A Commonwealth Childhood by Ian B. Wilson
 
A Commonwealth Childhood celebrates songs that children sing throughout the Commonwealth. The songs chosen have been merged into musical collages that make up each of the three movements: Games, Lullabies and Education. The songs are fun to sing and demonstrate that in this divided world there is still much that unites us.
 
The First Movement Games comprises: A Tongan action song called Malimali mai (Smile and be happy); A Canadian ball bouncing song called Are You Coming Out, Sir?; And a Maltese playground game called Ongi Ongi Ongella (Knock, knock on the door).
 
The Second Movement Lullabies comprises: A lovely Scottish lullaby called Dream Angus; A Bangladeshi lullaby called Rona Nahi (Don’t cry); And a Sowetan lullaby called Thula Baba (Keep quiet my child).
 
The Third Movement Education comprises: A famous Ghanaian children’s chant similar to Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes which teaches about the parts of the body; A beautiful Maori children’s song from New Zealand called E Toru Nga Mea (There are three things); And ends with the English counting song When I was one.