Nursery favourites

85. Alice the camel

86. Ha ha this away

87. Wind the bobbin up

88. Aeroplanes, aeroplanes

89. Kangaroo Brown

90. The bear went over the mountain

91. Bobby Bingo

92. Tiny Tim

93. My pigeon house

 

Last updated: 06/02/2013 13:55

 

The songs below are part ofAway we go’ Round and about

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

 

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To listen to music from these songs click on title at O

 


To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

 

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

 

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

·       you must give the original author credit

·       you may not use this work for commercial purposes

·       for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work

·       any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

 

Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.


 

 

85. Alice the camel O

 

As subservient beasts of burden for thousands of years, Alice the camel thinks it is time for even-toed ungulates to dance however many humps they may be carrying.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpoqrvTLc8M

 

A challenging song for young children, despite the simple words, as co-ordinated singing and actions are needed with counting down from five or even ten. Practice however will make perfect or at least confident. Initially play the game with children standing still in a circle using their fingers to show the number of humps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Alice the camel has, five humps,

Alice the camel has, five humps,

Alice the camel has, five humps,

So ride, Alice, ride.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

1-2-3-4

 

Alice the camel has, four humps, x3

So ride, ride, ride, Alice, ride.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

1-2-3

 

Then: three humps / two humps / one hump

 

Last verse:

Alice the camel has, no humps, x3

As Alice is a horse – of course!

Everyone stands in a circle as close as possible with hands on their neighbour’s shoulder or behind their backs. Older children could walk sideways round the circle. Bob knees at each number sung.

 

 

Gently (!) bump hips against each other for each ‘BOOM!’

Chant numbers slowly bobbing knees

 

 

 

 

 

shiloh20028
 

 

 

 


 

 


86. Ha, ha this away O

 

You can be anything you like in this song: animals, Halloween creatures, musicians.

For more challenge introduce directions such as: ‘jump left this away’ ‘jump right that away’.

 

Listen to Leadbelly sing the original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgicvAZ4D1A&feature=related

 

Stand ready to move into spaces around the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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When I was a young child, a young child,

a young child,

When I was a young child, jump, jump, jump.

When I was a young child, a young child,

a young child,

When I was a young child, jump, jump, jump.

 

Ha, ha this away, ha, ha, ha that away,

Ha, ha this away, ha, ha, ha!

 

When I was driver... brmm, brmm, brmm....

 

When I was a farmer....dig, dig, dig......

 

When I was a teacher..... me oh my!

 

When I was a cobbler.....tap, tap, tap

 

When I was a carpenter.....saw, saw, ssw

 

When I was a drummer....boom, boom, boom....

 

Walk round them room and jump three times the change direction.

 

Jump to the right, to the left, backwards and forwards three times.

 

As above with a new action for each verse.

 

 


 

 


87. Wind the bobbin up O

 

Look out for the American version ‘Wind, wind, sugar baby’ in one of

the ‘Wonderful world’ collections. Here is the familiar and simpler

version sung in English speaking nurseries around the world.

 

Watch  it being sung to teach English in a Catalan class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5Jxvcb4I0c&feature=related

 

Play either individually or with a partner making sure there is plenty of room for vigorous movement.

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Wind the bobbin up, wind the bobbin up,

Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap!

Wind the bobbin up, wind the bobbin up,

Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap!

 

Point to the ceiling, point to the floor,

Point to the window, point to the door,

Clap your hand together, one two, three,

Put your hands upon your knees.

 

Wind it back again, wind it back again,

Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap!

Wind it back again, wind it back again,

Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap!

Roll arms in one direction.

Pull fists apart twice and then make three claps.

 

Follow actions suggested by the words.

 

 

 

 

Roll arms in the opposite direction

Pull fists apart twice and then make three claps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

88. Aeroplanes, aeroplanes O

 

This nursery favourite of many decades was originally adapted from a children’s poem by Barbara Ireson. Make your own adaptations to accommodate other forms of transport; tractors, trains, diggers.

 

Watch this video from the excellent Songbox collection: http://www.muzu.tv/kidsmusic/songbox-vol-4-aeroplanes-aeroplanes-music-video/743751

 

Make sure you have a calming down method available as this is a lively game can and children can become very excitable.

Let children take it in turns to be the airport controller with a red/green lollipop sign; when it shows red children must be ready to land and rest. With outstretched wings they will need to understand how to make the best use of space so there are no accidents!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Aeroplanes, aeroplanes, all in a row.

Aeroplanes, aeroplanes, ready to go.

Engines so noisy they make a loud hum. Zzzzzz!

 

Now they are working so join in the fun.

Watch how they’re flying way up in the sky,

Aeroplanes, aeroplanes, flying so high.

 

Crouch down to the floor.

 

Make sound of the engine increasing in volume.

 

 

Stretch out arms like wings and run swooping up and down around the room.

 


 

 

89. Kangaroo Brown O

 

Jump to Australia in this energetic workout with a simple rhythm. Try singing at different speeds with leisurely long jumps for a tired kangaroo or fast little ones as Kangaroo Brown hurries off to town.

 

Watch a rather bizarre animated video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqzCe5TkP0w

 

Younger children can move individually to the music. Older ones can synchronize actions with those of a partner.

 

Verse two and three added by Dany Rosevear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Jump, jump, Kangaroo Brown!

Jump, jump, jump off to town!

Jump, jump, up hill and down!

Jump, jump, Kangaroo Brown!

 

Hop, hop, Hippetty Hare!

Hop, hop, hop up in the air!

Hop, hop, hop here and there!

Hop, hop, Hippetty Hare!

 

Bounce, bounce, Wallaby Woo!

Bounce, bounce, to Kalamazoo!

Bounce, bounce, can we come too?

Bounce, bounce, Wallaby Woo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 


 

 

90. The bear went over the mountain O

 

March around the room singing this song. Pause each time the long word “mountain” is sung, gradually making a stretchy mountain shape with hands above the heads and feet on tiptoes. Put hands to eyes and look from side to side on the words “to see”. Then continue marching round the room.

Sung to the tune of “For he’s a jolly good fellow”, these words can be added to follow up the first verse. Join up in pairs, marching side by side, with arms on shoulders or waist, round the room. Skip round on the spot for “Which nobody can deny”.

 

Encourage children to make up additional verses with appropriate actions: the bear went “into the forest”, “down to the river”, “off to the seaside”.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwItV8IZ9ls&feature=related

http://www.gfes.tpc.edu.tw/board/abc-song/ will take you to a Flash player where you will find a cheerful video of this song

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 


91. Bobby Bingo O

 

Sung as an adult comic song in the 18th century and later at harvest suppers, by the end of the 19th century it had been turned into a children’s game.

A popular version of this song involves clapping the letters. At each singing a letter is missed out, until the last but one where all letters are clapped rather than sung. A rousing final verse is sung with all letters re-instated

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIuEtkRpwLM&feature=related

 

Make three class circles with a child in the middle of each.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


There was a farmer had a dog,

His name was Bobby Bingo,

There was a farmer had a dog,

His name was Bobby Bingo;

B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O,

His name was Bobby Bingo.

 

Skip clockwise round the child in the middle who skips anti clockwise inside the circle.

 

Child in the centre points round the circle for each letter. The one landed on with last ‘O’ becomes the new child in the middle.

As confidence grows each child sings the letter solo in sequence round the circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

92. Tiny Tim O

 

Great as a skipping game, with three children entering the swung rope to ‘In came...’ and the retiring on the words ‘Out went...’ It is also fun played as a playground clapping game.

 

Watch at; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM-ohj49-0Y

 

In the game below mime actions in groups of five.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I had a little brother,

His name was Tiny Tim,

I put him in the bathtub,

To see if he could swim,

He drank up all the water,

He ate up all the soap,

He tried to eat the bathtub,

But it got stuck in his throat.

 

Bubble, bubble, bubble,

Bubble, bubble, bubble,

Bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble, POP!

Call for the doctor,

Call for the nurse,

Call for the lady with the alligator purse.

In came the doctor,

In came the nurse,

In came the lady with the alligator purse.

 

‘Mumps!’ said the doctor,

‘Measles!’ said  the nurse,

‘Chickenpox!’ said the lady with the alligator purse.

Out went the doctor,

Out went the nurse,

Out went the lady with the alligator purse.

 

 


 

 

93. My pigeon house O

 

Grandparents from many countries including Romania, Scandinavia, Spain, Russia and Ireland and have sung versions of this beautiful lullaby to send young children to sleep. In Germany this traditional tune is known as ‘Muss I Den’ and was popularised by Elvis

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q00fe_Uj_nM

 

Play as below or spread around the room with all children miming the movements of the pigeons. Half the class form a circle, the others ‘the pigeons’ stand in the centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I open up my pigeon house,

And I set all my pigeons free.

They fly around on every side,

‘Til they perch on the highest tree.

And when they return from their merry, merry flight,

They close their eyes and they say, ‘Good night’.

Coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, Coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, coo coo. x 2

 

I open up my pigeon house, pigeon house,

And I set all my pigeons free.

They fly around and up and down, up and down,

‘Til they perch on the highest tree.

And when they return from their merry, merry flight,

They turn on the light and they dance all night.

Coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, Coo-oo coo, coo-oo coo, coo coo. x 2

The circle walks gently round then makes tall arches. The pigeons fly out and twirl high and low around the outside, finally standing on tippy toes. The circle re-opens the ‘doors’ so the pigeons can enter and settle down to sleep hands to cheek.

 

As before but pigeons finish by dancing in pairs in the centre of the circle.

 

Swap roles.

 

 

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