It’s Summer, and
children can keep moving indoors, outdoors and in-between! Miss Carole from Macaroni Soup
here, and I’m gonna keep it short and sweet this month. Here are three songs that work well in all
environments to keep children 2-6 stretching their bodies, using their voices,
making social connections, listening and growing.
Aw heck – let’s get
singing!
Here we go 'round the Mulberry Bush! |
MULBERRY BUSH This traditional
singing game is great for Toddlers through Pre-K students. Done as a circle game you can add in or
substitute whatever activities are appropriate for the children with whom you sing.
Start out making a circle – we hold hands, but you can also walk
in a circle without hand-holding. As you
sing the chorus, walk to the right.
CHORUS:
Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush
Here we
go ‘round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning!
Stop
walking. Do an activity: put on our clothes, brush our teeth, walk
outside or:
Verse: This is the way we wash our hands
Wash our hands, wash our hands
This is the way we wash our hands
So early in the morning!
Brush our teeth! |
The Mulberry Bush is a very
simple song that gets everyone moving, singing and co-operating! If you
don’t know the tune, go to my July 2009 Song of the Month page at my website
and hear it there, or find all today’s songs on my cd: “Dancing Feet!”
ONE FINGER, ONE THUMB
I just love add-on songs – and this one
tickles childrens’ funny bones! Grow the
list of additional movements as long as you’d like – and can remember! With pre-k I usually stop at 5 different
movements, K’s can go to 6 or more!
One finger, one thumb keep moving
Keep moving, keep moving
One finger, one thumb keep moving
And chase the flies away!
Open and
close the finger and thumb on each hand, pincer style, then sweep hands from
side to side in front of body to “chase the flies away!” Repeat song, adding:
One finger, one thumb, your feet keep
moving
Keep moving, keep moving
One finger, one thumb, your feet keep
moving
And chase the flies away!
Chase the flies away - with style! |
Now
we’re moving! I love to get to “One
finger, one thumb, your feet, your arms, your head, get down/stand up keep
moving” – but take suggestions from the students! They may add their bottoms, elbows, knees,
eyes, shoulders – whatever they can move!
I love this old song – yup, it’s on “DancingFeet”, too, and it was a “Song of the Month” on my website in September 2009.
SKIP TO MY LOU
You might already know the tune – it’s been
sung for almost 100 years! Here’s my
version for 4 – 7 year olds. It’s a
combination dance: circle (for skipping) and partner (clapping and 2-hand swing.)
Start out
skipping in as big a circle as space allows – it’s great outdoors!
Part One: Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip, skip, skip to my lou, my darlin’!
Part Two: Lost my partner, what’ll I do? (4 times, my darlin’!)
Put
hand to forehead in “looking” gesture, walk around to find a partner by the end
of the verse.
Part
Three: I’ll find another one, how about
you? (4 times, my darlin’)
Join
hands with partner, 2-hand swing!
Part
Four: Circle with your partner, skip to
my lou!
(4 times, my darlin’)
Repeat
all four parts in sequence at least one more time – we usually do the
whole sequence three times! In just one
activity, you get listening skills, social interaction, gross-motor skills, pattern,
sequence, singing and FUN!
Walk this one through several times before
you present it to your kids – know the sequence. I guarantee you’ll be winded at the end of
this one!
That’s
all, folks! Enjoy the summer – hope to
see you in a workshop, Family Concert or class this Fall!
Yours For
a Song AND Dance!
"Miss Carole" Stephens
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