Lap play / dandling games
A
farmer went trotting
Bell
horses
Father
and Mother, and Uncle John
Hokey
pokey penny a lump
Horses,
horses, I’ve got horses
Horsey,
horsey don’t you stop
I
want someone to buy me a pony
Jack
be nimble
John
Smith, fellow fine
O Kafoozalum
O Mrs
Sippy-o
See
saw, sacradown /
How
many miles to London town?
Ride
away, ride away
The
galloping major
To
market, to market to buy a fat pig
Trot,
trot, trot
Walter,
Walter, Wagtail
Zoom,
zoom, zoom
Last updated: 8/24/2015
11:48 AM
The songs below are part of ‘Away we
go’
compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear
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To listen to music from these
songs click on 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.
|
Find out more how the raven’s brings bad fortune sometimes as a
harbinger of death: http://www.rhymes.org.uk/a2-a-farmer-went-trotting.htm . Use the rhythm of this knee
bouncing song to move a young child to this song. Drop the toddler between
your knees on the words ‘tumbled down’ |
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A farmer went trotting
upon his grey mare, Bumpety, bumpety, bump! With his daughter behind
so rosy and fair, Lumpety, lumpety, lump! A raven cried, Croak! and
they all tumbled down, Bumpety, bumpety, bump! The mare broke her knees
and the farmer his crown, Lumpety, lumpety, lump! The mischievous raven flew
laughing away, Bumpety, bumpety, bump! And vowed he would serve
them the same the next day, Lumpety, lumpety, lump! |
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In the past pack horses travelled in groups, the lead horse would have
worn bells to warn others that they were approaching, especially important if
it was dark or the roads were narrow. Learn the time of day. Gallop around the playground lifting knees high; travel in small lines
of children with hands on the shoulders of the child in front. Bounce young child on your
knee to the rhythm of this song. |
|
Bell horses, bell horses, What time of day? One o'clock, two o'clock, Three, and away. Bell horses, bell horses, What time of day? Two o'clock, three o'clock, Four, and away. Bell horses, bell horses, What time of day? Five o'clock, six o'clock, Now time to stay. |
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More fun with baby. Line 1-2 Bounce baby on the
knee 3 Slip baby gently to the right 4 Slip baby to the left 5-6 Bounce baby on
the knee quickly for as long as you like! |
|
Father and Mother, and
Uncle John Went to market, one by
one. Father fell off -- Whoops! Mother fell off -- Whoops! But Uncle John went on,
and on, And on, and on, and on! |
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This song has made its way
into many children’s song books but has not until now registered on the internet.
It is sometimes known as ‘I love horses’. Place baby on your lap and away you go. Lift toddler high on the sixth
line of the first verse and even higher for the last verse! Older children might like to
gallop around the room.
Horses, horses I’ve got
horses, White and dapple grey, Horses, horses I’ve got
horses, White and dapple grey. When I give them corn to
eat, They leap five and twenty
feet, Horses, horses I’ve got
horses, White and dapple grey. Horses, horses I’ve got
horses, White and dapple grey, Horses, horses I’ve got
horses, White and dapple grey. When I give them sugar
sweet, They leap five and thirty
feet, Horses, horses I’ve got
horses, White and dapple grey. |
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The full words of this
children’s song written in 1938 and its authors can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horsey_Horsey Let young children trot
round to the music while babies can bounce up and down ‘riding’ on an adult
or child’s lap.
Horsey horsey,
don't you stop, Just let your feet go clippetty clop. Your tail goes swish and
the wheels go round, Giddy up, we're homeward
bound. Horsey horsey,
on your way, We’ve done this journey
many a day. Your tail goes swish and
the wheels go round, Giddy up, we're homeward
bound. |
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This is great as a lap game; bounce gently on the first six lines and
more vigorously for the last two. Older children can trot around the room
with knees high or low according to their ability. |
|
I want someone to buy me a
pony, Jig-jog, jig-jog, jig-ga-jog gee. Not too fat and not too
bony, Jig-jog, jig-jog,
jig-a-jog gee. For I want to go for a
ride, All along the countryside, With a jig jog, jig jog,
jig jog, jig jog, Jig-jog, jig-jog,
jig-a-jog gee. When I get my nice little
pony, Jig-jog, jig-jog,
jig-a-jog gee. He will be my one and only, Jig-jog, jig-jog,
jig-a-jog gee. I will give him every day, Corn and oats and scented
hay, With a jig-jog, jig-jog,
jig-jog, jig-jog, Jig-jog, jig-jog,
jig-a-jog gee. |
|
In my teaching days I sang this song with my class while candle
dipping. We went round the tables for each of three dips so there was plenty
of time to sing winter and Christmas songs as we waited for our turn.. Find out more about this song’s history at: http://www.rhymes.org.uk/jack_be_nimble.htm
It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 13902. Use the rhythm of this knee
bouncing song to move a young child up and down on your knees. Raise the toddler up high on the last line.
On the last verse hold high then low, high again and the drop down to the
floor. |
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Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick! Jack be nimble, Jack be spry, Jack jump over the apple pie! Jack jumped high, Jack jumped low, Jack jumped over and burnt his toe! |
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This is just one of the many
‘English’ nursery rhymes that originated in Scotland. Jog the toddler on your lap
as you sing this song. Alternatively hold feet and
tap them together other in time to the music, then tap toes and heel followed
by bouncing the child up and down for the last two lines.
John Smith, fellow fine, Can you shoe this horse of mine? Yes indeed, that I can Just as well as any man! There's a nail upon the toe, For to make the pony go; There's a nail upon the heel, For to make him scamper well. Scamper well, scamper well, For to make him scamper well. |
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Kafoozalum is a well-known tune in the fiddle
repertoire. There is also bawdy rugby song of that name about ‘the harlot of
Jerusalem’. It is also a nonsensical word that suggests
the title of a potentate from an exotic Eastern country; it is used as an
exaggeration of the truth to humour and ridicule a pompous character – the
king of Kafoozalum. Jog child up and down on
your lap, on the last line lift your child up high and put them on the floor. |
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O Kafoozalum,
Kafoozalum, O Kafoozalum
riding on a donkey. I'm a traveller can’t you
see, Just come in for a cup of
tea. Now I'm off upon a spree, Riding on a donkey. O Kafoozalum,
Kafoozalum, O Kafoozalum...
Whoops! I just fell off me donkey. |
|
Donkeys or horses feature in many baby
bouncing or dandling songs as they provide inspiration for an accompanying
jolly regular rhythm. Jog child up and down on
your lap in time to the music. Bounce a little faster during the second
verse. |
|
O Mrs Sippy-o Had a little baby-o, Dressed it all in calico, Riding on a donkey. O Mrs Epplewhite
Are you coming out
tonight? You look such a bonny
sight, Riding on a donkey. |
|
See saw, sacradown / How many miles to London town? O There is also an U.S.A.
version of this rhyme (The Only True Mother Goose Melodies, by Munroe and Francis) that goes ‘That is the way
to Boston town’. It
has a Roud number 20213. Sit toddler facing you on
your lap and holding their hands and move back and forth. Alternatively older children
can sit in pairs opposite each other and move back and forth.
See
saw, sacradown, Which is the way to London
town? One foot up and the other
foot down. That is the way to London
town. SPOKEN (Roud
8148) How many miles to London
town? Three score and ten; Can I get there by candlelight? Yes, and back again. If your heels are nimble and
light, You may get there by
candle-light. See saw, sacradown... |
|
Learn to tell the difference
between left and right. The words are adapted from the traditional rhyme. This hobby horse song is
suited to piggyback rides or a lap play game for younger toddlers. Older children can gallop
around the room in time to the music.
Ride away, ride away, Ethan shall ride, He shall have little dog on his right side, He shall have pussy cat close to the other, And Ethan shall ride to see his grandmother. Ride away, ride away, Zara shall ride, She shall have pussy cat on her left side, She shall have little dog close to the other, And Zara shall ride to see her grandmother. |
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The chorus of this great music hall song by Fred W. Leigh and
George Bastow is perfect as
a lap play game giving a vigorous ride to a lively baby or toddler.
You
can find out more about this song including the verses at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Galloping_Major_(song) Bounce your young child up
and down on your knee It is also suitable for galloping around the room on an
imaginary horse. |
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Bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump! As
if I was riding my charger. Bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump! As
proud as an Indian Rajah. All
the girls declare That
I'm a gay old stager. Hey!
hey! clear the way! Here
comes the galloping major! |
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This rhyme was first
appeared in 1598 and also in 161.1It has a Roud number 19708. To find out
more visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_market,_to_market Place baby or toddler on your lap holding their hands and jog up and
down.
To
market, to market, to buy a fat pig, Home
again, home again, jiggety-jig. To
market, to market, to buy a fat hog, Home
again, home again, jiggety-jog. To market, to market, to buy a fat pig; Home again, home again, dancing a jig. To market, to market, to buy a fat hog; Home again, home again, jiggety-jog. To
market, to market, to buy a plum bun, Home
again, home again, market is done. |
|
Place baby on
your lap facing you and off you go. |
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Trot, trot, trot, Go and never stop. Trot along my little pony, Though the way is rough
and stony, Trot, trot, trot, trot, trot, Go and never stop. Whoa, whoa, whoa, We’ve not far to go. Keep me safe my little
pony, Though the way is rough
and stony, Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, We’ve not far to go. Stay, stay, stay, Time to end our play. You kept me safe my little
pony, Though the way was rough
and stony, Stay, stay, stay, stay,
stay, Time to end our play. |
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A lap play game with two different movements. If you come from
Australia you might like to sing it as ‘Little Willy Wagtail’. Lines 1&2: Bounce child
up and down on your knees. 3&4 Move knees from one side to the other. 5.
Open knees and drop child down – carefully! |
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Walter, Walter Wagtail, Sat upon a pole; He wagged his tail, And wagged his tail, ‘Til he fell down a hole. |
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Rock baby back and forth on your
lap, On ‘climb aboard’ hold baby’ up on your knees. On the last line count
back slowly from five then lift baby up high. Older children might like to skip round in a circle then crouch down
and count back from ten, finishing with a big leap in the air. |
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Zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon, If you’d like to take a trip, Climb aboard my rocket ship, Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, We’re going to the moon, 5 4 3 2 1... Blast off! |
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