Name them uke strings
Label and tune the four ukulele strings, learn their names (G, C, E, A), and practice simple finger placements and basic strumming.
Step-by-step guide to name the ukulele strings
Step 1
Sit down at a table and place the ukulele on your lap or on the table with the strings facing up.
Step 2
Look at the four strings and say their names out loud from top to bottom: G C E A.
Step 3
Put a small sticker or a piece of masking tape above each tuning peg in a row.
Step 4
Use the marker to write the letters G C E A on the stickers from the top peg to the bottom peg.
Step 5
Open your tuner app or turn on your clip-on tuner so it is ready to listen.
Step 6
Pluck the top string and turn its tuning peg until the tuner shows G in tune; then pluck and tune the next strings until they read C then E then A.
Step 7
Strum each open string from top to bottom and say its name aloud as you hear it.
Step 8
Place your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the bottom (A) string to make a C chord.
Step 9
Strum down across all four strings four times in a steady beat to hear the C chord clearly.
Step 10
Take a photo or tell a short story about what you learned and share your finished tuning and practice on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have masking tape, stickers, a marker, or a tuner app/clip-on tuner?
Use small squares of sticky notes or painter's tape instead of stickers, a pen or pencil for the marker, and tune using a piano/keyboard, online chromatic tuner, or another tuned instrument as a reference while you pluck each string and turn the peg until it matches G, C, E, A.
My tuner isn't reading the string or the peg keeps slipping when I try to tune—how can I fix it?
Hold the ukulele steady on your lap or table, pluck each string closer to the soundhole as in the tuning step, turn the tuning pegs slowly in small increments, and move your phone mic or use the clip-on tuner until the display clearly shows G, C, E, A.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages or skill levels?
For younger children use colored stickers and have an adult tune while the child says the names and presses the ring finger on the 3rd fret for the C chord, and for older beginners let them operate the tuner app, label the pegs themselves, and add counting beats while strumming the C chord four times as in the practice step.
How can we extend or personalize the activity after tuning and playing the C chord?
Decorate the tape labels or headstock, learn one or two more simple chords to switch with the 3rd-fret C chord and make a 4-beat strummed mini-song, then take the photo or tell a short story and share your finished tuning and practice on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to name and tune the ukulele strings
Ukulele Lesson For Children - Part 1 - Absolute Beginner Series
4 Videos
Ukulele Lesson For Children - Part 1 - Absolute Beginner Series
Ukulele string names and numbers | Ukulele for kids
Ukulele Lesson For Children - Part 2 - Chords - Absolute Beginner Series
How To Play: Ukulele - Lesson 3 (G & Three Little Birds) | The Strings Club
Facts about ukulele basics for kids
🎶 A clip-on electronic tuner or free tuning apps make matching G, C, E, A quick and fun for kids learning to tune by ear.
🤏 Many beginner ukulele chords (like C and F) use just one or two fingers, so children can start playing simple songs fast.
🎵 The standard ukulele tuning is G–C–E–A (GCEA); many ukuleles use a re-entrant high G, while some players prefer a low G for a deeper sound.
🎼 The ukulele grew from Portuguese instruments in 19th-century Hawaii to worldwide fame, and modern players like Jake Shimabukuro boosted its popularity.
🪕 Ukulele strings are usually nylon or fluorocarbon, which are softer on little fingertips than steel strings—perfect for beginners.
How do I teach my child to label and tune the four ukulele strings (G, C, E, A) and practice simple finger placements and strumming?
What materials do I need to help my child label and tune their ukulele strings and practice basic finger placements and strumming?
What ages is the ukulele string labeling, tuning, and beginner strumming activity suitable for?
What are the benefits of teaching children to label and tune ukulele strings and practice simple finger placements and strumming?
One subscription, many ways to play and learn.
Only $6.99 after trial. No credit card required