Can
you hop like a rabbit?
Can
you jump?
Can
you walk on two legs?
Can
you wiggle like a worm
Caterpillar
crawling round
Chee
chee chaw / Singin’ in the rain
Chest,
chest, knee, toe
Chipper
Chopper Joe
Clap,
clap, clap your hands
Clap
your hands and wiggle your fingers
Clap
your hands, slap your knees
Clap
your hands with me
Climb,
climb up Sunshine Mountain
Come
rowing with me
Cranes
reach up
Cuddly
koalas
Last updated: 1/2/2023
10:56 AM
The songs below are part of ‘Away we
go’ Round and about
compiled,
adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear
Return to the ‘Singing games for
children’ home
To listen
to music from these songs click on 🔊
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
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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.
Can you hop like a
rabbit? 🔊 Move like the different animals and learn to stand still; not easy for
the young ones. Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Move in different ways
and then stand very still – don’t move a whisker! |
Can you hop like a rabbit?
Can you jump like a frog?
Can you waddle like a duck?
Can you run like a dog?
Can you fly like a bird?
Can you swim like a fish?
Can you be so very still,
As still as this?
Can you jump? 🔊 An energetic action game; appreciate how we can move in so many
different ways. And be still. Words and music by Dany Rosevear. Move as suggested in small
then larger movements. Sing and move to the last
verse quietly, put hands over head. |
Can you jump? Yes we can!
Like a kangaroo!
Joey jumps, mamma jumps,
Just look what we can do!
Can you hop? Yes we can!
Like robin in the snow.
Little hops, bigger ones,
From left to right we’ll go.
Can you stamp / stomp? Yes we
can!
Like a thundercloud!
Little stamps / stomps, bigger
ones,
First softly then so loud.
Can you swim? Yes we can!
Like a dolphin in the sea.
Up and down and all around,
Come and swim with me.
Can you fly? Yes we can!
Like an eagle in the sky.
Little flaps, great big ones,
Over mountains high!
Can you sit? Yes I can!
As quiet as a mouse.
There’s not one little whisker
twitch,
In my little house!
Can you walk on two
legs O A lively game using the
whole room as a space or the outside if possible. The words tell you what to
do,; children might like to suggest other actions. Written by Lindford Holgate in ‘Playsongs from the Nursery School’. |
Can you walk on two legs, two legs, two legs? Can you walk on two legs, Round and round and round? I can walk on two legs, two legs, two legs, I can walk on two legs, Round and round and round. Can you hop on one leg, one leg, one leg? Can you hop on one leg, Round and round and round? I can hop on one leg, one leg, one leg, I can hop on one leg, Round and round and round. Can you wave with one hand, one hand, one hand? Can you wave with one hand, Round and round and round? I can wave with one hand, one hand, one hand, I can wave with one hand, Round and round and round. Can you wave with two hands, two hands, two hands? Can you wave with two hands, Round and round and round? I can wave with two hands, two hands, two hands, I can wave with two hands, Round and round and round. |
Can you wiggle like a
worm? 🔊 This is one depending on the age of your pupils that you can speed up
each time it is sung; great fun for community occasions. 1. Wiggle body. 2. Wiggle
left then right arm. 3. Flap crossed hands like wings. 4. Crawl low. 5. Finger and thumbs make
make a circle. 6. Stretch arms above head. 7. Clap to left, right then point
to self. 1. Flop body to left then
right. 2. Hop on the spot. 3. Wiggle arms in front like a snake. 4. Shake
body. 5. Flutter hands. 6. Spin round still flapping. 7. Clap to left, right
then point to self. |
Can you wiggle like a worm?
Can you squiggle? Can you
squirm?
Can you flutter? Can you fly
like a gentle butterfly?
Can you crawl upon the ground
Like a beetle that is round?
Can you move with me?
Can you flip? Can you flop?
Can you give a little hop?
Can you slither like a snake?
Can you give a little shake?
Can you dance like bee
Who is buzzing round a tree?
Can you move with me?
Caterpillar ‘bye-‘bye O Originally written by Deanna Hoermann to a simple Hungarian tune,
particularly suitable for young children, in sol-fa: so.so mi.mi/so.so mi/ x3
so.fa me.re do do. She also suggested playing a game where caterpillars crawl
on the floor and on the last line the magpie swoops down and catches a child
who becomes the next magpie. The tune below and last three verses were written by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1: Wiggle forefinger,
put finger to lips, cross hands to make wings and flap, wiggle finger, wave
hand. Verse 2: Make fingers
scuttle for beetle and hands jump for frog Verse 3 as verse 1: Verse 4: Make hand into fist
with first two fingers out for snail then interlace fingers to make hedgehog. |
Caterpillar crawling round,
Trying not to make a sound.
Comes a magpie from the sky;
Caterpillar ‘bye-‘bye!
Bright blue beetle scuttling round,
Trying not to make a sound.
Comes a froggie hopping by;
Bright blue beetle ‘bye-‘bye!
Little pink worm wriggling round,
Trying not to make a sound.
Comes a blackbird from the sky,
Little pink worm ‘bye-‘bye!
Stripy brown snail gliding round,
Trying not to make a sound.
Comes a hedgehog snuffling by,
Stripy brown snail ‘bye-‘bye!
Grasshopper is jumping round,
Trying not to make a sound.
Comes a lizard walking by,
Grasshopper ‘bye-‘bye!
Chee chee chaw /
Singin’ in the rain 🔊 A happy, happy song from the past with community fun thrown in. You will need to play this unaccompanied with young children. 1. Fingers make raindrop,
clap twice, repeat. 2. Throw out hands and place on chest. 3. Clap hands x3.
4. Put up relevant part of body and move or wiggle it to the rest of the
verse. |
I'm singing in the rain, Just singing in the rain, What a glorious feeling, I'm hap-hap-happy again! Thumbs up! Thumbs
up! A-chee-chee-chaw! A-chee-chee-chaw! A-chee-chee-chaw-chaw! X2 I'm singing in the rain… Thumbs up! Thumbs
up! Elbows back! Elbows
back! Feet together! Feet
together! Bum out! Bum
out! Head up! Head
up! Tongue out!
Tongue out! Last
time: I'm singing in the rain, Just singing in the rain, What a glorious feeling, I'm hap-hap-happy again! A-chee-chee-chaw! A-chee-chee-chaw! A-chee-chee-chaw-chaw! X2 |
Chest, chest, knee,
toe 🔊 A simple song until you start using your ‘thinking voice’! 1. Touch each part of the
body as it is sung. 2. Do the same just singing in the head i.e. silently. 3.
Each time ‘chest’ is sung sing in head and toch chest but sing the . 4. Put
up relevant part of body and move or wiggle it to the rest of the verse. |
Chest,
chest, knee toe; Head,
head, chest, chest, Knee,
shin, toe. |
Chipper Chopper Joe 🔊 Aim straight or suffer the
consequences! We all love trees and should plant as many as we can but trees still
need to be managed so others and the environment can thrive. Use percussive instruments to accompany this song. 1. Pretend to chop down trees.
2. Hop on one foot. 3. Continue chopping. |
Chip chop, chip chop, Chipper Chopper Joe, Chip chop, chip chop, Chipper Chopper Joe, One big blow! Ouch! My toe! Chipper Chopper Joe chops wood like so! |
Clap, clap, clap your hands O The lively tune of Old Joe Clarke is a great accompaniment for
energetic movement. Encourage children to suggest their own actions. The actions speak for themselves, continue the movements through the
La las! Alternatively skip round in a circle for the verses make the
appropriate movement for the chorus. |
Clap, clap, clap your hands, Clap your hands together, Clap, clap, clap your hands, Clap your hands together. La la la la la la la, La la
la la la la, La la la la la la la, La la
la la la la. Stamp, stamp, stamp your feet… Shake, shake, shake your hands… Stretch, stretch, stretch up high… Wheels, wheels, wheels go round… Dig, dig, dig the ground… Sing sing sing a song… |
Clap your hands and wiggle
your fingers O Learn the names of different parts of your body and to differentiate
between noisy and quiet movements. The actions speak for themselves! |
Clap your hands and wiggle your fingers, Clap your hands and wiggle your fingers, Clap your hands and wiggle your fingers, We have made a pattern. Tap your knees and rub you tummy, Tap your knees and rub you tummy, Tap your knees and rub you tummy, We have made a pattern. Stamp your feet and nod your head, Stamp your feet and nod your head, Stamp your feet and nod your head, We have made a pattern. Slap your thighs and shake your shoulders, Slap your thighs and shake your shoulders, Slap your thighs and shake your shoulders, We have made a pattern. Thump your fists and wave goodbye now, Thump your fists and wave goodbye now, Thump your fists and wave goodbye now, We have made a pattern. |
Clap your hands, slap
your knees 🔊 Been sitting too long / ready for a new start? It’s time for a big
stretch. Get ready for the next activity; a brief transition action song. Understand opposites; higher and lower, up and down. Follow
instructions. Words and set to music by Dany Rosevear, inspired by a similar Kodaly
song. 1. Clap hands three times
and knees three times. Lift hands and stretch, keep stretching. 2. Stamp feet three times and
thighs three times. Spin arms up high move downwards and sit on floor, arms folded. |
Clap your hands, slap your knees, Hold your hands up high. Keep on stretching, higher, higher, Reach up to the sky. Stamp your feet, slap your thighs, Spin your arms around, Keep on spinning, lower, lower, Sit down on the ground. |
Clap your hands with
me 🔊 You will need to play this unaccompanied with young children Clap, slap etc. with the
words in time to the music. |
Clap your hands (clap, clap, clap, clap) Clap
your hands (clap, clap, clap, clap)
Clap
your hands (clap, clap, clap, clap)
Clap
your hands with me. (clap, clap) Slap
your knees… Click
your fingers… Tap
your toes… Stamp
your feet… |
Climb, climb up
sunshine mountain 🔊 Work together and think positive - a community song which also works
well as an action song for pre-schoolers. 1. Climbing actions, draw
sun and make a mountain with hands. 2. Hands make breeze movements. 3. As
before. 4. Put hands to face. 5. Turn around, fist under
chin. 5. Stretch arms above head. 6. As before. 7. Point to another child and
then self. |
Climb, climb up Sunshine
Mountain
Where little breezes blow,
Climb, climb up Sunshine
Mountain,
Faces all a glow.
Turn, turn your back on
troubles,
Reach up to the skies.
Climb, climb up Sunshine
Mountain,
You and I, you and I.
Come rowing with me 🔊 Row to the gentle rhythm imagining you are in a gently rolling boat on
a calm, beautiful lake. The tune is the old Neopolitan waltz "Vieni Sul Mare" /
"Come to the Sea" Either hold hands with a
partner and move back and forth or do this individually or in lines of 5 or 6
one behind the other. For the seagull verse cross hands at wrists and make
them ‘fly’. |
Come rowing with me,
Come rowing with me,
Floating so peacefully over the
sea,
Come rowing with me.
Sing seagull sing,
Sing seagull sing,
Sing as you fly through the
twilight sky,
Sing seagull sing,
Come boating with me,
Come sail o’er the sea,
Following wavelets that dance
merrily,
Come boating with me.
Cranes reach up 🔊 The cranes in the cities are all still at present resting from their tasks
and set at different angles, visible everywhere; oh for movement! The traditional first two lines will work well for the very young.
Older preschoolers plus may well enjoy the further verses written by Dany
Rosevear. Move outstretched arms with
palms together as suggest by the words. Use fists as in ‘one potato’ for last
two lines of first verse. On last line stand very still. |
Cranes reach up, cranes reach
down,
Cranes reach out and all
around.
Cranes lift left, cranes lift
right,
Building, building, dawn ‘til
night.
Cranes load fast and cranes
load slow,
Bit by bit the building grows.
Cranes reach low, cranes swing
round,
Pick up blocks from off the
ground.
Cranes reach up, to the top,
A heavy load they gently,
gently - drop!
Night is calling, stop the
build,
In the city cranes stand still.
Cuddly koalas 🔊 An Antipodean action song popular in scouting and also with
pre-schoolers. Koalas squat and hug selves.
Possums make rings round eyes with hands. Wallabies and wombats swat
alternate paws. Kangaroos jump up and down with paws in front. Lions and tigers make hands
prowl. Make long neck with arm for giraffe. Swing an elephant trunk with arm.
Make snapping crocodile jaws with both arms. Scratch under left then right
armpit like a monkey. |
Cuddly koalas, cuddly koalas,
Possums too, possums too,
Wallabies and wombats,
wallabies and wombats,
Kangaroos, kangaroos.
Lions and tigers, lions and
tigers,
Giraffes too, giraffes too,
Elephants and crocodiles,
elephants and crocodiles
Monkeys too, monkeys too.
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children’ home