MUSIC & EDUCATION · 2025
Hayya Bina Nalaab
Let’s Play
A children’s album with traditional Turkish melodies, lyrics and vocals by Wael Salah, and Arabic singing activities for classroom and home.
Five songs offer a starting point for singing, learning and conversations about family, homeland and friendship.
An educational starting point
This project brings traditional Turkish melodies together with Arabic lyrics written and sung by Wael Salah as part of his work in Arabic music education for children. Teachers and parents can use listening and shared singing as a starting point for Arabic expression, attention and participation, connecting activities to everyday experience rather than treating them as a performance test.
Drawing on his teaching experience, Wael reports that using these songs has supported children’s participation in singing and Arabic expression, and exploration of family, homeland and friendship. This reflects his educational experience, not a statistical study or clinical assessment.
Tracks · suggested teaching applications
The activities below are classroom suggestions for this page, not documentation of particular exercises Wael used or outcomes he measured. Teachers should listen first, choose suitable passages and pitch, and adapt the activity to their group.
Hayya Bina Nalaab — Let’s Play
Suggested vocal activity: After listening, choose a short passage. The teacher models it; children echo in turn, using a comfortable voice.
Value to explore: Cooperation, friendship and respecting others’ turns.
Lyrics · Arabic / transliteration / English translation
هَيَّا بِنَا نَلْعَبْ
Hayyā binā nalʿab
Come, let us play,
أَسْفَلَ تِلْكَ الشَّجَرَةِ
ʾAsfala tilka sh-shajarati
Beneath that tree.
نَمْرَحُ نَرْكُضُ نَلْهُو
Namraḥu narkuḍu nalhū
We frolic, we run, we play,
نَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا الثَّمَرَةَ
Naʾkulu minhā th-thamarata
We eat the fruit it bears.
ظِلُّهَا ظَلِيلٌ
Ẓilluhā ẓalīlun
Its shade is deep and sheltering,
وَرْدُهَا جَمِيلٌ
Warduhā jamīlun
Its blossoms are beautiful.
مَا أَحْلَاهَا لَيْلَ نَهَارَ
Mā ʾaḥlāhā layla nahāra
How lovely it is, night and day,
أَسْفَلَ تِلْكَ الْقَمَرَةِ
ʾAsfala tilka l-qamarati
Beneath that moon.
لَا نُؤْذِهَا بِالْإِصْرَارِ
Lā nuʾdhihā bi-l-ʾiṣrāri
Let us not stubbornly harm it,
بِرَمْيِ هَذِهِ الصَّخْرَةِ
Bi-ramyi hādhihi ṣ-ṣakhrati
By throwing this rock.
نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى الْخَضَارِ
Naḥtāju ʾilā l-khaḍāri
We need greenery,
لِجَمَالِ الزَّهْرَةِ
Li-jamāli z-zahrati
For the beauty of the flower.
الْجَوُّ عَلِيلٌ
Al-jawwu ʿalīlun
The air is pleasantly fresh,
الْفَرْعُ طَوِيلٌ
Al-farʿu ṭawīlun
The branch is long.
نُحِبُّ كُلَّ الْأَشْجَارِ
Nuḥibbu kulla l-ʾashjāri
We love all the trees,
مَا أَطْيَبَ الثَّمَرَةَ
Mā ʾaṭyaba th-thamarata
How delicious the fruit is!
Abbi Oummi — My Father, My Mother
Suggested vocal activity: Speak the title clearly, then gently sing it on a comfortable note before returning to the recording.
Value to explore: Gratitude to parents or caregivers, with respect for different family circumstances.
Lyrics · Arabic / transliteration / English translation
أَبِي أُمِّي أُسْرَتِي
ʾAbī ʾummī ʾusratī
My father, my mother, my family,
قَمَرٌ أَنْتُمْ فِي رِحْلَتِي
Qamarun ʾantum fī riḥlatī
You are a moon on my journey.
أَلْقَى مَعَكُمْ دُنْيَتِي
ʾAlqā maʿakum dunyatī
With you I find my world,
تُمْحَى أَحْزَانِي وَوَحْدَتِي
Tumḥā ʾaḥzānī wa-waḥdatī
My sorrows and loneliness are erased.
طَرِيقِي يَكُونُ بِكُمْ مُضِيئًا
Ṭarīqī yakūnu bikum muḍīʾan
With you, my path is bright,
وَاثِقٌ دَوْمًا فِي خُطْوَتِي
Wāthiqun dawman fī khuṭwatī
I am always confident in my steps.
شَيْءٌ صَغِيرٌ لِمَحَبَّتِي
Shayʾun ṣaghīrun li-maḥabbatī
A little token of my love,
إِنَّكُمْ جَوْهَرُ فَرْحَتِي
ʾInnakum jawharu farḥatī
You are the essence of my joy.
أُمِّي أَنْتِ غَالِيَتِي
ʾUmmī ʾanti ghāliyatī
Mother, you are my precious one,
أَبِي لَمْ تَبْخَلْ فِي رِعَايَتِي
ʾAbī lam tabkhal fī riʿāyatī
Father, you never held back in caring for me.
مَهْمَا قُلْتُ فَلَنْ أُوفِيَ جَمِيلًا
Mahmā qultu fa-lan ʾūfiya jamīlan
No matter what I say, I cannot repay a kindness,
مُصَاحِبًا لِي فِي قِصَّتِي
Muṣāḥiban lī fī qiṣṣatī
That accompanies me through my story.
Mawtani Al-Habib — My Beloved Homeland
Suggested vocal activity: Choose a suitable short phrase from the song; speak its words clearly before singing without raising the voice.
Value to explore: Love of homeland and care for shared places.
Lyrics · Arabic / transliteration / English translation
مَوْطِنِي الْحَبِيبُ
Mawṭinī l-ḥabību
My beloved homeland,
شَمْسٌ لَا تَغِيبُ
Shamsun lā taghību
A sun that never sets,
شَامِخٌ مَهِيبٌ
Shāmikhun mahībun
Lofty and majestic,
يَحْفَظُ الْغَرِيبَ
Yaḥfaẓu l-gharība
It protects the stranger.
عِلَاجٌ وَطَبِيبٌ
ʿIlājun wa-ṭabībun
A remedy and a physician,
جَوُّهُ عَجِيبٌ
Jawwuhu ʿajībun
Its climate is wondrous.
مِنَ الْكُلِّ قَرِيبٌ
Mina l-kulli qarībun
It is close to everyone,
لَا يَعْرِفُ الْعَيْبَ
Lā yaʿrifu l-ʿayba
It knows no disgrace.
الْأَصْلُ وَالطِّيبُ
Al-ʾaṣlu wa-ṭ-ṭību
Noble roots and goodness,
يَا إِمَارَاتُ
Yā ʾImārātu
O Emirates!
حَتَّى الْمَشِيبِ
Ḥattā l-mashībi
Even into old age,
نِدَاءَهُ أُجِيبُ
Nidāʾahu ʾujību
I answer its call,
بِصَدْرٍ رَحِيبٍ
Bi-ṣadrin raḥībin
With an open heart.
أَمْشِي عَلَى اللَّهِيبِ
ʾAmshī ʿalā l-lahībi
I walk upon the flames,
أُرِيدُ فَتُجِيبُ
ʾUrīdu fa-tujību
I wish, and you respond.
حُسْنُكَ رَهِيبٌ
Ḥusnuka rahībun
Your beauty is awe-inspiring,
جَيْشُكَ رَقِيبٌ
Jayshuka raqībun
Your army stands watch,
لِلْوَقْتِ الْعَصِيبِ
Li-l-waqti l-ʿaṣībi
For times of hardship.
رَعَاكَ اللَّهُ
Raʿāka llāhu
May God protect you,
يَا إِمَارَاتُ
Yā ʾImārātu
O Emirates!
Yabda’u Yawmi — My Day Begins
Suggested vocal activity: Agree on a start and stop cue, then sing a short passage together in response to it.
Value to explore: Initiative, daily routines and listening to others.
Lyrics · Arabic / transliteration / English translation
يَبْدَأُ يَوْمِي كُلَّ يَوْمٍ
Yabdaʾu yawmī kulla yawmin
My day begins each day,
بِالنَّشَاطِ وَالْعَمَلِ
Bi-n-nashāṭi wa-l-ʿamali
With energy and work.
أَسْتَعِدُّ لِلذَّهَابِ
ʾAstaʿiddu li-dh-dhahābi
I get ready to go,
مُقْبِلًا نَحْوَ الْأَمَلِ
Muqbilan naḥwa l-ʾamali
Turning towards hope.
أَدْعُو دَوْمًا لِلْإِلَهِ
ʾAdʿū dawman li-l-ʾilāhi
I always pray to God,
أَنْ يَحْفَظَ لِي الْآبَاءَ
ʾAn yaḥfaẓa lī l-ʾābāʾa
To keep the fathers safe for me.
دَوْمًا أَعْمَلُ بِاجْتِهَادٍ
Dawman ʾaʿmalu bi-jtihādin
I always work diligently,
سَاعِيًا نَحْوَ الْقِيَمِ
Sāʿiyan naḥwa l-qiyami
Striving towards values.
الْعِلْمُ بَابُ النَّجَاحِ
Al-ʿilmu bābu n-najāḥi
Knowledge is the gateway to success,
وَالْفَلَاحِ وَالنَّهَلِ
Wa-l-falāḥi wa-n-nahali
And flourishing and drinking deeply (of knowledge).
الْإِرَادَةُ وَالْإِصْرَارُ
Al-ʾirādatu wa-l-ʾiṣrāru
Willpower and determination,
دَائِمًا أَفْضَلُ هَدَفٍ
Dāʾiman ʾafḍalu hadafin
Are always the finest goal.
Shams An-Nahar — The Sun of Day
Suggested vocal activity: Listen to a selected passage, then try singing it gently after a natural breath, pausing whenever needed.
Value to explore: Noticing nature and sharing something beautiful about the day.
Lyrics · Arabic / transliteration / English translation
يَوْمًا غَابَتْ شَمْسُ النَّهَارِ
Yawman ghābat shamsu n-nahāri
One day, the daytime sun disappeared,
يَا تُرَى كَيْفَ الْأَخْبَارُ
Yā turā kayfa l-ʾakhbāru
I wonder, what is the news?
الْيَوْمُ بِالْمَطَرِ مَلِيءٌ
Al-yawmu bi-l-maṭari malīʾun
Is the day full of rain,
أَمْ سُحُبٌ تُخْفِي الْأَسْرَارَ
ʾAm suḥubun tukhfī l-ʾasrāra
Or clouds concealing secrets?
بِالْمَطَرِ الْخَيْرُ وَفِيرٌ
Bi-l-maṭari l-khayru wafīrun
With rain, goodness is abundant,
بِاللَّهِ حُسْنُ التَّقْدِيرِ
Bi-llāhi ḥusnu t-taqdīri
Through God comes wise design.
كَوْنٌ بِهِ جُلُّ الْأَسْرَارِ
Kawnun bihi jullu l-ʾasrāri
A universe holding most of the mysteries,
أَرْضٌ سَمَاءٌ وَالْأَنْهَارُ
ʾArḍun samāʾun wa-l-ʾanhāru
Earth, sky and rivers.
يَطِيرُ الطَّائِرُ فِي الْمَسَارِ
Yaṭīru ṭ-ṭāʾiru fī l-masāri
The bird flies along its path,
لِيُزَيِّنَ تِلْكَ الْأَشْجَارَ
Li-yuzayyina tilka l-ʾashjāra
To adorn those trees.
شُكْرًا رَبِّي لِهَذِهِ الدَّارِ
Shukran rabbī li-hādhihi d-dāri
Thank you, my Lord, for this home,
وَطَنِي الْغَالِي النَّوَّارُ
Waṭanī l-ghālī n-nawwāru
My dear, blossoming homeland.
For teachers and parents
- Listen first and choose one song and a short passage suited to the group; there is no need to sing the whole album.
- Discuss the title and invite an everyday connection without requiring personal disclosure.
- Model gently and allow listening instead of singing. Adapt pitch and activity length to comfort; stop at fatigue or discomfort.
- Close with a simple reflection: which word became clearer, and how did we cooperate? Avoid comparing children’s voices.
Listen to the album
External Spotify player, without autoplay. Cookies, an account or regional availability may affect playback. If it does not load, use the direct link.
Release details
- Released
- 2 August 2025
- Melodies
- Traditional Turkish melodies
- Lyrics and vocals
- Wael Salah
- Production
- Arabic Music Institute – Dubai
- Platform artist name
- waelali
- UPC
- 199508441160
Arabic kindergarten music lesson plans — ready-to-teach Arabic songs and activities for kindergarten teachers, from Wael’s Arabesque.