More
action songs U-Z
Uncle Jesse
Up, down, turn around
Up I stretch on tippy toe
Walk all around
Walk and stop
Way up in the sky
We are woodmen sawing trees
We’ll hop, hop, hop like a bunny
We’re marching in our wellingtons
We’re marching to the drum
What is an insect?
Wheels keep turning
Wiggle and freeze
Wild, wild child
Willum he had seven sons
Wishi ta
With my little broom
You and me and little flea
You can stamp your feet
Last updated: 9/5/2022
10:22 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
·
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.
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Uncle Jesse 🔊
A lively
action / circle game. It’s the beginning of the school year and time
to learn a bunch of new names. This song and game will help you do that
easily and have a lot of fun at the same time. The
movements can be changed or added to. Children make a circle, one child, ‘Uncle
/Auntie Jesse’ walks round the outside as the circle moves round and on ‘now
he/she knows your name’ taps one child on the shoulder. That child walks into
the centre and moves as suggested. Those in the circle can can continue
moving round or imitate the movements. The child in the centre then becomes the new
‘Uncle /Auntie Jesse’. |
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Here comes Uncle / Auntie Jesse, A-ridin’ down the lane, With his/ her horse and buggy, And now s/he knows your name: Come on down! (child’s name), Touch your head, (child’s name), Jump up high, (child’s name) Shake it, shake it down. (child’s name) |
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Up,
down, turn around 🔊
Get moving - one for the beginning and the end of the day. Follow
instructions! |
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Up, down, turn around, Touch the sky and touch the ground. Wiggle your fingers, wiggle your toes, Wiggle your shoulders and say, “Hello! Up, down, turn around, Touch the sky and touch the ground. Jiggle your tummy, blink your eyes, Blow a kiss and wave “Goodbye!” |
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Up I
stretch on tippy-toe 🔊
Move and sing high and low. A game
from ‘This little puffin’. Line 1.
Stretch up high. 2. Bend low to touch heels. 3. Stretch arms high. 4. Bend
knees to curl down low. |
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Up I stretch on tippy-toe, Down to touch my heels I go. Up again my arms I send, Down again my knees I bend. |
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Walk
all around 🔊
This song includes both energetic and
quiet movements plus stillness – the most difficult of all for young
children! It used to be sung as ‘Walk all around, boys’ - ‘kids’ or ‘guys’
would also be gender non-specific. Move (walk, hop, tiptoe etc.) in and out of each other around the
room. When the music stops sit or stand still before setting off again as the
next verse begins. Join together to make a circle as the last verse is sung. |
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Walk all around, now, Walk all around, Walk all around, now, Walk all around. Walk all around, now, Walk all around, Walk all around, now, Walk all around… AND STOP! Jump up and down, now… Tiptoe around, now, don’t make a sound… Stamp on the ground, now… Circle around… |
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Way
up in the sky 🔊
This song can be interpreted in two
ways; as a sentimental action play for todlers and youngsters or in a more
mocking style as in the scouting tradition with exaggerated movements and
loud voices towards the end of the song. Thrown up hands, flywith your hands. Rock cupped hands. Rest head on
hands. Flap left then right crooked arm. Make sleeping action as before.
Whisper SHHH! Shout SLEEPING! Draw a sun, show falling dew with hands and wiggling
fingers. Throw out hands at each ‘good morning’. Open and close thumbs and
forefingers. |
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Way up in the sky, The little birds fly, While down in their nest The little birds rest. With a wing on the left, And a wing on the right, The dear little birds slumber all through the night, SHHH! They’re SLEEPING! The bright sun comes up, The dew falls away, “Good Morning,” “Good Morning.” The little birds say. |
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We
are woodmen sawing trees O
An opportunity for strong
movements. Even more fun in the woods. Investigate the connection between
the wood growing there and the paper we use. Where else is wood used. In the
days when I was a child we made wooden stilts and often grazed our knees
falling off them! Mime the actions suggested by the words |
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We are woodmen sawing trees, Sawing, sawing, sawing trees. We don’t stop for wind or weather, We keep sawing all together; We are woodmen sawing trees, Sawing, sawing, sawing trees. The tree falls down with a great big crash! Now we all will take an axe, And chop and chop with all our might, To get some wood for the fire to light; We are woodmen sawing trees, Sawing, sawing, sawing trees. Watch us carry logs along, As we sing our merry song; Tra la la la la la la, etc. |
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We’ll
hop, hop, hop like a bunny 🔊
This can be played as an action rhyme
moving appropriately round the room or as the hand play below. Music by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1. Make a hopping motion with finger rabbit ears. Fingers run.
Fists thump up and down. Hands jump up and down. Verse 2. Swim with one hand
on top of the other with thumbs out. Cross hands at wrists and flap. Fold
arms then put finger to lips. |
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We’ll hop, hop, hop like a bunny, And run, run, run, like a dog. We’ll walk, walk, walk like an elephant And jump, jump, jump like a frog. We’ll swim, swim, swim like a goldfish, And fly, fly, fly like a bird We’ll sit right down and fold our hands And say not a single word. |
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We’re marching in our wellingtons 🔊
One for the
very young preferably outside on a wet day. If inside use hoops as below. 3rd
verse by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1. & 2. Walk around
the hoops with strong stamping steps. Verse 3. & 4. Wave arm for a trunk. Stamp in and out of the hoops. Stamp to
home base. |
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We're marching in our wellingtons, Tramp, tramp, tramp! We're marching in our wellingtons, We won't get damp! We’re marching in our wellingtons, Step, step, step! Marching in our wellingtons, We won’t get wet! We’re marching just like elephants, Stamp, stamp, stamp! Splashing through the puddles, We want to get damp! Splashing through the puddles, In the rain, rain, rain! Splashing through the puddles, Then splashing home again! |
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We’re marching
to the drum 🔊
Move
to the beat of the drum, sometimes noisily. Some times quietly. 1.
March briskly around 2. Run
in and out of each other, no touching! 3. Bounce around 4. Tiptoe
quietly. 5. Sit and clap to the drum. |
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We’re marching to the drum, We’re marching to the drum, Hi ho the derry oh We’re marching to the drum, And the drum says “STOP!” We’re running round the room… We’re jumping everywhere… We’re creeping silently… We’re sitting on the floor… |
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What is an
insect? 🔊
This
song might help you remember some of the basic facts about insects. Find out
more at https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/animals-and-nature/insects/useful-insects/ 1.
Touch head, chest and tummy each time. 2. Hold up six fingers, point to legs.
3. Put forefingers up to side of head and waggle. 4. Slap body, put hands
over head. 5. Flap elbows, wag finger from side to side. |
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Head and thorax, abdomen, abdomen, abdomen, Head and thorax, abdomen, has each insect! Every insect has six legs, has six legs, has six legs, Every insect has six legs, six legs has each insect! Antennae help them feel and taste, feel and taste, feel and taste, Antennae help them feel and taste, two antennae! Their bodies have an outer case, outer case, outer case, Their bodies have an outer case, it protects each insect. Most insects have two pairs of wings, two pairs of wings, two pairs of
wings, Most insects have two pairs of wings, some don’t have any! |
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Wheels
keep turning O
A little nostalgia written by
Graham Beebee. Some will remember this from BBC or
ABC (1989’) ‘Play school’, others from the LP ‘Bang on a drum’ and yet others
classroom singing from the Apusskidu’ song book published in 1975 by A&C
Black. Discuss different kinds of machines
and how they might move. Move body like a machine with arms working like levers. Then move in
and out of others moving in the same way. |
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Some machines are fun to watch And make a funny sound; With some oil on, they go quieter, That’s what I have found. Up and down the levers go, Pistons to and fro. Motors churning, Brrrm! Brrrm!
Wheels keep turning, Brrrm!
Brrrm! Round and round and round and round And round and round and round. |
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Wild,
wild child 🔊
Use that wonderful energy to dance
and have fun with friends. We all have pent up energy at times
and one way to make the most of it is to dance; dance and move freely
encouraging others to join in. Words and music by Dany Rosevear. Dance freely changing actions as suggested by the words. Dance on your
own and then with others. |
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I’m a wild, wild child When I listen to the music, I’m a wild, wild child When I’m dancing on my feet; I’m a wild, wild child When I’m singing and a-moving; Wild child, wild child, Feel the friendly beat. Come on in! Come on in! There’s a wild child in you When you’ve got that crazy beat! I’m a wild, wild child When I listen to the music, I’m a wild, wild child When I’m clapping with my hands; I’m a wild, wild child When I’m singing and a-moving; Wild child, wild child, Dance because you can. Come on in! Come on in! There’s a wild child in you When you’re dancing with your friends! I’m a wild, wild child When I listen to the music, I’m a wild, wild child When I’m jumping like a clown; I’m a wild, wild child When I’m singing and a-moving; Wild child, wild child, Wave your hands around. Come on in! Come on in! There’s a wild child in you Dance until the sun goes down. |
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Wiggle and freeze O
A lively song
with a cheerful beat by Cathy Bollinger, find more of her songs at:
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I’ve got a wiggle, wiggle, wiggle in my wiggling
feet, And a wiggle, wiggle, wiggle to the wiggling beat, I’ve got a wiggle in my toes, a wiggle in my
knees, And when the music stops… everyone freeze! I’ve got a march, march, march in my feet, And I march, march, march to the beat, I’ve got a march in my toes, a march in my knees, And when the music stops, everyone freeze I’ve got a jump, jump, jump in my feet, And I jump, jump, jump to the beat, I’ve got a jump in my toes, a jump in my feet, And when the music stops… everyone freeze! I’ve got a tiptoe, tiptoe in my feet, And I tiptoe, tiptoe to the beat, I’ve got a tiptoe in my toes, a tiptoe in my
knees, And when the music stops… everyone freeze! I’ve got a hop, hop, hop in my feet, And I hop, hop, hop to the beat, I’ve got a hop in my toes, a hop in my knees, And when the music stops… everyone freeze! |
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Willum
he had seven sons O
A song in the minor key. Move to a
steady beat. This song is probably originally a
Swedish one but I have yet to identify a song in that language. The actions suggested here suit
building a timber house in Sweden or the U.S.A. In the U.K. where brick
houses are more common ‘laying bricks’
would be a good substitution for ‘stacking wood’. Mime actions suggested by the words. |
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Willum he had seven sons Seven sons, seven sons Willum he had seven sons And this is what he did. He sent them out to build a house, Build a house, build a house, He sent them out to build a house, And this is what they did. Number one was chopping wood, Chopping wood, chopping wood, Number one was chopping wood, And that is what he did. Number two jumped up and down… Number three was stacking wood… Number four was hammering… Number five was painting doors… Number six was clapping… Number seven was sleeping… |
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With my little broom O
From ‘New
nursery Jingles’ by Elizabeth Barnard published in 1939. Make large
movements in a big space ending up on the floor with hands to cheek or small
ones, perhaps at bedtime, just using hand movements. Mime actions suggested by the words. |
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With my little broom I sweep,
sweep, sweep; On my little toes I creep,
creep, creep. With my little eyes I
peep, peep, peep; On my little bed I sleep,
sleep, sleep. |
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You can stamp your feet O
Also called
‘The freeze game’. Great for encouraging stillness. It can also be played as
a party game where children are ‘out’ if they move. Mime actions suggested by the words. Older children can freeze as a shape, tree, balloon etc. and see if
others can identify it. |
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You can stamp your feet, You can knock your knees, You can sway… and shake…
and spin… And when the music stops,
you can freeze! You can swing your arms, You can skip along, You can step… and jump…
and hop… And when you’ve had
enough, you can stop! |
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