Schumann originally titled the work "Leichte Stücke" (). The titles for the individual pieces were only added after the music was complete. Schumann described the titles as "nothing more than delicate hints for execution and interpretation". Timothy Taylor has discussed Schumann's choice of titles for this work in the context of the changing situation of music in 19th century culture and economics. In 1974, Eric Sams noted that there is no known complete manuscript of "Kinderszenen".