About FunSongs

What is FunSongs Education?

Founded by the English writer, teacher and composer Charles Goodger, FunSongs action songs are sung and performed by children in schools in many countries. Once students have learned a new song, teachers use the FunSongs worksheets: games, role-plays and language activities to recycle and practice the themes and vocabulary presented in the action song.

Charles Goodger

As well as running FunSongs, he works part-time as an adjunct professor at Bologna University in Italy, active in the Education Sciences department,
Charles has written songs for world famous artists including Al Bano Carrisi and Marina Rebeka. In 2024 he released an album of piano compositions on the Prima Classic label entitled “The Music of Travel.” Charles believes fervently in the power of songs – melody and words – to influence and teach as well as just entertain. Since establishing FunSongs over 20 years ago, he has been invited to speak at international conferences, all over the world, including Russia, China and India. From 2010 to 2016 he was an elected committee member of the UK-based IATEFL Young Learners SIG.

He says: “Our world is undergoing a deep-rooted period of disruption. It is crucial for people from different cultures, backgrounds and generations to listen to each other and to communicate effectively for the good of all.”

Useful and Fun!

If you are an English teacher or a parent – or you just want to help your own child get a headstart in English, you will find our material useful, interesting and above all fun!

Warning!

FunSongs action song packages and e-books are not free. Our intellectual property has value and costs money and time to produce. Please – if you are only looking for free stuff, visit the British Council website or the thousands of other free English song resources on YouTube. However before clicking away, we invite you to consider the quality of our songs and materials. At FunSongs we do not believe in placing kids in front of a screen. Our approach to learning involves expressive dance and movement raher than passive screen watching and fancy animated cartoons.

FunSongs Bilingual Puppets and Action Song Shows

FunSongs Education is also a TIE (theatre in education) company. Its entertaining workshops are staged in schools and theatres. Find out more about FunSongs Shows.

Awards, nominations and comments from teachers

In 2011 FunSongs Education was shortlisted by the British Council and Cambridge English for an ELTons award for innovation and excellence. In 2018 Charles Goodger was nominated for the international Yidan prize for new developments in education by Bologna and Osnabruck Universities.

Read our comments from teachers

Penny Ur

ELT author and luminary famous throughout the world

Normally, I don’t use songs much in the classroom, because I find that students tend to sing along without understanding what they are singing, so the activity doesn’t contribute much to their language learning. In these songs, the actions that go with the songs ensure that everything is meaningful, so it’s a learning, as well as fun, experience.

Prof. Mario Rinvolucri

EFL author, teacher trainer and founder of Pilgrims, UK

In the action songs classroom the learner is aware of enjoying himself and having fun. At an unconscious level the language patterns and regularities are being efficiently absorbed by the learner's mind for later free use. FunSongs is whole body and whole brain learning in which the learner perceives him/herself as doing rather than being done to.

Dr. Tziona Levi

Chief Inspector English Language Education Ministry of Education, Israel

“There is no doubt in my mind that students will benefit from FunSongs. It’s a wonderful program.”

Prof. Dennis Newson

Osnabrück University, Germany

Language learning often takes place most effectively when attention is directed away from the actual linguistic aim. Charles Goodger composes catchy, rhythmical tunes which children love to sing. But Charles is also an ELT specialist as well as a composer so as they sing the children are practising correct idiomatic English. Enthusiastically recommended.

Dr. Nellie Deutsch, Toronto, Canada

After I teach Charles' songs, I walk into the teachers' room singing.

Frank Leusing, father and IT expert

Father of Eliza and CEO of Web Design Riga

"Every day Eliza inserts the FunSongs CD into the computer and dances to the songs. I really must say, they have a very high quality level. Many of them could have been Schlager-Hits in my childhood. Very impressive! We are all experiencing "ear-worm" syndrome!"

Marica Triola

Carducci Primary School Bologna, Italy

My colleagues and I chose FunSongs to come to our school because of the excellent reports we'd heard. We weren't disappointed. Professional acting, singing and teaching, comedy, good action songs and the funny puppets Britty and Itty kept my classes fully involved and learning all the time.

Chiara De Pieri, Venice, Italy

Yesterday FunSongs came to our school to perform the FunSongs Monster Show. It was great! We have lots of material to work on the songs in the show. Very useful.

Elizabeth O’Connell

English Teacher, Paris

I love this material! The songs are much better than the ones in our course book and the worksheets make it easy to integrate the words and language into my course. Permanent Memory Acquisition is guaranteed!

Prof. Oksana Viaggi, Nicosia, Cyprus

I would like to thank Charles Goodger for his action songs Workshop at the IATEFL YL conference in Cyprus. It was the last conference day and the last workshop I was happy to attend. It was the funniest, the most useful and the most enjoyable workshop I've ever participated in.

Prof. Ben Monk

International House, Riga

FunSongs action songs stand out for their beautiful melodies. The graded worksheets are excellent too. Highly recommended.

Prof. Mauro Verde

TESOL, Milan, Italy

This is one of the best ways of teaching young learners new vocabulary and language with the correct pronunciation. Children love to learn and perform these songs.

Raffaela Frigoli, Bergamo, Italy.

On Halloween is the best action song about Halloween ever written. Halloween without it is unimaginable! My classes love performing and singing it.

Rosanna Canova

Spotorno Primary School Liguria, Italy

Today is World Water Day and my students celebrated it with some art activities and the song Water is Everything. It was fantastic!

Maria Teresa Brintazzoli, Bologna, Italy

These workshops at school are a valid opportunity to learn and have fun at the same time. They combine the traditions of puppetry and pantomime with Charles Goodger's catchy action songs. The follow-up material is excellent.

Vita Caice

Laimīte Bērnu Centrs, Riga, Latvia

I recently downloaded The Easter Spring song and my pupils enjoy singing it. I always find these action songs very useful and full of ideas.