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circle games G-M
Go round the mountain
Gretel
Pastetel
Hands, knees and Boomps-a-daisy
Here we go Santy Maloney
Hunt the cows
I don’t care if the rain comes
down
If you should meet an elephant
Intery mintery
I’ve a pigeon in my pocket
Jeremiah, blow the fire
Kokoleoko
Lazy Mary
Little bird hops down the
street
Little swallow
Looby loo
Lucy Locket
My little boat turned over
My little dog ‘Buff’
Last updated: 5/16/2017
4:31 PM
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 O
To watch the author
sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2013 All rights reserved
You
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you must give the original author credit
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you may not use this work for commercial purposes
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for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the
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any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright
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A singing game from Illinois.
Originally this would have been a more complex circle game with boys and
girls partnering each other. This version is suitable for young children
learning to identify parts of the body. Each time the chorus is sung walk round in a circle holding hands.
Move as suggested for each verse. |
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Go round the mountain, To-di-diddle-um,
to-di-diddle-um, Go 'round the mountain, To-di-diddle-um, dum. Show me your fingers, wiggle fingers To-di-diddle-um,
to-di-diddle-um, Show me your fingers, To-di-diddle-um, dum. Show me your elbows flap elbows up and down Show me your hips wiggle
hips Show me your feet stamp
or tap foot |
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A simple tune and children’s game
from Germany. Free translation by Dany Rosevear. Make up your own rhyming verses. Children stand in a circle as one child ’Gretel’ skips round on the
inside. This child chooses others to be one of the animals as each verse is
sung. They skip round inside the ring as the outer circle claps. |
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Gretel Pastetel, Where has your goose gone? She sits near the water And watches the swans. Gretel Pastetel, Oh, where is your hen? She clucks in the yard, And lays eggs now and then. Gretel Pastetel, What does your cow do? She stands in the barn And does nothing but ‘Moo!’ Gretel Pastetel, Oh, where is your pig? It rolls in the mud, And then dances a jig. |
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Hands, knees and Boomps-a-daisy O
A delightfully
silly song with words and music by Annette Mills, 1938. I was very
familiar with this as a child in the 1950s but we only sang the chorus and
played it simply with a partner in the playground. You can find the ‘proper’
way to play it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsfmDa4BlHk.
The simplified
game below would work for a children’s party. Make two circles, one inside the other with partners
facing. 1. Clap, tap both knee, bump bottoms, hold hands and do two side
steps. 2. Repeat first part, hold hands and ‘turn the blanket’. 3. Repeat
first line. 4. As before but finish with a bow and two stamps. The inner
circle then moves one to the left to stand in front of a new partner and the
game continues. |
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Hands, knees and BOOMPS-A-DAISY! I like a bustle that bends. Hands, knees and BOOMPS-A-DAISY! What is a BOOMP between friends? Hands, knees, oh don't be lazy, Let's make the party a Wow! Now then hands, knees and BOOMPS-A-DAISY! Turn to your partner and bow, Bow - Wow! |
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A song from the Irish tradition. Skip round in a circle holding
hands for the chorus which is sung between each verse. Stand still and tap
each named part of the body. This song can continue as children
suggest other body parts.
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Hunt the cows O
This song with
two contrasting tempos is great fun as children anticipate instructions to
wake up. The game and song comes from Jean Ritchie’s delightful collection of
childhood singing games: http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/folkways/FW07702.pdf Choose a leader, the others hold hands in a circle. Lines 1and 2: Skip to the left. Repeat in the
opposite direction. 3. Still holding hands put one knee down on the floor,
then the other. 4. Put one elbow on the floor with the chin on one hand, then
place the second elbow on the floor with the chin resting on both hands,
pretend to be asleep. The leader pauses for effect then sings ‘Wake up you
lazybones’ those in the circle jump up and skip as before. |
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Wake up you lazybones and go and hunt the cattle. Wake up you lazybones and go and hunt the cows! Wake up you lazybones and go and hunt the cattle. Wake up you lazybones and go and hunt the cows! The cows are lost. The day is warm. I think I'll rest, ‘Til they come home. |
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We can dance whatever the weather especially if we’re indoors. The dance below can be found at: http://vimeo.com/25113224 For part singing lines visit: http://deannastark.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/8/3/23834065/i_dont_care_if_the_rain_comes_down.pdf Children stand in one circle facing
a partner. Lines 1: Slap lap, own hands and
partners twice. Lines 2: Link right arms and move
round to partner’s position. Lines 3 to 4 Repeat above- Line 5: Slap partners right then
left hand, link right arms and move on to a new partner. Lines 6: Slap lap, own hands and
partners twice.
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If you should meet an elephant O
Words and
music by Nel Magness from Australia’s ABC for schools ‘Sing!’ 1989. It has been adapted
in the USA to include native wildlife. Children can suggest other animals for
inclusion and the movements they might make. Make two circles, one inside the other with partners
facing. Line 1.&2. Wave arm like a trunk. 3.&4.
Shake hands. 5.&6. Cross hands with partner and skip round on the spot. Finish in original positions, inner circle then
steps to the left to face a new partner. Repeat for subsequent verses making appropriate
actions for each animal. |
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If you should meet an elephant upon a summer's day, What would you do and what would you say? I'd say, "Good morning elephant, how do you do? I'm glad to meet you elephant, I'd like to dance with you." La la
la la la, la la la, La la la la la la. X2 If you should meet a jellyfish upon a summer's day, What would you do and what would you say? I'd say, "Good morning jellyfish, how do you do? I'm glad to meet you jellyfish, I'd like to dance with you." La la la… If you should meet a crocodile upon a summer's day, What would you do and what would you say? I'd say, "Good morning crocodile, how do you do? I'm glad to meet you crocodile, I'd like to dance with you." La la la… If you should meet a kangaroo upon a summer's day, What would you do and what would you say? I'd say, "Good morning kangaroo, how do you do? I'm glad to meet you kangaroo, I'd like to dance with you." La la la… |
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This rhyme is traditionally played as a skipping rope game and also as
a ‘dip’ (counting out game). The version below is adapted to be played in a
circle. Lines 1-4: Skip round in a circle
holding hands. One child skips round on the inside. Lines 5-6: The child inside the
circle taps on five out stretched fists and swings the fifth child round with
hands crossed leaving the new child in the centre. Lines 7-8: The circle squats,
stands up and moves outwards and then into the circle towards the new child
ready to start again.
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A circle game from Alison
McMorland’s collection ‘The Funny Family’. Children sit in a circle as one child skips round outside carrying a
beanbag or something similar. On the last word that child drops it behind
someone in the circle and runs off round the circle; this person then jumps
up and runs round the circle in the opposite direction. The child that
reaches the unoccupied space first sits down and the one left starts the game
once more. |
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I've a pigeon in my pocket And it won't bite you! Won't bite you, won't bite
you! I've a pigeon in my pocket And it won't bite you! But it will bite YOU! |
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Jeremiah,
blow the fire O
Learn to
identify loud and soft with this rhyme from Ireland. It can be played as a
circle game as below, just use the first line repeated, or as a baby or
toddler play game: rock baby gently back and forth and then blow on the tummy
to each puff, blow normally, gently and roughly. Children walk round in a circle; they then stop and
jump on each of the puffs, once on the spot, then into the middle and then
out again. Move in the opposite direction. |
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Jeremiah,
blow the fire, Puff! Puff! Puff! Jeremiah,
blow the fire, Puff! Puff! Puff! First
you blow it very gently, Then
you blow it rough! Jeremiah,
blow the fire, Puff! Puff! Puff! |
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‘Kokoleoko’ is the West African equivalent of ‘Cock-a- doodle-doo’. Older children might enjoy the wonderfully complicated clapping game
at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPL_Ag9OC30 Make two circles, one inside the
other with pairs facing. Develop a simple clapping routine of clapping own
hands then partner’s right hand followed by the left hand. At the end of each verse the outer
and the inner circle both jump to the right to face a new partner. Continue
the clapping pattern and movement until children are back with their original
partner.
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The Opies say it is not surprising this
song does not appear in collections aimed at children as its morality is
indefensible! There are other versions of this
song that end with ‘so early in the morning’ and ‘This cold and frosty
morning’. The one below is similar to that recorded in the Opie’ book ‘The
Singing Game’. Make a ring; a mother and daughter stand in the centre, the daughter
crouches with hands to cheek. The circle skips round them. Mother walks
towards Mary as she sings and moves back when Mary replies. |
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Lazy Mary, will you get up, Will you get up, will you
get up? Lazy Mary, will you get up, Will you get up today? No, dear Mother, I won't
get up… What will you give me if I
get up… A slice of bread and a cup
of tea… Then, dear Mother, I won't get
up… What will you give me if I
get up… A hunk of fat and roasted
rat… Then, dear Mother, I won't
get up… What will you give me if I
get up… A nice young man with rosy
cheeks… Then, dear Mother, I will
get up… |
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Little
bird hops down the street O
Don’t forget
the birds in the winter time when food is scarce: Make bird tables and seed
balls to keep them going. This song, ‘Lata ptaszek po ulicy’ is a
Polish version of ‘Ring o’ roses’. The tune is a Mazurka, one of Poland’s
national dances. The arrangement is by Elizabeth Poston from ‘The children’s
songbook’ 1961. The words are loosely translated by Dany Rosevear. (Find many
more Polish singing games translated by myself on my home page.) The dance in
the video has a different tune but shows how the game is played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAbFiBZtY1s
The children make a circle holding hands and skip
round singing, while one child (the little bird) hops round inside the ring
with elbows flapping. On the last line this child chooses another to become
the hungry bird, ready to play the game once more. |
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Little bird hops down the street, Looking for some grains of wheat. Hopping here and hopping there, Will you have enough to eat? Hopping here and hopping there, Choose the one you’d like to greet. Lata
ptaszek po ulicy, Szuka sobie
ziarn pszenicy. Ale
ziarnek ani śladu. Będzie ptaszek bez obiadu. |
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A French-Canadian singing game
‘L’hirondelle’. Find it in French with a more
literal translation at: https://archive.org/stream/negrofolksinging00port_0#page/32/mode/2up/search/l'hirondelle
The children make a circle holding hands and walk round singing, while
one child (the swallow) walks round the outside holding a hand kerchief and
drops it behind a chosen child. The handkerchief is picked up by that child
who runs after the ‘swallow’, who attempts to get to the gap left in the
circle before being caught by the pursuer. If caught, the chaser then becomes
the new swallow. |
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Little swallow, fly to your
nest. Who goes there? Fly a fly away now! Little swallow, fly to your
nest. Fly a fly away! |
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Learn to tell the difference between the left and right parts of the
body. Practice waving the appropriate hand in the air before playing the
game. Show children how to make an ‘L’ for left with their thumb and
forefinger. Sing the chorus between each verse.
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A classic circle game. Its Roud folk number is 19536. Find out more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Locket Children walk round in a circle
holding hands. One child ‘Lucy’ skips round outside in the opposite direction
holding a cloth pocket or bean bag. On ‘Dree, dree...’ ‘Lucy’ walks round the
circle for as long as she likes then drops the pocket behind a child who
picks it up and runs in the opposite direction to ‘Lucy’ The first to reach the
empty space becomes the new ‘Lucy’.
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This song possibly comes from
Brazil; It is best played in small circle groups so the game doesn’t go on
too long! Children walk around the circle to the left singing the first verse;
as each child’s name is called out they turn round to face the outside of the
circle. The second verse is then sung as the children move to the right and
the children turn back to face the centre each time their name is sung. |
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My little boat turned over
when the wind began to blow. It was all because of _____
who had never learned to row. Now if I were a fishy and
could swim down in the sea, I would rescue little
_______ and I'd take him / her home with me. |
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My little dog Buff 🔊
I found this counting out rhyme, a variation of ‘Drop the handkerchief’, in the Ladybird book of ‘Dancing rhymes’ published 1976. It is from a book of ‘Dorsetshire children’s games’ published in 1889 which has words less acceptable for modern sensibilities! I had a little dog and his name was
‘Buff,’ I sent him after a penn’orth of
snuff, He broke the paper and smelled the
stuff, And that’s the end of my dog
‘Buff.’ “He shan’t bite you, he shan’t bite
you etc. he shall bite you all over.” Find out more at: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:The_Folk-Lore_Journal_Volume_7_1889.djvu/237 Music arranged by Dany Rosevear. Children stand in a circle, one skips around the outside and on the
last line taps each child on the shoulder. After the last ‘you’ the child
tapped and the tapper run in opposite directions to attempt to reach the
empty space first. The child who succeeds stays there while the other is
ready to skip round the outside for a new game. |
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I had a little dog and his
name was ‘Buff,’ I sent him up the street
for a pennyworth of snuff, He broke the box and spilt
the stuff, I think my story’s long
enough. It isn’t you, it isn’t you… But it’s you! |
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