Ducks Like Rain - and I do, too!

A MacSoup Parent/Child class quacking it up!

What do you do when the weather’s wet and you can’t go out?

   “Miss Carole” Stephens  of Macaroni Soup Music here with a musical solution.

  

            BE DUCKS! 

    In “Ducks Like Rain” children pretend to be ducks that quack and waddle – and like the rainy weather – water runs off their feathers!

    I first heard this song on my daughter’s favorite cassette (yes – it’s that long ago!) by Raffi.  As I began my own recording career, I knew I’d want to sing that song with the current generation of children, some whose parents knew Raffi’s work from their childhood. Sadly, the kids I taught did not. 

Father/Son ducks!

   “Ducks Like Rain” was a perfect fit for my second cd – “H.U.M. – Highly Usable Music, All Year Long!”  What better choice for one of April’s songs?!? I scoured the internet to find out who wrote it – Raffi did not - and I found no credit on his recordings.  So, long story short – when I came up empty-handed, I went ahead and recorded it.   It's been a favorite with the under-6 set once again!

    Fast forward 7 years.  In 2010 I received an email from one Franciscus Henri of Australia, saying he was the author and I did not have the necessary paperwork filed (it’s called a mechanical license) to have recorded his song!  I quickly rectified the situation with payment and the required papers, and well, things are just ducky (sorry, had to do it!)  Franciscus is a well-known TV personality Down Under as “Mr. Whiskers!”

    So, let’s get you and your students quacking and waddling, too!  You can use my “H.U.M.” recording, or Raffi’s.  You can “super-size” this song easily by adding books, art projects and other rain songs (see below for ideas.)

First you might want to make Duck Sticks.  Yes, that’s a duck on a stick!  I use yellow poster board with the duck pattern here.  You can get 9 ducks out of one board!  The pattern is on my website’s Song of the Month page for April 2007.  I use packing tape to attach the duck to a 12” dowel.  

Got music?  Got duck sticks?  You’re ready to go!

Lyrics:
Ducks like rain! Ducks like rain!
Ducks like splishy splashing in the rain.
Ducks like rain! Ducks like rain!
Ducks llike the rainy weather
Water running off their feathers
Ducks like splishy splashing in the rain

Quack quack quack quack quack
Quack quack quack quack quack
Quack quack quack quack quack
Quack! Quack! Quack!

(repeat quack series, then do verse again.)

   

    I end with this spoken “DUCKIE COUNTDOWN”.  Stop waddling and face the middle of your circle.  We wave our sticks up and down on each “quack”.  

    As we say the final line, the children quack their way to me and lay their Duck Stick carefully on my hands.  I make eye contact and quack back “thank you!”

I quack "thank you" - they quack back!

One little duck says Quack! Quack! Quack!
Two little ducks say Quack! Quack! Quack!
THREE little ducks say Quack! Quack! Quack! 
And they Quack-Quack all the way home!

    Yes, I sometimes get whacked in the face with a duck - but it's worth it.  I get one-on-one time with each child as they bring in their duck!

    There you go!  If you’re in a drought, at least sing about rain!  If you’re being deluged (it’s been quite wet here in Chicago this Spring/early Summer), sing about rain!  It’s really a three-season subject where I live.

Some of the books I like to read before or after this song include:

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Five Little Ducks (big book) by Penny Ives

The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack & Kurt Wiese

What’s Up, Duck? By Tad Hills

Another song about ducks:

“Little Duckie Duddle” on my “Tiny Tunes”cd – great song for motions!  MAY2008 Song of the Month on my website!

More songs about rain on my “Season Sings” cd:

“Rain, Rain Go Away” – great steady beat activity

“The Raindrops Are Falling” – fast, slow and intermediate rhythms

“Jump in the Puddles” – SOOO much fun!

“It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More!” – super-silly, gets everyone clapping!

Teachers can be ducks, too!

    

    There you go!  If you’re in a drought, at least sing about rain!  If you’re being deluged (it’s been quite wet here in Chicago this Spring/early Summer), sing about rain!  It’s really a year-round subject where I live.

Do you have suggestions for more rain songs or books?  SHARE!

Yours for a Quacky Song!

“Miss Carole” Stephens

Macaroni Soup! Active Music for Active Learners!