More circle games I w

I am a jolly leprechaun

I can walk with two feet

I don’t care if the rain comes down

I sent a letter to my love

I want to be a farmer

I wonder, wonder why

If you should meet an elephant

Intery mintery

I’ve a pigeon in my pocket

I’ve built myself a house

I’ve made a lovely bonfire

Last updated: 11/2/2020 3:23 PM

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

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I am a jolly leprechaun 🔊

A circle dance for St. Patrick’s Day. Depending on the size of the class and the time available 2-4 children can be chosen as leprechauns wearing something green, a hat or a shamrock.

Skip round in a circle holding hands. Two children, the leprechauns, skip round in the centre in the opposite direction. On ‘In Ireland I am found’ the circle stops and each leprechaun chooses a partner, crosses hands with them and skips round. The game continues with the inner ring holding hands until the outer ring need to skip with hands unheld and finishes when there are no children left in the outer ring.

I am a jolly leprechaun,

I love to dance and sing.

My hair is red, my coat is green,

Good luck to you I bring.

I am a jolly leprechaun,

In Ireland I am found;

My magic makes you laugh and sing,

Whenever I’m around.

I can walk with two feet 🔊

This tune can be used to include other body parts and numbers: I can blink with two eyes, I can nod with one head, I can wiggle ten fingers etc.

Be mindful of children who are unable to use their feet and change the words to make the song inclusive.

Walk round in a circle holding hands. Run on the spot. March on the spot swinging arms.Skip round in a circle. Hop on the spot.

I can walk with two feet, two feet, two feet.

I can walk with two feet, two feet, all day long.

I can jump with two feet...

I can run with two feet...

I can march with two feet...

I can skip with two feet...

I can hop with one foot....

I don’t care if the rain comes down 🔊

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.

Line 7: Slap partners right then left hand, link right arms and move on to a new partner.

I don't care if the rain comes down,

I'm gonna dance all day,

I don't care if the rain comes down,

I'm gonna dance all day.

Hey, hey carry me away,

I'm gonna dance all day,

Hey, hey carry me away,

I'm gonna dance all day!

I don't care if the sun don't shine…

I don't care if the wind blows strong…

I don't care if snows or hails…

I sent a letter to my love 🔊

This isn’t the version I remember as a child, that one is much closer to ‘A-tisket a-tasket’ but is the version found in the Clarendon books of singing games published in1957 and then in the Ladybird book of ‘Dancing rhymes’1976.

Children sit in a ring; one child skips or runs round the outside and drops it behind a seated child some time during the second part. The child who finds the handkerchief jumps up and runs round the circle in the opposite direction to the dropper. Both aiming for the empty space. The loser becomes the new skipper.

I sent a letter to my love,

And on the way I dropped it,

One of you has picked it up

And put it in their pocket.

I dropped it, I dropped it,

A-dree, a-dree, I dropped it,

I dropped it, I dropped it,

A-dree, a-dree, I dropped it.

I want to be a farmer 🔊

This game can be found in the ‘Handy play party book’ published by Cooperative Recreation Service during the 1930. It was collected by R. Bruce Tom of Columbus, Ohio. I have changed the words slightly swapping ‘ladies’ for ‘partner’ and slightly simplified the game.

Make a single circle of couples all facing in. 1. All join hands and circle to the left. 2. All take two steps towards the centre keeping hands joined where they then rest the right hand on their shoulder. 3. Drop hand. 4. Each person turns to face their partner and bow in turn. 5. Holding left hands they swing round twice. 6. Couples then promenade in a skating position counterclockwise round the circle.

(1) I want to be a farmer, a farmer, a farmer,

I want to be a farmer and by my partner stand.

(2) With a pitchfork on my shoulder, my shoulder, my shoulder,

With a pitchfork on my shoulder and a (3) sickle in my hand.

(4) Bow, partner, bow; now you know how;

(5) Swing that left-hand partner ‘round, (6) All promenade,

All promenade; All promenade;

Swing that left-hand partner ‘round, All promenade.

I wonder, wonder why 🔊

This song and dance is in Anglia’s Girlguiding ‘Meet and sing’ published in 1995.

You can also find below the words and music of Ted and Jackie Egan’s longer version of the song from Australia’s ABC for schools ‘Sing!’ 1989. It can be purchased on his CD ‘The Urapunga Frog’

Make circles of eight children holding hands label children’a’ and ‘b’ alternately.

1. Circle 8 skips to the left. 2. Circle 8 skips to the left. 3. Circle 8 skips to the left. 4. Circle 8 skips to the left. 5. ‘a’s form a star with right hand still holding ‘b’s in the left and walk the star 8 steps clockwise. 6. Change hands and walk the star 8 steps anti-clockwise.7-10.Pairs of ‘a’s put hands behind the backs of ‘b’s to make a basket. 11. Basket 8 to the right, 8 to the left until the basket collapses!

I wonder, wonder why,

The stars are in the sky,

Wompala, la, la, la,

Wompala, la, la, la, la.

And why the moon's so round,

It’s so far from the ground,

Wompala, la, la, la,

Wompala, la, la, la, la.

The stars are there at night,

For those that have no light,

The moon's a friend for ev'ry little star,

So dance and join the ring,

And hear the children sing,

Wompala, la, la, la, Wompala, la, la, la, la.

I wonder, wonder why, the emu doesn't fly,