"Folk music is the music of the people": A Conversation with Irena Eide, Creator of Little Folkies
A gentle conversation about Little Folkies, the four-volume seasonal box set released via Smithsonian Folkways, and the art of listening like a child.
Irena Eide, also known as Rainy Eyes, is a songwriter, educator, and the creator of Little Folkies, a multi-award-winning early childhood folk music program based in San Francisco. This year, Little Folkies released Songs for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, a four-volume box set via Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, bringing together original and traditional folk songs designed for young children and the adults who sing with them.
Rooted in traditional folk, old-time, and bluegrass, the collection pairs gentle string arrangements with movement, play, and shared listening. Each album is accompanied by an interactive songbook, encouraging families to make music together at home.
What makes this project special isn't just the music itself, but the way it invites connection: between children and caregivers, between sound and movement, and between generations.
In this conversation, we speak with Irena about her earliest musical memories, what children understand about the world that adults sometimes forget, and how working closely with young listeners has shaped not only her songwriting but her outlook on life.
Eugenia Roditis, Musicngear: Hi, Irena, welcome to Musicngear! Little Folkies is often a child’s first real encounter with folk music. Do you remember the first musical memory that stayed with you over time?
Hi there! That’s a great question. I write in the introduction to the songbooks that part of the inspiration for the books was one of my earliest memories of sitting in my mother’s lap, flipping through the pages of our big book of (Norwegian) folk songs when I was very young.
I’d pick the songs based on the illustrations, and she would sing me the songs. My mom rebound that song book twice; it was very well-used and it is one of my favorite musical memories.
Musicngear: When you began writing for Little Folkies, did you have a clear sense of the pacing and space these songs would need, or did you discover it while working with young listeners?
It was definitely a combination. The songs just came to me, and I believe the first one was Rocketship.
I was teaching music at a preschool and wanted to write songs that would keep the children engaged and it was an instant hit and inspired me to write more songs like it.
We encourage parents and caregivers to sing with the voice they have and create a safe space where anyone can sing their heart out with no judgement
Musicngear: You’ve organized this collection around the seasons. What do you think children understand about time and change that adults sometimes forget?
I think, in general, children are more in tune and fascinated by the different seasons. Basically, all the things about the seasons we adults tend to see as an inconvenience are a joy for a young child.
In the fall, grown-ups might complain about the rain or having to rake leaves, while children love splashing in rain puddles or jumping in mud or piles of leaves.
In the winter, while we lament about shoveling snow, children enjoy making snowmen, sledding, or having snowball fights.
In the spring, while children marvel at new life and myriad of bugs and insects hatching, or having time off school, running through sprinklers, or going swimming in the summer when it’s hot.
I love seeing the world from a child’s perspective.
Musicngear: Little Folkies invites adults to participate rather than observe. Why was it important for you that parents, caregivers, and teachers be part of the music-making instead of just pressing play?
Folk music is the music of the people, and we encourage parents and caregivers to sing with the voice they have and create a safe space where anyone can sing their heart out with no judgement.
I love seeing both children and adults come out of their shells after a few classes, and as everyone gets more comfortable, the class becomes more and more musical. It’s incredible to witness, and I believe it has changed a lot of people's lives for the better.
Music is healing and we as adults tend to pass down our insecurities to our children. By asking parents and caregivers to do the movement and sing along with the voice they have, they set a positive example and model that music is fun and for everyone, not just trained musicians.
Musicngear: The project blends original songs with traditional folk, old-time, and bluegrass material. What do traditional songs offer young listeners that new songs alone might not?
Oh my gosh, so much! I spent so many years researching and collecting songs for this project, and it became apparent early on that there is this treasure trove of American folk songs for children that most people don’t know about!
Most of the recordings (if there are any) are old, which tends to deter people from listening to them as they are so used to listening to polished modern music with auto-tune and whatnot.
But the traditional songs in the Little Folkies collection are just a few of the hundreds of songs I’ve found and learned over the years, and I just love the lyrics, the play with words, and nonsensical whimsical lyrics.
Often these old songs have heavy subjects like death or lyrics mentioning alcohol or tobacco and these days we tend to censor to protect our children, maybe taking it a little too far, especially when it comes to death being almost taboo, but a fact of life every human will be faced with eventually.
Lyrics like “chugga lugga lugg and a toot toot toot’ or “pickle pickle pickle pickle tickle tickle tickle tickle little sack of sugar i could eat you up” (Woody Guthrie) are just priceless, and you just don’t hear kids' songs like that these days.
They are not just for folk lovers; a lot of people come to class who have never heard about folk music and don’t even know what a guitar is, and they all love these songs just the same. Folk music is for everyone!
Music is healing and we as adults tend to pass down our insecurities to our children
Musicngear: After writing dozens of original songs, how do you know when a song truly "lands" for young ears? Is there a moment it feels complete to you?
It’s when it just comes naturally and effortlessly to me. If I try to force it, it never comes out good.
The Little Folkies songs all came to me when I was doing things that give me inspiration, like going for a hike or walk, gardening, cleaning, or playing with my child.
Musicngear: The box set includes songbooks with movement and activities, turning listening into something physical. What role does the body - movement, gesture, play - have in how children absorb music?
It’s incredible the difference in adding movement to a song, especially for early childhood development and non-verbal children.
The class is an especially multisensorial experience. The songs all have an aural, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic element. They hear the sound of the music, they see the movement, they touch instruments, and they move around with the other participants.
Since the little ones don’t necessarily understand the lyrics to the songs, they learn the song by the movement, the same way they’d read a book by looking at the pictures, and slowly they connect the movement to the lyrics, which also helps reinforce the lyrics and helps them learn words much faster.
I know this music is going to be loved and sung by kids and parents after I die, and that is just an incredible feeling
Musicngear: Do you ever find that your work as Rainy Eyes inspires a song or idea for Little Folkies or vice versa? How do the two worlds feed each other creatively?
Hmmm, I don’t think so. My songwriting process is, in a way, similar. I don’t really force a song; I just write when inspiration strikes, and that has worked well for me so far.
Little Folkies kinda had a life of its own. I had the vision and saw it through, and I don’t know if I’ll ever write a kids' song again, honestly. I wrote the last Little Folkies song in 2016, I believe. I think it was Horses in the Stable, which is one of my favorites.
My kid is all grown up now, he just turned 13, and it’s almost like Little Folkies was this thing I was just a conduit for. I know this music is going to be loved and sung by kids and parents after I die, and that is just an incredible feeling, that I created something that will outlast me.
With Rainy Eyes, that is a different part of me; more raw, honest, and emotional. I am working on a new album and have a ton of unreleased songs. It’s still very much alive in me, and I am so excited to keep honing my craft. And who knows, maybe inspiration will strike again for another Little Folkies collection. But I have a lot of Rainy Eyes songs to write and release first. :)
Musicngear: What has working so closely with very young children taught you about listening, not just in music, but in life?
I think it has helped me appreciate the simple things in life. This world is so full of wonder, and anytime I feel down, I am able to look around and appreciate things we often take for granted - like nature, a beautiful plant, birds singing, or just a cute animal.
I think we, as adults, take life way too seriously. In reality, nobody even knows why we’re here or what we are, but the truth is, we are all made of the same elements. We are all truly special and unique, and life is a gift.
Musicngear: If Little Folkies were to release a song inspired by something kids do that adults find mysterious or funny, what would it be about?
Ha! That is a funny question. When my son Shiloh was just learning to talk, he would make up words, like blueberries were ‘bluebearbabies’ and strawberries were ‘strawbearbabies’. I think it could be cute to write a song with made-up kids' words.
Also, how little kids say hi to everyone on the street, or at a restaurant - I love that. As we get older, we kind of grow a shield that can often disconnect us from others.
But the truth is, we’re not separate, and maybe that could be a cool concept for a song?
Connect with Little Folkies
Website / Facebook / Instagram
More information and purchase details for "Little Folkies: Songs for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter" can be found through Smithsonian Folkways
About Eugenia Roditis
Eugenia's passion for music was ignited from an early age as she grew up in a family of musicians. She loves attending concerts and festivals, while constantly seeking fresh and exciting new artists across diverse genres. Eugenia joined the MusicnGear team in 2012.
Contact Eugenia Roditis at eugenia.roditis@kinkl.com
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