PreKandKSharing: SPLASH! Celebrate Spring Singing!

Hi! It’s Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup – and here in Chicago we’ve had a long, cold Winter. I’m jumping for joy for the flowers popping up in my yard (see below) and being able to run around without a down coat, mittens, boots, a scarf and 2 layers underneath! How about you?
Ready to Celebrate Spring?

Rain is falling down....

Though we’ve had terrible tornados recently, we’ve also had lots of gentle rains to coax the grass and flowers along and give our big trees a much-needed drink. In my classes we are singing and dancing our favorite rain songs – and here they are! I’ve also included info about instruments that make the sound of the rain AND a link to my “How to Make a Rainstick” blog! Here we go!

SPLASH!

Hear it HERE, and it’s on my “Sticky Bubble Gum” cd.

Lyrics:

Rain is falling down, SPLASH!

Falling to the ground, SPLASH!

Pitter patter, pitter patter

Rain is falling down,
SPLASH!

This is about as easy and FUN as it gets – my 1 year olds love it – but so do my 4’s and 5’s!

What to do:

Start out sitting tall on your knees, arms stretched up high (top picture.) Wiggle

Pitter patter, Pitter patter!

your fingers as they descend to about chest level, then slap the floor on “SPLASH!” Repeat. Wave wiggly fingers overhead for the pitter-patters, then repeat the first sequence.

For Toddlers – 3’s, repeat several times until the “splash” is in unison. With older children, vary the volume – loud, softer, softest, no sound, just motion.

SINGING IN THE RAIN

Original lyrics by Arthur Freed, melody by Nacio Herb Brown c.1929

Hear it HERE, and it’s on my “Dancing Feet” cd.

Thumbs up, shoulders back, knees together!

Chorus (all sing):

I’m singing in the rain,

Just singing in the rain!

What a glo-ri-ous feeling,

I’m happy again!

Teacher: Thumbs up! (kids echo)

Shoulders back! (echo)

Knees together! (echo)

ALL: Choo-choo, cha-cha,
Choo-choo, cha-cha

Choo-choo, cha-cha!

Repeat Chorus, adding a new move to the list each time:

Bottoms-up!

Tongue out!

Eyes closed.

What to do:

This is an echo song – explain first to the children that “whatever I say and do – you say and do it after me! Let’s practice: thumbs up! (echo) shoulders back! (echo)”.

Demonstrate the chugging motion as you turn in a circle for choo-choo, cha-cha. Then you are ready to start! Stand up! Hands overhead, swaying side to side while singing the chorus.

Tired of Tooty-Ta? Add this one to your repertoire! It’s a winner!

Choo-choo, cha-cha!

My 4’s and 5’s class has always made rainsticks to go with this song – we make tip them back and forth during the chorus, putting them down quickly to do the echo/movement parts! It’s hectic and quick – but fun!

It encourages children to move, sing AND listen!

Check out my May 2012 PreKandKblog for details on how to make excellent rainsticks that will last for years!

Want more rainy songs? Try these:

April 2012 "Rain, Rain Go Away" and "I’m a Little Seed"

June 2014 "Ducks Like Rain"

You may find even more rainy songs on my website’s Song of the Month archive!

There’s also the adorable “Jump in the Puddles”, rhythm-based “The Raindrops are Falling” and “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No More”, all on my “Season Sings” cd!

Large rainstick from Chile!

I recently brought many of the instruments in my “zoo” that make the sound of the rain for my students to listen to and play. Pictured below: rainsticks (Chile), pacay (Peru), shekere (Nigeria), finger cymbals (orchestra), antelope toenail shaker (Africa), spice nut shaker (Indonesia), pellet drum (Mexico), coqui (Puerto Rico) and ThunderTube (Costa Rica). What fun we had hearing all the rainy sounds!