For the very young A-C

Adios amigos

All around the daffodils

All my little ducklings

Andy Pandy, sugar and candy

Animal babies

Baby, baby clap your hands – two rhymes

Baby goes boom-boom

Ball rolling

Bibbidi bobbidi boo

Blowing bubbles (2)

Bubbles in the air

Button up!

Call the tooth fairy

Can you walk on tiptoe?

Circle of the sun

Clap your hands little Andrew Brown

Clap your hands together like this

Come sleepyheads

Cows in the kitchen

Crackers and crumbs

Cuckoo! Cherry tree

Last updated: 4/22/2021 10:40 AM

These songs are nursery rhymes and other traditional songs compiled, illustrated and music arranged by Dany Rosevear.

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To listen to music from these songs click on 🔊

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

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Adios, amigos 🔊

Finish the day with a simple song to sing in both Spanish and English.

1. Count in with fingers. 2. Wave with right then left hand. 3. Wave with both hands. Throw out hands.

Uno, dos, tres!

Adios, amigos,

Goodbye, my friends.

Hasta la vista,

‘Till we meet again.

All around the daffodils 🔊

A simple circle game for Spring.

Children hold raised hands in a circle to form arches. One child holding a daffodil weaves in and out of the windows. When ‘Just choose me!’ is sung, they take the hand of the closest child and both continue weaving in and out of the windows. The song is repeated until all the children are holding hands in a long line; the leader then makes a bridge against the wall and everyone goes through.

All around the daffodils,

One, two, three,

If you want to find a friend,

Just choose me!

All my little ducklings O

A traditional German song - Alle meine Entchen.

The words are loosely translated to fit the music rather that an exact match,

1. Squat and make a duck’s tail with hands behind back. Bob forwards – losing balance is part of the fun!

2. Fly like doves and make a roof over your head with hands.

3. Shuffle like chickens with feet in the straw and peck at the grain

4. Goslings walk in a single file round the room and make a round belly with the hands.

All my little ducklings,

Swimming here and there,

Heads are in the water,

Tails are in the air.

All my little doves are,

Cooing in their nest,

One flies off into the air,

Followed by the the rest.

All my little chickens,

Scratching in the straw,

Find some grain, peck-a-peck,

Happy chicks once more.

All my little goslings,

Waddling in a line,

Waddlinge in a line,

Fluffy, round and perfect,

Every one is mine^..

Alle meine Entchen,

Schwimmen auf dem See,

Köpfchen in das Wasser,

Schwänzchen in die Höh.

Andy Pandy, sugar and candy 🔊

A simple circle game for the very young.

Learn to move together in a circle and synchronise actions.

Each time walk round in a circle holding hands. On ‘down’ drop with bent knees. On ‘up’ jump up. On ‘in’ move into the circle. Move round in a tight circle! On ‘out’ move back out.

Andy Pandy, sugar and candy,

All pop down!

Andy Pandy, sugar and candy

All pop up!

Andy Pandy, sugar and candy

All pop in!

Andy Pandy, sugar and candy

All pop out!

Animal babies 🔊

What do the animals say? A traditional rhyme put to music by Moya Smith.

Name the babies and identify their sounds.

The hen has a chicken, What does it say?

“Cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep,” All through the day.

The duck has a duckling, What does it say?

“Quack, quack, quack, quack,” All through the day.

The sheep has a lamb, What does it say?

“Baa, baa, baa, baa,” All through the day.

The pig has a piglet, What does it say?

“Oink, oink, oink, oink,” All through the day.

The cat has a kitten, What does it say?

“Meow, meow, meow, meow,” All through the day.

The dog has a puppy, What does it say?

“Bow-wow, wow, wow,” All through the day.

The snail has a baby, What does it say?

It doesn’t say anything, All through the day.

Baby, baby clap your hands 🔊

Two rhymes, a bounce and a tickle.

Tune by Dany Rosevear.

1. Clap hands with baby as you bounce baby on your knee. Tip baby gently to one side. 2. Clap hands with baby. Tickle corner of baby's mouth. Tickle baby's knees and legs and then feet.

Baby, baby, clap your hands!

Where London's built, there London stands,

And there's a bed in London Town,

On which my baby shall lie down.

Baby, baby, clap your hands!

Smile your smile so sweet,

Bend your knees, stretch your legs!

And tickle little feet!

Baby goes boom-boom 🔊

A song to sing when baby falls down and needs to be distracted from the hurt. A kiss and a cuddle will also be needed!! Translation finto the French from “Bringing up baby bilingual”

Boom, boom, baby goes boom-boom,

Baby goes boom-boom down!

You might cry, but everybody does it,

Everybody boom-booms down!

Boum, boum, bebe fait boum-boum,

Bebe fait ba-da-boum!

Tu pleures, mais tout le monde le fait,

Tout le monde ba-da-boum!

Ball rolling 🔊

Build up a child’s confidence to say their name to a familiar or unfamiliar person / child. Use this circle activity according to children’s physical and emotional development.

1. Sit in a circle or opposite a parent / carer / partner with legs apart. Roll ball gently across the floor for child to receive. 2. Do the same with a gentle bounce. 3. Encourage child to say their name before rolling the ball back. Greet the child with their name.

I roll the ball to you, you roll the ball to me.

I roll the ball to you, and you roll the ball to me.

I bounce the ball to you…

I roll the ball to you, can you say your name? ----

Hello ---- and how are you? Now roll it back again!

Bibbidi bobbidi boo 🔊

From Disney’s 1950s film ‘Cinderella’ Written by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston.

A song I loved to sing as a young girl but babies also would love the sound of the nonsense words and being jiggled to this tune.

Salagadoola, menchicka boola,

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo;

Put’em together and what have you got?

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.

Salagadoola, menchicka boola,

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo;

It'll do magic, believe it or not,

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.

Salagadoola means,

Menchicka booleroo,

But the thingamabob that does the job

Is bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.

Salagadoola, menchicka boola,

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo;

Put them together and what have you got?

Bibbidi-bobbidi, bibbidi-bobbidi,

Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.

Blowing bubbles (2) 🔊

A poem by Margaret Hillert.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

A lovely calm song to sing as you watch each bubble grow, float away and finally pop! A wonder to to the young child.

Pretend to dip and blow ‘pipe’. Slide forefinger along thumb to grow a bubble. Join forefingers and thumbs to make a big growing bubble. Move fingers to make a bridge shape. Clap hands.

Dip your pipe and gently blow.

Watch the tiny bubble grow

Big and bigger, round and fat,

Rainbow-colored, and then

SPLAT!

Bubbles in the air 🔊

A song for moving among the bubbles as they are blown.

Have bare arms and feet to enjoy the feel of bubbles popping.

Catch bubbles all around. Stretch up high to do the same. Move low to catch bubbles before they land.

There are bubbles in the air, bubbles in the air,

Ee-eye-addio, bubbles everywhere.

There are bubbles way up high, bubbles way up high,

Ee-eye-addio, bubbles high up in the sky.

There are bubbles way down low, bubbles way down low,

Ee-eye-addio, and they tickle on your toes!

Button up! 🔊

Learn to be independent with this simple skill, especially when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Written by M. T.Schunemann.

Little round button,

Where’s your home?

Little round button,

Where’s your home?

Oh here it is, now I’ll push you through, Now you’ve found your home, oh!

Call the tooth fairy 🔊

Sing as a lullaby when a precious tooth is on offer to the fairies.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

Underneath my pillow lays,

The tiny tooth I lost today.

Wish I may, wish I might,

A fairy comes this way tonight;

Little wings down moon-lit streams,

To brush my cheek in whispered dreams;

When dawn comes peeping fine and fair,

I’ll wake to find a silver gift there!

Can you walk on tiptoe? O

A nursery favourite.

Move as the words suggest.

Can you walk on tiptoe,

As softly as a cat?

And can you stamp along the road,

Stamp, stamp, just like that?

Can you take some great big strides,

Just like a giant can?

Or walk along so slowly

Like a poor bent old man.

Circle of the sun 🔊

Words and music by Sally Rogers of Connecticut, an amazing folk singer, songwriter and educator. The full version describes the life cycle of a child.

You can cuddle a young child as you sing or bounce on your knee; such a rhythmic tune also lends itself to dancing and clapping.

Babies are born in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the birthing day.

Babies are born in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the birthing day.

Chorus:

Clouds to the north, clouds to the south,

Wind and rain to the east and the west.

But, babies are born in the circle of the sun

Circle of the sun on the birthing day…

Children learn to walk in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the walking day.

Children learn to walk in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the walking day…

Children learn to talk in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the talking day.

Children learn to talk in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the talking day…

Children learn to dance in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the dancing day.

Children learn to dance in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the dancing day…

Children learn to sing in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the singing day.

Children learn to sing in the circle of the sun,

Circle of the sun on the singing day…

Clap your hands little Andrew 🔊

Change to name of child when this is sung. This delightful song can be found in John M. Feierabend’s wonderful collection ‘Clapping and tapping’.

Sit baby / young child on your lap facing you , hold their hands and make them clap.clap. Older children can sit in a circle and choose a motion taking it in turns to clap, stamp and nod as their name is sung.

Clap your hands little Andrew.

Clap your hands little Andrew Brown.

Clap your hands little Andrew.

Clap your hands Andrew Brown.

Stamp your feet little Andrew.

Stamp your feet little Andrew Brown.

Stamp your feet little Andrew.

Stamp your feet Andrew Brown.

Nod your head…

Clap your hands together like this 🔊

Follow simple instructions, move together and learn about different body parts.

A song from Infant Joy’ by Desmond MacMahon in1954. It has been slightly adapted.

Clap your hands together like this,

Oh, clap your little hands.

Stamp your feet together like this…

Knock your knees together like this…

Click your heels together like this…

Wiggle your hips together like this…

Wave your arms together like this…

Come sleepyheads 🔊

Time to wake up. A hand play.

You might recognise the tune as ‘Morning has come’.

This one is a morning song for the little ones.

Verse 1. Hands to cheek. Open thumbs and forefingers. Form sun and sparkle fingers. Point up. 2. Raise hands upwards. Shake finger. Raise hands up and outwards.

Come sleepy heads,

Open your eyes;

Bright sun is shining

And blue are the skies.

Jump out of bed,

Do not delay,

Don’t want to dawdle

On such a fine day.

Cows in the kitchen O

Tom Farmer has fallen asleep and allowed the farm animals into the house – he needs to be woken up! (It is a good idea to place hands round the mouth when shouting to protect children’s ears!)

Children can have great fun making up other alliterative lines for more farmyard animals.

Cows in the kitchen, moo, moo, moo,

What shall we do Tom Farmer?

Ducks in the dustbin, quackerdy doo,

What shall we do Tom Farmer?

Cats in the cupboard, doggies too,

What shall we do Tom Farmer?

Pigs in the pantry, oink, oink, oink,

What shall we do Tom Farmer?

Tom Farmer in the haystack fast asleep,

(SHOUT) Time to wake up Tom Farmer!

Chase them away with a shoo, shoo, shoo,

That's what we'll do Tom Farmer.

Crackers and crumbs 🔊

Learn to identify different parts of the body with this food related hand play.

Music and last verse Dany Rosevear.

Verses 1-3. Slap lap, clap hands, show each part of body, stretch arms up high.

Verse 4. Slap lap, clap hands, feed self, make rabbit ears with two fingers hop hand away.

Crackers and crumbs,

These are my fingers,

These are my thumbs,

These are my eyes,

And these are my ears,

And I’m going to GROW in the next few years!

Pickles and cheese,

Here are my elbows

And here are my knees,

These are my eyes,

And these are my ears,

And I’m going to GROW in the next few years!

Bacon and eggs,

Here are my arms

And here are my legs,

These are my eyes,

And these are my ears,

And I’m going to GROW in the next few years!

Vegan verse:

Bubble and squeak,

These are the things

That I like to eat:

Carrots and broccoli,

Lettuce and beet;

I’ll turn into a rabbit in the next few weeks!

Cuckoo! Cherry tree 🔊

Another ball rolling game. The first verse is a very old ball game from ‘The Nursery Rhymes of Old England’ published in 1844 by James Orchard Halliwell. This can be omitted but children will enjoy the more complex words as they roll the ball.

Verses 1.&2. Sit in a circle or opposite a parent / carer / partner with legs apart. Roll ball gently across the floor for child to receive. 3. Do the same with a gentle bounce. 4. If a child is confident do the same with a throw.

Cuckoo! Cherry tree,

Catch a bird, and give it to me.

Let the tree be high or low,

Let it hail, or rain, or snow. Cuckoo!

Cuckoo! Cherry tree,

Catch the ball, roll it to me.

Cuckoo! Cherry tree,

Catch the ball, throw it to me.

Cuckoo! Cherry tree,

Catch the ball, bounce it to me.

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