Here We Go Looby Loo!

Here we go Looby Loo!

February chill have you stuck indoors more often? Need an easy circle dance that anyone from toddlers who walk to K’s who need a brain break can do? “Looby Loo” may fit the bill perfectly! Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup here in chilly, finally snowy Chicago where outdoors won’t be happening until the temperature/wind chill creeps above 0!

Though “Looby Loo” is over 100 years old and from English folk tradition, it’s still a favorite in my classes. And btw – if you learned it at Loopty Loo or Loop de Loop – try the original lyric - it’s easier for kids to sing.

"I give my foot a shake shake shake!"

“Looby Loo” is a good first circle dance to teach.  No one falls down at the end (…I’m just sayin’…)  It can be done appropriately slowly with toddlers, or with bounce for older children.  It can be done holding hands, or not. You decide what works best for your group.

Hear it on my Tiny Tunes recording, or watch a bouncy version with my buddy Patty Shukla on YouTube.  Either way you do it, please learn the song (it’s really easy) and sing it – without a recording.  That encourages the children to sing, too.  That’s important!

Lyrics:

Here we go Looby Loo - again!

Chorus:

Here we go looby loo

Here we go looby lie

Here we go looby loo 

All on a Saturday night

Verse:

I put my hand in

I put my hand out

I give my hand a shake shake shake

And turn myself about, Ohhhhh….

Additional verses: foot, head, backside, whole self!

NOTE:  I don’t use “right” and “left” hands/feet because most of the children I work with have not mastered that concept.  Same for “The Hokey Pokey”.

We're leaning in to shake our heads!

The Dance:  Form a circle - I have the children hold hands.  Walk in the circle for the chorus.  Let go of your neighbor's hands for the verses - doing what it tells you to do in the song!  I extend the "Ohhh" at the end of each verse until everyone is holding hands again.  The kids love that part!

Whole self?  Shake Everything!

I’ve been singing this song since I was a child – I actually remember my sister, Mom and I singing it in my living room!  Sometimes the simplest things are the best.  Look at the smiles on the kids’ faces – they don’t (looby) lie!

Put your whole self in!

Summer Looby Loo!

Teacher Looby Loo!

Thanks to the students and Mrs. Frey at St David's Nursery School in Glenview, IL for Looby Loo-ing with me!

Yours for a Looby Loo Song!

“Miss Carole” Stephens

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PSST: Miss Carole is coming to Colorado in July - want a Family Concert at your library or camp? Then she's in Tennessee for the ETSU Early Childhood Conference, then on to the SDE "I Teach K" and "I Teach 1st" in Las Vegas, baby! Hope to see you somewhere along the way!