
 
 
instruments, or dancing (e.g., Denac, 2012; Geršak, 2015; Žnidaršič, 2016; Denac 
and Žnidaršič, 2018). 
Compared to children’s songs from well-known Slovenian composers, (children’s) 
folk songs are still less favoured in these activities (Oblak, 2017). Furthermore, 
inadequate knowledge affects the selection of appropriate (children’s) folk songs, 
meaning insufficient knowledge about (children’s) folk songs, i.e., their origin, 
content, and versions varying in melody and lyrics (Žnidaršič, 2016; Denac and 
Žnidaršič, 2018).  
According to Žgavec (2004), children’s folk songs should be integrated into 
kindergarten activities on a daily basis, since they affect not only the development 
of social competences (Zalar, 2015) but the children’s individual development as 
well (Fu, 2010). The preservation of these songs and Slovenian folk music (in 
general) in kindergartens must not take place only for the music’s sake, but because 
it also tackles the question of children’s identity, since cultural heritage “evokes 
memories of past events in a way that can be used to build or strengthen (our) 
identity” (Josefsson and Aronsson, 2016, p. 2095). Several studies outline the 
importance of music and books in preschool education (e.g., Gardner, 2011; 
Lukens, 2007; Smallwood and Haynes, 2008). Moreover, the use of a songbook in 
early childhood provides scaffolding suitable for all kinds of learners, as it allows 
children to reach proximal development (Vygotsky, 1978), and if children’s folk 
songs are included, an invaluable opportunity to become acquainted with a 
country’s folk song tradition. An overview of the existing educational literature 
(songbooks) for children in the last 170 years, shows a considerable number of 
songbooks: Slomšek (1853, as cited in Terseglav, 2007), Ahacel (1883), Nedvěd 
(1866, 1883, 1896), Funtek (1887), Majcen (1888, 1901),  Štrekelj (1895-1923), 
Mercina (1893), Kosi (1906), Jeraj (1921), Kumar (1924), Gerlanc (1952), Grbec 
(1954), Kalan (1954), Nograšek and Virant Iršič (2007), and Voglar and Nograšek 
(2009). Although the very first songbooks may not have been intended for 
kindergarteners, but for older children attending primary school, they may have 
been used in orphanages, childcare, or even in kindergartens, even though 
kindergartens, on the territory of today’s Slovenia were organized from 1869 on, 
after the promulgation of the Imperial Primary Education Act ("Reichvolksschulgesetz") 
for the Austrian part of the Austro-Hungarian empire (Wehowski, 2019). 

L. Mihelač: The Role of Songbooks in the Preservation of Children’s Folk Songs in Kindergarten 305 
 
 
 
Two of the songbooks, Zabavišče slovenskim otrokom (Funtek, 1887), and Igre in pesmi 
(Mercina, 1893) are especially interesting, since these songbooks are the very first 
ones intended for use in kindergartens, emphasizing the role of games and music, 
to be learned and experienced through games in kindergartens (for more, see the 
foreword in Mercina, 1893). 
Regardless of their diverse compilation of songs, the list of songs in these 
songbooks, shows that from the very first songbooks for children, until the latest 
literature, the emphasis has been on authors songs and that children’s folk songs 
are significantly less represented, unless the songbooks are not explicitly presenting 
(children’s) folk songs alone (e.g., Komavec and Šivic, 2004, Pesek, 1994-2000).  
 
Problems and purpose of the research  
There is yet no research about songbooks used in kindergartens and how children’s 
folk songs are represented in these books. Since children’s folk songs have an 
indispensable role in the preservation of cultural heritage, research about these 
songs, from the perspective of their frequency of appearance, which of these songs 
appear in literature, and how they are represented in preschool educational 
literature and within musical activities in kindergarten, would therefore highlight 
the actual situation, and give valuable guidelines for additional preschool 
educational literature about children’s folk songs.  
The purpose of this study was three-fold:  
- To collect data about the songbooks used in Slovenian kindergartens, with 
special emphasis on children’s folk songs,  
- To examine the frequency of children’s folk songs being included in 
musical activities, 
- To examine which relevant information about children’s folk songs is 
passed from preschool teachers to children in kindergarten.  
 
Methodology 
 
Based on the general findings, research results from other studies, and the purpose 
of this paper, the following research questions have been designed:  
1. Which songbooks are used in kindergartens? 
2. Which of the proposed songbooks containing children’s folk songs are 
mostly used in kindergartens by preschool teachers 

306 
REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
  JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
 
 
3. What is the frequency of children’s folk songs being included in 
songbooks for kindergarten? 
4. Which children’s folk songs are used in music activities in kindergarten? 
5. What are the shortcomings of the existing songbooks in the opinion of 
preschool teachers? 
The descriptive and causal non-experimental method was used in the research, and 
R-studio for the statistical analysis. 
 
Participants 
The current study involved 70 preschool teachers from 38 kindergartens in ten 
Slovenian regions (Goriška, Gorenjska, Obalno-kraška, Notranjsko-kraška, 
Osrednje-slovenska, Savinjska, Zasavje, Jugovzhodna, Podravska, and Pomurska). 
From seventy preschool teachers with an average work experience of 15.3 years, 67 
were female (95.71%) and only 3 male (4.29%). To all the preschool teachers, 
questionnaires were sent online, and a special editable document for collecting the 
children’s folk songs which are most often sung in these kindergartens. 
 
Results and discussion  
 
The results show that not all preschool teachers are using in their music activities 
the same literature that was used during their own schooling.  
 
Table 1: Same literature used during schooling and at work 
 
Responses f f% 
yes 31 44.29 
no 2 2.86 
partly 37 52.86 
total 70 100.00 
 
Two major songbooks are used in Slovenian kindergartens (Table 2): Majhna sem 
bila (Voglar and Nograšek, 2009) and Piške sem pasla (Nograšek and Virant Iršič, 
2007). Both songbooks are used regardless of the work experience, and the fact 
that these two books are not compulsory songbooks for use in kindergartens, since 
there exists currently no list of compulsory songbooks for kindergartens. It seems 
that these books constitute a sort of “heritage” from previous schooling, during 
which this educational literature was used as the most suitable one, and then later 
continued to be used at work in kindergartens.  

L. Mihelač: The Role of Songbooks in the Preservation of Children’s Folk Songs in Kindergarten 307 
 
 
 
The songbook Majhna sem bila is used by all preschool teachers (100%), even by 
those with work experience of more than 30 years (N = 9, 12.86%), which can be 
explained by the fact that the first edition of this book appeared in 1982. The 
second songbook Piške sem pasla is also frequently used (87.14%), presumably from 
its first appearance in 2005. 
 
Table 2: Songbooks used in kindergartens 
 
Literature used in kindergartens No. of teachers in % 
Majhna sem bila 70 100.00 
Piške sem pasla 61 87.14 
Other 50 71.43 
 
The additional literature (“other”) used by preschool teachers (71.43%) is diverse 
and covers sources from the Internet, songs from songbooks for choirs, songs 
included in textbooks for piano, guitar or soprano records, personal compilations 
(booklets), or collections of handwritten children’s folk songs that the preschool 
teachers used to sing in their childhood or schooling, or are (still) singing in their 
family. The selection of literature (songbooks) indicates that it is not chosen from 
an organized database (or a pool) with a collection of songbooks or literature.  
To examine the preschool teachers’ familiarity with different songbooks containing 
children’s folk songs, and to analyze the frequency of their use in musical activities, 
five songbooks were proposed, among them three songbooks containing only 
(children’s) folk songs: Pesmi in šege moje dežele (Kunaver et al., 1987), Slovenske ljudske 
pesmi za otroke 1-4 (Pesek, 1994-2000), and Otroška pesmarica (Slovenske ljudske pesmi) 
1-2 (Šivic et al., 2004, 2006).  
Table 3 shows that the preschool teachers are most familiar with the two 
songbooks Majhna sem bila and Piške sem pasla, and that the other songbooks are 
rarely used, with Pesmi in šege moje dežele being the least popular. Slovenian folk 
music is frequently included in music activities by preschool teachers (M = 3.41; 
SD = 1.31), mostly once a week (44.29%), and even semi-weekly (18.57%). In 
some kindergartens, activities including Slovenian folk music occur three times per 
month (12.86%), twice a month (8.57), and once a month (15.71%), regardless of 
work experience. 
It is interesting that 48.57% of the participants neither agree nor disagree that the 
knowledge obtained during their schooling has helped them in the presentation of 
Slovenian folk music, especially in presenting children’s folk songs.  

308 
REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
  JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
 
 
 
Table 3: Proposed songbooks for preschool education 
 
Songbooks  Always Often  Sometimes Rarely Never Total 
Mean 
(SD) 
Majhna sem 
bila 
f 0 57 10 2 1 70 3.76 
(0.58) f % 0.00 81.42 14.29 2.86 1.43 100% 
Piške sem 
pasla 
f 0 31 20 12 7 70 3.07 
(1.01) f % 0.00 44.29 28.57 17.14 10.00 100% 
Šege in 
navade 
f 0 1 10 11 48 70 1.49 
(0.79) f % 0.00 1.43 14.29 15.71 68.57 100% 
Pesek 
Songbooks 
f 0 6 12 21 31 70 1.90 
(0.98) f % 0.00 8.57 17.14 30.00 44.29 100% 
Šivic1 
f 0 6 11 22 31 70 1.89 
(0.97) f % 0.00 8.57 15.71 31.43 44.29 100% 
Šivic2 
f 0 4 7 23 36 70 1.70 
(0.87) f % 0.00 5.71 10.00 32.86 51.43 100% 
 
Table 4 presents the musical activities. The Kruskal-Wallis test shows statistically 
significant differences between the musical activities H (3) = 83.64, p < .001. The 
most frequent activity is “singing of children’s folk songs,” and the least frequent, 
“playing of folk instruments”. The results accord with findings from other studies 
(Denac, 2012; Geršak, 2015; Žnidaršič, 2016; Denac and Žnidaršič, 2018), which 
also outline the disproportion in activities when presenting Slovenian folk music. 
 
Table 4: Musical activities in kindergarten including Slovenian folk music 
 
Activities  Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never Total 
Mean 
(SD) 
Singing 
CFS 
f 33 29 7 1 0 63 4.34 
(0.72) f % 47.14 41.43 10.00 1.43 0.00 100% 
Folk 
dance 
f 3 22 34 10 1 63 3.23 
(0.80) f % 4.29 31.43 48.56 14.29 1.43 100% 
Folk 
Instrum. 
f 4 11 26 27 2 63 2.83 
(0.93) f % 5.71 15.71 37.15 38.57 2.86 100% 
Listening  
CFS 
f 10 28 19 11 2 63 3.47 
(1.02) f % 14.29 40.00 27.14 15.71 2.86 100% 
 
A plausible explanation for the preference for singing (children’s) folk songs 
(regardless of the length of work experience) can be understood as reflecting that 
these songs are usually short, simple in lyrics, melody, and musical structure 
(Denac and Žnidaršič, 2018; Mihelač et al., 2021). 
 

L. Mihelač: The Role of Songbooks in the Preservation of Children’s Folk Songs in Kindergarten 309 
 
 
 
Furthermore, no (additional) musical instruments are required, nor a spacious 
room (which would be the case if learning folk dances), and even the youngest 
children can be included in this activity. 
Although the emphasis is on the singing of children’s folk songs in kindergarten, 
scant information about these songs is provided by preschool teachers to 
kindergarteners (Table 5), and similar findings emerged in studies by Žnidaršič 
(2016) and Denac and Žnidaršič (2018). Explanation mostly concerns how to sing 
children’s folk songs and the authorship of these songs. Less is explained about the 
circumstances why and how some songs were created (‘Story about CFS), if there are 
any variant versions o f a p a r t i c u l a r s o n g , o r i f a p a r t i c u l a r s o n g c a n b e f o u n d i n 
another country (‘Roaming CFS’). 
Although not everything about a particular children’s folk song can be provided 
during music activity in kindergartens, some facts could be interesting for children. 
For example, in the presenting the Slovenian children’s folk song Ringa raja, the 
existence of different lyrics can be shown e.g., those in the collection of songs no. 
IV from Štrekelj (1895-1923, p. 434), in Komavec and Šivic (2004, p. 68), and in 
Voglar and Nograšek (2009, p. 141). Alternate melodies can also be introduced, for 
example, the varied versions found in Komavec and Šivic (2004, p. 68), and Voglar 
and Nograšek (2009, p. 141).  
 
Table 5: Information about children’s folk songs in kindergartens 
 
Inform. 
CFS 
 Always Often  Sometimes Rarely Never Total Mean 
(SD) 
Varied 
versions 
f 3 14 25 18 10 63 2.74 
(1.1) f % 4.29 20.00 35.71 25.71 14.29 100% 
Origin of 
CFS 
f 6 14 22 20 8 63 2.86 
(1.1) f % 8.57 20.00 31.43 28.57 11.43 100% 
Author of 
CFS 
f 13 14 20 11 12 63 3.07 
(1.3) f % 18.58 20.00 28.57 15.71 17.14 100% 
How to 
sing CFS 
f 19 17 21 10 3 63 
3.56 
(1.2) f % 27.14 24.29 30.00 14.29 4.28 100% 
Story about 
CFS 
f 5 13 21 23 8 63 2.77 
(1.1) f % 7.14 18.57 30.00 32.86 11.43 100% 
Roaming 
CFS 
f 2 9 17 29 13 63 2.40 
(1.0) f % 2.86 12.86 24.43 41.41 18.57 100% 
Furthermore, this song could be additionally interesting because two versions are 
sung in Great Britain (Ring a Ring O’Roses) and in Germany (Ringel Reihe), 
indicating that there is a common pre-version of this song, spread across regions 
and countries over a period time. 

310 
REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
  JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
 
 
 
Of further interest are the varying folkdances that accompany the singing of this 
song, since these differ in Germany, Great Britain and Slovenia for the same song. 
Showing the children varied versions of the same children’s folk song, means 
showing the “never-ending story” about a children’s folk song, which can differ 
within or even between countries, depending on where and when the song 
emerged and how it has changed over time. 
The selection of children’s folk songs used in music activities and provided by 
preschool teachers shows that from the 91 suggested songs, 57 (62.64%) are 
children’s folk songs and 34 (37.36%) author songs. Furthermore, only some of 
the children’s folk songs are selected from the two songbooks used in the 
kindergartens (Majhna sem bila, Piške sem pasla) , a n d m o s t o f t h e c h i l d r e n ’ s f o l k 
songs are selected from other sources. A considerable number of children’s folk 
songs are author’s songs, to be found in the two songbooks used in kindergartens 
(Majhna sem bila, Piške sem pasla) and some of them selected from other sources 
(Table 6). 
 
Table 6: Selection of children’s folk songs from songbooks  
 
Literature  Children’s folk songs Author songs 
Majhna sem bila/Piške sem pasla  
f 15 22 
f% 26.32 64.71 
Other songbooks 
f 42 12 
f% 73.68 35.29 
 
The preschool teachers outline some specific problems they encounter when 
preparing activities in which children’s folk songs are included. According to their 
responses, the description for activities covering children’s folk songs in the 
Kindergarten Curriculum is sparse (35.71%), and there is a lack of additional 
seminars/workshops about children’s folk songs for preschool teachers (37.14%). 
Also mentioned are the lack of children’s folk songs in existing songbooks 
(20.00%), and of more detailed description about children’s folk songs (14.29 %). 
Some preschool teachers have problems finding literature about children’s folk 
songs (8.57%). The main problem faced by preschool teachers is that author’s 
songs in the songbooks used in kindergartens are given more emphasis than 
children’s folk songs (67.14%). 
 

L. Mihelač: The Role of Songbooks in the Preservation of Children’s Folk Songs in Kindergarten 311 
 
 
 
In-depth analysis of the most frequently used songbooks in kindergarten, Majhna 
sem bila and Piške sem pasla shows that both songbooks contain songs with content 
close to the children’s world, covering a pitch range suitable for preschool 
children, with smaller, descending intervals.  
Furthermore, the songs are syllabic, with frequently repeated motifs, with duple 
and quadruple meter prevailing over triple, and with binary rhythms prevailing 
over ternary.  
However, from 171 songs collected in Majhna sem bila, only 14 songs (8.19%) are 
defined as “folk songs”, and 7 songs (7%) out of 100 as “folk songs” in Piške sem 
pasla. The remaining songs are author songs by well-known Slovenian composers 
for children (e.g., Janez Bitenc, Mira Voglar, Tomaž Habe, Janez Kuhar, and Pavle 
Kala). For all the songs (including folk songs), descriptions about the content, 
suggestions about how to present the songs to the children, and (cross)curricular 
music activities are provided. 
For folk songs, no information is provided about their origin, e.g., about additional 
variant versions, or about the story behind the creation of these songs. This means 
that preschool teachers, if interested, must search for additional literature about 
these songs. Literature about the content of children’s folk songs, about their 
origin (village, region), variant versions, date of recording etc., do exist (e.g., in the 
collection from Štrekelj, 1895-1923: IV, the collection of Slovenian folk songs I-
IV). The question is whether preschool teachers are prepared to acquire additional 
information about the children’s folk songs that they intend to include in their 
activities, and moreover if they know where and how to look, and what exactly they 
should search for. Most teachers would like to have additional literature with a 
selection of children’s folk songs (Figure 1), which would lighten their work and 
enrich their music activities when presenting Slovenian children’s folk songs. 
 
 
Figure 1: The need for additional literature concerning children’s folk songs 

312 
REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
  JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
 
 
 
Most preschool teachers, 49 out of 70 (70%) are prepared to attend additional 
educational seminars (workshops) about children’s folk songs, 20 out of 70 are not 
sure (28.57%), and only 1 preschool teacher is not prepared to attend an additional 
seminar (workshop).  
 
Conclusions 
 
Our way of living is constantly changing, and nowadays, musical taste among 
preschool children is more than ever influenced by the media, kindergarten, 
cultural institutions, the social environment, and family. In seeking to preserve the 
folk music tradition, one of the key success factors is certainly the preschool 
teacher, whose role is to to arouse children's joy and form a positive attitude 
towards Slovenian folk music in children from the earliest stage of life. This 
requires not only general musical knowledge, but also comprehensive knowledge 
about Slovenian folk music, which could be extended in preschool teachers with 
additional seminars, workshops, symposiums, congresses, and similar events. 
Support from various institutions could also be a workable solution in the sense of 
providing know-how: where and how to find additional literature about Slovenian 
folk music, which literature, and how to present folk music. The Slovenian 
Kindergarten Curriculum (currently being renewed in 2021), is a valuable and 
crucial guideline in the preservation of Slovenian cultural heritage; however, as 
established, it covers the description of principles, predominantly outlines for what 
should be achieved in all fields of the Kindergarten Curriculum, and suggests the 
activities in each field in general, not in detail. Therefore, a supplement to the 
Kindergarten Curriculum, including additional activities, and further explanations 
about the already provided activities in each field would offer added value and be 
of immense help for preschool teachers. In considering the Slovenian children’s 
folk songs included in songbooks, we have found that two of them, Majhna sem bila 
and Piške sem pasla are most commonly used. Although both songbooks are an 
important contribution to the preschool music literature, the emphasis is on 
author’s songs, and children’s folk songs in these books are rarely included. 

L. Mihelač: The Role of Songbooks in the Preservation of Children’s Folk Songs in Kindergarten 313 
 
 
 
Additional literature about children’s folk songs (e.g., about their origin, about the 
best-known variant versions, about the circumstances behind a particular song’s 
creation, and if a similar song can be found outside Slovenia) could contribute to a 
better understanding of these songs, and their indispensability in preserving 
Slovenian folk music. 
 
References 
 
Ahacel, M. (1833). Pesmi po Koroškim inu Štajerskim znane. Celovec: Mohorjeva družba. 
Corsaro, W. (2005). The sociology of childhood (second edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press. 
Council of Europe (2021). Retrieved from: https://www.coe.int/en/web/herein-system/slovenia 
(Accessed: 4
th 
March 2021.)  
Denac, O. (2012). Glasbene preference vzgojiteljev in predšolskih otrok. Journal of Elementary 
Education, 5(4), 29–38. 
Denac, O., Žnidaršič, J. (2018). The use of folk music in kindergartens and family settings. Creative 
Education, 9, 2856–2862.  
Dravec, J. (2017). Glasbena folklore Prlekije [Musical folklore of Prlekija]. Ljubljana: Glasbenonarodopisni 
inštitut ZRC SAZU. Retrieved from: http://ezb.ijs.si/fedora/get/ezmono:dravec/VIE–
W/#txt_395_438 (Accessed: 23
rd 
March 2021.)  
Fu, L. (2010). Folk Music Plays a Crucial Role in Children’s Development: Research on How to Effectively 
Integrate Folk Music into Kindergarten Music Education, ISME.  
Funtek, A. (1887). Zabavišče slovenskim otrokom [An amusement park for Slovenian children]. Ljubljana: 
Narodna šola. 
Gardner, H. (2011) Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, 3rd Ed. New York: Basic Books. 
Gerlanc, B., Ribičič, J., Winkler, V., Završnik, R. (1952). Prva čitanka [First read book]. Ljubljana: DZS. 
Geršak, V. (2015). Dance in the Slovenian kindergarten curriculum. Školski vjesnik: časopis za 
pedagogijsku teoriju i praksu, 64(3), 399–410. 
Golež Kaučič, M. (2003). Ljudsko in umetno. Dva obraza ustvarjalnosti [Folk and artifical. Two faces of 
creativity]. Ljubljana: Založba ZRC. 
Golež Kaučič, M. (2005). Folk song today: between function and aesthetics. Traditiones, 34(1), 177–
189. 
Grbec, I. (1954). Pesmarica za osnovna, nižje srednje in strokovne šole. 1.del [Songbook for primary, lower 
secondary and vocational schools. Part 1]. Trst.  
Herzog, G. (1947). Some primitive layers in European folk music. Bulleting of the American Musicological 
Society, 9–10, 11–14. 
Hornbostel, E. M., Abraham, O. (1975[1904]). On the significance of the phonograph for 
comparative musicology. In K. Wachsmann, D., & Christensen, H-P., & Reinecke (Eds.), 
Hornbostel Opera Omnia (pp. 185–202). The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff. 
Jeraj, V. (1921). Iz Ljubljane čez poljane [From Ljubljana across the fields]. Ljubljana: Slovenska matica. 
Josefsson, J., Aronsson, I. (2016). Heritage as life-values: A study of the cultural heritage concept. 
Current Science, 110(11), 2091–2098.  
Kalan, P. (1954). Drobne pesmi. Učiteljiščnikom na pot [Small songs.]. 2. zvezek. Ljubljana.   
Kosi, A. (1907). Venček triglasnih narodnih pesmi za šolo in dom 1 [Collection of three-part folk songs for school 
and home 1]. Ljubljana: samozaložba. Kumar, S. [Ed.] (1924). Otroške pesmi [Children’s songs]. 
Trst: Zveza slovanskih učiteljskih društev v Italiji. 
Kumer, Z. (1996). Vloga, zgradba, slog slovenske ljudske pesmi [The role, structure, and style of Slovenian folk 
song].  Ljubljana: GNI. 
Kunaver, D., Kumer, Z., Ložar-Podlogar, H. (1987). Pesmi in šege moje dežele[Songs and customs from my 
country]. Ljubljana: DZS. 

314 
REVIJA ZA ELEMENTARNO IZOBRAŽEVANJE 
  JOURNAL OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 
 
 
 
Kurikulum za vrtce [Kindergarten Curriculum] (1999). Ljubljana: Ministrstvo za šolstvo. 
List, G. (1963). The boundaries of speech and song. Ethnomusicology, 7(1), 1–6. 
Lukens, R. J. (2007) A Critical Handbook of Children’s Literature (8th Edition). US: Allyn & Bacon. 
Majcen, G. (1888). Šolske pesmi [School songs]. Maribor: samozaložba. 
Majcen, G. (1888). Šolske pesmi[School songs].Tretja stopnja [Third grade]. Maribor: samozaložba 
Mercina, I. (1893). Igre in pesmi [Games and songs]. Ljubljana: Družba svetega Cirila in Metoda. 
Mihelač, L. (2012). Nacionalna identiteta in glasba pri šoloobveznih mladostnikih [The national 
identity and music in young adolescents]. Doctoral thesis, Univerza v Novi Gorici, 
Fakulteta za podiplomski študij, Slovenia. 
Mihelač, L., Wiggins, G. A., Povh, J. (2021). A Computational Approach to the Detection and 
Prediction of (Ir)Regularity in Children’s Folk Songs (submitted). 
Mihelač, L. (2021). (Re)making tradition: the untold story of children’s folk songs in Slovenian 
kindergartens (submitted). 
Ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost in šport. Retrieved from: https://paka3.mss.edus.si/registriw–
eb/SeznamVrtci.aspx?Enote=1 (Accessed: 4
th 
March 2021.) 
Minks, A. (2002). From children’s song to expressive practices: old and new directions in the 
ethnomusicological study of children. Ethnomusicology, 46(3), 379–408. 
Morrison, G. S. (1998). Early childhood education today (7th ed.). Englewoods Cliff, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 
Nedvěd, A. (1866). Pesmi za mladost [Songs for youth]. Dunaj: Cesarska kraljeva založba šolskih bukev. 
Nedvěd, A. (1883). Vaje v petji [Singing exercices]. Dunaj: Cesarska kraljeva založba šolskih bukev. 
Nedvěd, A. (1896). Slavček. Zbirka šolskih pesmi [A collection of school songs]. Tretja stopnja [Third grade]. 
Ljubljana: samozaložba.  
Nettl, B. (1983). The study of ethnomusicology: twenty-nine issues and concepts. University of Illinois Press. 
Nograšek, M., Virant Iršič, K. (2007). Piške sem pasla [songbook]. Ljubljana: DZS, Slovenia. 
Pesek, A. (1994-200). Slovenske ljudske pesmi za otroke 1–4 [Slovenian folk songs for children 1–4]. Ljubljana: 
Mladinska knjiga. 
Rogoff, B. (2003). The cultural nature of human development. New York: Oxford University Press, USA. 
Komavec, M., Šivic, U., Terseglav, M. (2004). Otroška pesmarica (Slovenske ljudske pesmi)[Children’s song 
book (Slovenian folk songs)] 1. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, Slovenia. 
Šivic, U., Terseglav, M., Demšar, D., Kovačič, M. (2006). Otroška pesmarica (Slovenske ljudske 
pesmi)[Children’s song book (Slovenian folk songs)] 2. Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, Slovenia. 
Slovar slovenskega knjižnega jezika. Retrieved from:  https://fran.si/iskanje?FilteredDictionar–
yIds=130&View=1&Query=pesem (Accessed: 4
th 
March 2021.)  
Smallwood, B. A., Haynes, E. F. (2008). Singable Books: Sing and Read Your Way to English Proficiency. 
Berkeley: University of California,  
Statistični Urad RS (2021). Delež otrok, vključenih v vrtce. Retrieved from: https://www.stat.si/St–
atWeb/Field/Index/9–/83 (Accessed: 4
th 
March 2021.)  
Štrekelj, K. (1895–1923). Slovenske narodne pesmi, IV [Slovenian folk songs, IV]. Digitalna knjižnica 
Slovenija. Retrieved from: http://www.dlib.si/details/URN:NBN:SI:doc-U1XDVBQI  
(Accessed: 23
rd 
March 2021.)  
Terseglav, M. (2007). Šolske pesmarice kot možni vir za ljudske pesmi [School songbooks as a 
possible source of folk songs]. Traditiones, 36(2), 7–26. 
Vah Jevšnik, M. (2010). Medkulturna vzgoja in izobraževanje v vrtcu in v prvem triletju osnovne šole. 
Journal of Elementary Education, 3(2/3), 133–141. 
Voglar, M., Milena Nograšek. (2009). Majhna sem bila [songbook]. Ljubljana: DZS, Slovenia.  
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: 
Harvard University Press. 
Wehowski, M. (2019). Education in Habsburg Borderlands: The K.u.K. Staats-Oberrealschule in the 
Austrian Silesian Town of Teschen (1901–1921. In M. Prokopovych, C. Bethke, T. Scheer 
(Eds.), Language Diversity in the Late Habsburg Empire (p. 196–217). Leiden: Brill. 
Zalar, K. (2015). Children’s Folk Music in Primary School. In B. Sicherl-Kafol (Ed.), Contemporary 
Approaches to Music Teaching and Learning. Saarbrücken: Lambert. 

L. Mihelač: The Role of Songbooks in the Preservation of Children’s Folk Songs in Kindergarten 315 
 
 
 
Žgavec, M. (2004). Slovenska ljudska glasba [Slovenian Folk Music]. Glasba v šoli in vrtcu, 9, 3–4. 
Žnidaršič, J. (2016). Ljudska glasba v vrtcu [Folk music in kindergarten]. Vzgojiteljica, 8(6), 14–17. 
 
Author: 
 
Dr. Lorena Mihelač 
coordinator of international projects / head of the departement for Creative music expression/ 
teacher of vocational subjects, School center Novo mesto, SGLVŠ, Šegova ulica 12, 8000 Novo 
mesto, Slovenia, e-mail: lorena.mihelac@sc-nm.si 
koordinator internacionalnih projektov / vodja oddelka za Ustvarjalno izražanje/ prof. strokovnih 
predmetov , Šolski center Novo mesto, SGLVŠ, Šegova ulica 12, 8000 Novo mesto, Slovenija, e-
pošta: lorena.mihelac@sc-nm.si