soittolaulu

Soittolaulu is a Finnish term that literally translates to “play song” (soittaa meaning to play and laulu meaning song). It is not a fixed genre in the Finnish music canon, but a functional label used in some contexts to describe songs intended to accompany playing, instruction, or participatory activity rather than purely listening.

The term commonly appears in early childhood education and informal teaching contexts, where soittolaulut are selected to encourage movement, rhythm, and instrument-playing. In practice, they tend to have simple melodies and repetitive structures, with lyrics that describe actions or motions such as clapping, tapping, or following a beat. The goal is to promote active participation, coordination, and social interaction among participants.

Soittolaulu differs from listening-oriented song categories and from the concept of a soittolista (playlist). It is more about the function of the music in an activity: a song chosen to accompany playing or to facilitate a musical exercise, rather than a track intended solely for solitary listening.

See also: Finnish music education, children’s songs, early childhood music, soittolista. Notes: because soittolaulu is not a widely standardized term, its usage can vary by educator, publisher, or community. When encountering the term in a specific text, the intended meaning should be inferred from context or sources cited in that context.