Games galore in Gryphon’s Garden

More circle games 3

No bears out tonight

Old Betty Larkin

Old bald eagle

Our boots are made of leather

Peep squirrel

Rabbit in the hollow

Rosy apple, lemon and a pear

Rocky mountain high

The juniper tree / Oh, Sister Phoebe

The leaves are green

There once was a princess

Water, water wallflower

Wishy washy wee

Who’s got a fishpole?

Zinty tinty tuppenny bun

Zum gali gali gali

Last updated: 6/11/2015 4:59 PM

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

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No bears out tonight O

Where have all the bears gone? The youngest just dance to the first verse for a simple circle song. Older children make a circle holding hands and standing next to a partner.

1. The circle skips round holding hands. On the last line everyone squats.

2. Continue squatting hands to cheek. On last line jump up and shout ‘Hooray!’

3. The circle skips round holding hands. On the last line everyone holds hands with a partner and skips round.

No bears out tonight,

They’ve all gone away!

Little bears sleeping tight, x3

‘Til winter flies away.

No bears in tonight, x3

They’ve all gone out to play!

Old bald eagle O

This song comes from Kentucky / Appalachian mountains; the version below is an amalgam of the more common couplet that was sung by Jean Ritchie and played as a line game and the second part which can be found in ‘Just Five’ compiled by Robert E. Kersey.

Children walk in a circle as one child skips round inside. On the second part that child chooses a partner from the circle and holding hands skips round as those in the circle clap. The game continues as before with both children walking round and then each choosing a skipping partner.

Old bald eagle sail around, daylight is gone.

Sail around the mountain top!

Sail around I say!

Sail around the mountain top!

Long summer day!

Two bald eagles…

Four bald eagles ….

Long, long summer day!

Old Betty Larkin O

Another folk song from Kentucky sung by Jean Ritchie. It is an early American dance and sung in an unusual and possibly difficult manner.

Verse 1: Children skip clockwise holding hands with a partner in skating mode. One child Betty or Billy skips round the inside of the ring in the opposite direction.

2. Partners drop hands and form a single circle facing the centre. Betty or Billy skips weaving in and out of the circle.

3. Betty or Billy grabs the nearest person as a partner leaving the old partner to be the new Betty or Billy and, the game continues.

Hop around, skip around, Old Betty Larkin,

Also my dear darling.

Needle in a haystack, Old Betty Larkin,

Also my dear darling.

Steal, steal, Old Betty Larkin,

Also my dear darling.

Our boots are made of leather O

This circle game is adapted from Alice E, Gillington collected games in ’Old Surrey singing games and skipping rope rhymes’.

The group walks round the circle in pairs. In the second half each pair turns in place while holding hands and then sink to the ground.

Our boots are made of leather,

Our stockings are made of silk,

Our pinafores of calico,

As white as any milk.

Here we go around, around, around,

Until we touch the ground,

Here we go around, around, around,

Until we touch the ground.

Peep squirrel O

This song is sometimes played as a knee bouncing game.

Line 1-4: Children walk clockwise in a circle holding hands. One child, the hunter, walks round outside in the opposite direction. Another child, the squirrel, stands in the centre with hand to eyes looking out for the hunter.

Line 5-7. The circle stops and raises hands to make arches like trees. The squirrel exits through an arch, runs round the outside and tries to get back through the arch without being caught by the hunter.

If successful the squirrel has another turn and a new hunter is chosen. If caught the hunter remains and a new squirrel is picked.

Peep squirrel, peep squirrel,

Do-da, did-dle-um, do-da, did-dle-um,

Peep squirrel, peep squirrel,

Do-da, did-dle-um dum.

I’ve got to get out of here,

Day’s a-breakin’, sun’s a-rising,

Bet you five dollars I’ll get out of here.

Hop squirrel, hop squirrel,

Do-da, did-dle-um, do-da, did-dle-um,

Hop squirrel, hop squirrel,

Do-da, did-dle-um dum.

I’ve got to get out of here…

Run squirrel…

Rabbit in the hollow O

This traditional game is set to the German tune ‘A little man is standing in the wood’.

Choose one child to be the hunter and one to be the rabbit; rabbit is inside the circle sleeping and hunter stays outside. The children circle round rabbit singing as hunter creeps round and on the second line moves towards rabbit. The circle allows rabbit to move freely through the circle but make it more difficult for the hunter. Once rabbit is caught the two choose a pair to replace them.

Rabbit in the hollow sits and sleeps.

Hunter in the forest nearer creeps.

Little rabbit, please take care,

Sleeping in the hollow there;

Quickly to your home

You must run, rabbit, run!

Rosy apple, lemon and a pear O

This slightly adapted version comes from the Opie’s book of singing games. Find many more variations on this song in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland by Alice Bertha Gomme.

Children walk round in a circle holding hands while one child stands in the middle. This child chooses another child at the end of the first verse and they both make a bridge. The circle moves under the bridge and on the last word a child is caught underneath. This child then goes into the centre and the game continues.

Hop a little, skip a little,

Dance a little, then,

Hop a little, skip a little,

Then begin again.

Hop a little, jump a little,

One, two and three;

Run a little, skip a little,

Tap one knee;

Bend a little, stretch a little,

Nod your head;

Yawn a little, sleep a little,

In your bed.

Rocky mountain high O

A folk song from the Appalachians.

1. Walk eight steps into the circle. 2. Walk eight steps back. 3. Clap four times and turn around. 4. Repeat

Rocky mountain, rocky mountain, rocky mountain high,

When you're on that rocky mountain, hang your head and cry.

Do, do, do, do, do remember me.

Sunny valley, sunny valley, sunny valley low,

When you're in that sunny valley sing it soft and low.

Running river, running river, running river long,

When you're on that running river sing a happy song.

Stormy ocean, stormy ocean, stormy ocean wide,

When you're on that stormy ocean, there's no place to hide.

The juniper tree / Oh, Sister Phoebe O

‘The juniper tree’ was a play-party game that was popular on the American frontier in the first half of the 19th century.

Children join hands and skip or walk around a child in the centre. One child in the circle holds a hat in their hands. On the second verse this child places the hat on the one in the centre and kisses or shakes their hand. During the second verse that child chooses someone from the circle and they swap roles so the game can continue.

Oh, Sister Phoebe, how happy were we,

The night we sat under the juniper tree,

The juniper tree, hi-o, hi-o,

The juniper tree, hi-o.

Put this hat on to keep your head warm,

And take a sweet kiss, it will do you no harm,

Will do you no harm, I know, I know

Will do you no harm, I know.

Go choose you a partner, go choose you a one,

Go choose you the fairest that ever you can,

Now rise you up sister and go, and go,

Now rise you up sister and go.

The leaves are green O

A song for autumn; talk about the changing colours of this magical season.

The leaves are green, the nuts are brown.

They hang so high they won’t come down.

Leave them alone ‘til frosty weather,

And they will all fall down together!

Walk round the circle holding hands. Hold hands high on the second line and and wave from side to side. Sink to the ground on the last line.

The leaves are green, the apples are red.

They hang so high above my head.

Leave them alone ‘til frosty weather,

And they will all fall down together!

As before.

There once was a princess O

Children make a circle around the princess who sits on a cushion. The wicked fairy and the prince stand outside the circle.

There once was a princess long ago, long ago, long ago,

There once was a princess long ago, long, long ago.

The circle walks round the princess who sits and sews.

And she lived in a big high tower…

The circle raised joined hands high.

A wicked fairy cast a spell…

The wicked fairy enters the circle dances round the princess and waves her wand. Those in the circle cast a spell too.

The princess slept for a hundred years…

The fairy joins the circle and they all crouch down and sleep with closed palms to the cheek. The princess lies on the cushion and sleeps

A great big forest grew around…

As the princess sleeps the children in the circle raise joined hands and move them gently from side to side.

A brave young prince came riding by…

The prince gallops round the outside of the circle while those in the circle make riding actions with their arms.

He chopped the trees down one by one…

The prince walks round the outside of the circle and touches each child on the shoulder and they sink to the ground.

He woke the princess just like this…

The prince enters the circle and wakes the princess who stretches her arms. He holds her by the hand and pulls her up.

The circle rises and the children stretch their arms.

So everyone is happy now…

The prince and princess join hands and dance round singing.

Those in the circle make pairs or groups of three and do the same.

Water, water wallflower O

There are many, many versions of this song from all over the U.K. and the U.S.A.

Find some of them at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=4300

Children walk round in a circle holding hands; two children standing next to each other are chosen by an adult. The other children in the ring wag their fingers at the two on ‘Fie, fie…’ and the two named turn outwards. The game continues until all the children are facing outwards. They then sing: Fie, fie, fie for shame! Turn your face to the ring again’ and all turn back to face the inside of the ring.

Water, water, wallflower growing up so high,

We are all young children and surely we must die.

Except for Tom and Flora, the fairest of us all,

They can dance and they can sing

And they can play the violin.

Fie, fie, fie for shame!

Turn your back to the ring again.

Wishy washy wee O

A simple circle game with a nautical theme.

Hold hands in a circle. Two children stand in the centre holding right hands.

Oh, we are two sailors

Lately home from sea,

And if you want another one,

Come along with me.

The circle walks round the two sailors who skip round holding right hands. On the last line the two in the middle face a new partner in the circle and new pair place hands on the other’s shoulder.

Wishy, washy, wishy, washy,

Wishy, washy, wee,

And if you want another one,

Come along with me.

The new pairs dance by swinging first their right and then the left leg straight out to the side with a rhythmical movement.

The game then begins once again with a new pair so everyone gets a go.

Divide the class into two or three circles if time is a problem.

Who’s got a fishpole? O

This song can be great fun as children choose more preposterous things for the fishpole to need. It can also be used as a call and response song.

Children walk round in a circle holding hands; one child stands in the middle. This child sings the last line and chooses what fishpole needs; the others mime whatever is chosen. The child in the centre then selects a child who acts out the movement well to go into the centre and the game continues.

Who’s got a fishpole? We do.

Fishpole needs a line.

...Fishpole needs a hook...

...Fishpole needs a worm...

...Fishpole needs a fish...

...Fishpole needs a river...

...Fishpole needs a boat...

Zinty tinty tuppeny bun O

Explore different rhythms in this game. You will need to practice ‘walking’ running’ galloping and other rhythms before the game starts.

Make a circle holding hands. One child ‘the fox’ walks round the outside of the circle beating a drum in time to the music as the others sing Those in the circle make a door to allow the ‘fox’ in. This child plays a rhythm and those in the ring move appropriately to it. A new child who performs the rhythm best is chosen to be ‘the fox’ next time.

Zinty, tinty tuppenny bun,

The fox came out to have some fun;

He had some fun, he beat the drum,

Zinty, tinty tuppenny bun!

Open the ring and let him in.

Zum gali gali gali O

A song from Israel when the first kibbutzim were set up.

Sing both stanzas twice.

Zum gali gali gali,

Zum gali gali.

Zum gali gali gali,

Zum gali gali.

Zum, zum, zum.

Move to the left for the first half of the chorus and then to the right.

We will sing with joy as we work,

We will work with joy as we sing,

Walk into the centre with hands raised and then back out.

Repeat this movement for the last two lines.

We will work for peace in the world,

For in peace we can sing as we work.

We will reach right up to the sky,

Where the sun will shine as we sing.

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