This essay focuses on the survival of older children’s songs, the songs that were composed by the end of the 19th century and still sung today. The purpose has been to explore what circumstances and factors may contribute to the survival and good health of these old songs, and what makes them still well-known today. Childrens songs by the composer Alice Tegnér represent older childrens songs in the essay.  The essay consists of two main parts, the first includes a short biography of Alice Tegnér, and discusses some musical aspects of her compositions for small children. The other main part contains a discussion of how music in the compulsory school may have influenced what songs became known throughout the country, and how this may have contributed to formation of a canon that is still in existence. The essay discusses how the subject music has changed in the schools since public schools were introduced and became compulsory in the mid-19th century, until today, and how this may affect singing and what is being sung.