Summer
songs I-S
I do
like to be beside the seaside
I
went to the beach
I
will plant a garden green
I’m
forever blowing bubbles
In my
little garden bed / The little plant
Lily
pond
Linstead
Market
Little
bird up in a tree
Mary
Ann
My
big blue boat
Nature
carol
Nine
little tailors
Oh,
Mister Sun
Oh,
oh, the sunshine
Paint-box
/ Cauliflowers fluffy
Picnic
tea
Roll
with the waves
Seagull,
seagull sit on the shore
Seagull,
seagull sit on the shore (2)
Shadows
go round
Shake
the papaya down
Sponge
fishing
Also
see:
Down in the grass, curled up in
a heap
She sailed away on a lovely summer’s day
Last updated: 5/25/2020
1:42 PM
The songs below are part of ‘Away we
go’ compiled, adapted and
illustrated by Dany Rosevear
Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page
To listen to music from these
songs click on 🔊
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:
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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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any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright
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Your
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|
I do
like to be beside the seaside 🔊
A popular British music hall song
in the hey day of fashionable Victorian seaside holidays, redolent of bathing
machines and swimming costumes that covered the body. Words and music by John
A. Glover-Kind 1907. |
|
Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside, I do like to be beside the sea. I do like to stroll upon the Prom, Prom, Prom, Where the brass bands play Tiddely-om-pom-pom! So just let me be beside the seaside, I'll be beside myself with glee; For there's lots of girls besides I should like to be beside, Beside the seaside, beside the sea. |
|
I
went to the beach 🔊
A seaside hand play. Encourage
children to add their own ideas. Words adapted by Dany Rosevear and
music added. 1. Open and close thumb and forefinger pointing to self. 2. Place one
hand on top of the other with thumbs out and flap quickly. 3. Wiggle fingers.
4. Place left hand across the other and wiggle fingers downwards. 5. Place
hands above head then point to self. |
|
I went to the beach and what did I see? A great big seagull squawking at me! I went to the beach and what did I see? A fish in a rock pool splashing near me! I went to the beach and what did I see? A shell in the water sparkling at me! I went to the beach and what did I see? A crab on the seashore waving me! I went to the beach and what did I see? Children in sunhats just like ME! |
|
I
will plant a garden green 🔊
Teach this action song about
planting to go alongside gardening acivities in the summer term. Words adapted by Dany Rosevear. Pretend to dig, plant seeds and water plants. |
|
I will plant a garden green, Then I'll watch it grow. I'll dig some holes here in the earth, In a nice straight row. With a dig-dig here, And a dig-dig there, Here a dig, there a dig, Everywhere a dig-dig, Digging holes is so much fun; We’re ready now to sow! I will plant a garden green, Then I'll watch it grow. In each hole I'll drop a seed, In each hole row by row. With a drop-drop here, And a drop-drop there, Here a drop, there a drop, Everywhere a drop-drop, Planting seeds is so much fun Just watch them sprout and grow! I will plant a garden green, Then I'll watch it grow. I'll water each plant one by one, They'll sprout up in a row. With a squirt-squirt here, And a squirt-squirt there, Here a squirt, there a squirt, Everywhere a squirt-squirt, Watering plants is so much fun Just watch them grow and grow! |
|
I’m
forever blowing bubbles 🔊
This waltz was popular in the Music
halls of the 1920s; the music was written by John Kellette and the lyrics by
a collective of writers, it was published in 1919; see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_Forever_Blowing_Bubbles for more about this charming song and the
verses which are not so suitable for young children. How
exciting it is for young children to blow, catch and watch bubbles.
Encourage them to move freely to
this song ideally among a forest of bubbles! Alternatively move holding hands with a partner, swaying them from
side to side with two ‘turn the blanket over’ - raising hands high and moving
under in the middle of the song and at the end. |
|
I'm forever blowing bubbles, Pretty bubbles in the air. They fly so high, Nearly reach the sky, Then like my dreams they fade and die. Fortune's always hiding, I've looked everywhere. I'm forever blowing bubbles, Pretty bubbles in the air. |
|
In my
little garden bed / The little plant 🔊
From ‘Finger plays’ by Emilie
Poulssen, music C. C. Roeske. Verse 1. Draw a patch in front of you. Rake fingers of one hand. Plant
seeds. Cover with one hand. 2. Make your arms into a big circle above head.
Sprinkle fingers down like rain. 3. Point fingers downward and wiggle. Thumbs
wiggles upwards. 4. Wiggle thumb upwards high into the air. Open hands up
like flowers. |
|
In my little garden bed Raked so nicely over, First the tiny seeds I sow, Then with soft earth cover. Shining down the great round sun, Smiles upon it often; Little raindrops pattering down, Help the seeds to soften. Now the little plant awakes! Down the roots go creeping. Up it lifts its little head Through the brown mould peeping. High and higher still it goes, Through the summer hours, Till some happy day the buds, Open into flowers. |
|
Lily
pond 🔊
This delightful little song to the
tune of ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ was written by Vashti Bunyan. |
|
All upon a summer's day. Then I chased a dragonfly, All across an ancient sky. Falling with a thousand stars, Down the Milky Way to Mars. Back again in time for day, In a lily pond I lay. La lala la la lala la la, La lala la la la la la. La lala la la lala la la, La lala la la la la la. |
|
Linstead
Market 🔊
A Jamaican calypso about hunger and
not being able to feed the children. I taught the children of recent
arrivals from the West Indies in the 1960s (and also little ones from the
Punjab) in a Birmingham (UK) school near the Soho Rd. The music curriculum was lively,
fun and an eye opener for a young teacher like myself who was enthused by a
peripatetic piano teacher with a great repetoire of songs such as this one. Calypso music at this time had
been introduced by recent immigrants to a wider national audience. |
|
Carry mi ackee, go a Linstead Market, Not a quattie worth sell. Carry me ackee, go a Linstead Market, Not a quattie worth sell. Chorus: Lawd, what a night, not a bite, What a Saturday night! Lawd, what a night not a bite What a Saturday night! Everbody come a feel up, feel up, Not a quattie worth sell. Everybody come a feel up, feel up, Not a quattie worth sell. Lady come and buy nice fresh ackee, They are tasty to eat. Lady come and buy nice fresh ackee, They are tasty to eat. |
|
Little
bird up in a tree 🔊
An American folk song. Can be
played as a simple dance: hold hands in a circle and walk eight steps right
and then to the left. |
|
Little bird up in a tree, in a tree, in a tree, Little bird up in a tree, sing a song to me. Sing about the roses, on the garden wall; Sing about the birdies, in the tree-top tall. Sing about the farmer, planting beans and corn, Planting peas and carrots, on the summer morn. Sing about the mountain, sing about the sea, Sing about the rainbow, sing a song for me. |
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Mary
Ann 🔊
A calypso from the West Indies, such songs became very popular in the
UK in the 1970s, especialy in places such as Birmingham where there were many
recent immigrants from those islands. I taught in Handsworth, Birmingham at
this time and had the pleasure of singing many songs from that part of the
world. The words
here are by Kathy Alexander and arranged by Douglas Coombes for BBC Schools
‘Singing Together’ Summer 1975. |
|
All day, all night, Miss Mary Ann, Down by the seaside, sifting sand, All the little children love Mary Ann, You too, will love her, Miss Mary Ann. If you come to this island fine, You'll love the sea and bright sunshine, You will be enchanted with this fair land, You'll be bewitched by Miss Mary Ann. |
|
My
big blue boat O
A cheerful action song for a
seaside trip. 1. Row back and forth with a partner (as in ‘Row row row your boat’). 2.
Hold hands high to make sails. 3. Holding hands move up and down from a
crouched position 4. Holding hands move from side to side. 5. Row as in first
verse. 6. Pretend to catch a fish and eat it! |
|
I love to row in my big blue boat, My big blue boat, my big blue boat. I love to row in my big blue boat, Out on the deep blue sea. My big blue boat has two red sails, Two red sails, two red sails, My big blue boat has two red sails, Out on the deep blue sea. My big blue boat goes up and down, Up and down, up and down, My big blue boat goes up and down, Out on the deep blue sea. My big blue boat goes from side to side, Side to side, side to side, My big blue boat goes from side to side, Out on the deep blue sea. So come with me in my big blue boat, My big blue boat, my big blue boat. So come with me in my big blue boat, Out on the deep blue sea. We’ll catch a fish in my big blue boat, My big blue boat, my big blue boat. We’ll catch a fish in my big blue boat, And take it home for tea! |
|
Nature
carol 🔊
A song from the Philippines for
either summer, harvest or Christmas festivals. It can be found in BBC’s ‘Singing
Together’, Summer 1978. From ‘Three Far Eastern Carols’ O.U.P, the words are
translated by Malcolm Seageant. Alternatively move holding hands with a partner, swaying them from
side to side with two ‘turn the blanket over’ - raising hands high and moving
under in the middle of the song and at the end. |
|
Coral, amber, pearl and shell, Gifts we gather from summer seas, Find and bind make love the spell, Take our gifts if they charm and please. Chorus: Aloha! Aloha! Hanaw, hanaw, aloha! Aloha! Aloha! Hanaw, hanaw, Aloha! Ruby, onyx, rain and dew, Weave a crown with your jewelled light, Show and know whose world is new, Who is prince of the day and night. Meadow, orchard, field and vine. Melon, grape and maize are here, Leaf and sheaf with tendrils twine, Bring your harvests far and near. Mountains, flowers, trees and hills, Laugh and sing where such blessings fall, Wind and waves, lagoons and rills, Shout our love for the Lord of all. |
|
Nine
little tailors O
A German folk song (Neunundneunzig
Schneider???). Translated text by Helen Henschel and arranged by Herbert
Wiseman from ‘A third sixty songs for little children’ published 1960. I have
also come across it in a NZ publication for schools. |
|
Nine little tailors had a feast, Upon a summer’s day, All nine of them, all nine of them, All ninety-nine and nine of them Sat on a stalk of hay, Singing, Hey down, down, Derry down down down, A tailor’s life for me! Repeat And when the splendid feast was done, They all began to sing, All nine of them, all nine of them, All ninety-nine and nine of them They danced round in a ring, Singing, Hey down, down, Derry down down down, They danced round in a ring.
Repeat And after that they went to sleep, Upon their stalk of hay, All nine of them, all nine of them, All ninety-nine and nine of them On that one stalk of hay, Singing, Hey down, down, Derry down down down, On that one stalk of hay. Repeat |
|
Oh,
Mister Sun O
I began this song on a lovely sunny
Spring day; by the time I’d finished it was pouring with rain. There’s always
hope though! |
|
Oh, Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun, please shine down on me. Oh, Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun, hiding behind a tree. These little children are asking you, to please come out so we can play
with you. Oh, Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun, won’t you please shine down on
me? Oh, Mistress Moon, Moon, bright and silvery moon, please shine down on
me. Oh, Mistress Moon, Moon, bright and silvery moon, hiding behind a tree. These little children are asking you, to please come out so we can
sleep for you. Oh, Mistress Moon, Moon, bright and silvery moon, won’t you please
shine down on me? Oh, little stars, stars, little twinkling stars, please shine down on
me. Oh, little stars, stars, little twinkling stars, hiding behind a tree. These little children are asking you, to please come out so they can
wish on you. Oh, little stars, stars, little twinkling stars, won’t you please shine
down on, Please shine down on, please shine down on me? |
|
Oh,
oh, the sunshine O
A song from Texas from ‘American
songs for children’ 1948 by Ruth Crawford Seeger. This song covers clothing weather
and colour topics! |
|
Oh, oh, the sunshine, Oh, oh, the sunshine, Oh, oh, the sunshine, Sally's got a red dress, buttoned behind, Sally's got a red dress, buttoned behind. Oh, oh, you can’t shine, Oh, oh, you can’t shine, Oh, oh, you can’t shine, Ethan has green wellies on, ready for rain, Ethan has green wellies on, ready for rain. Nancy has blue jeans, buttoned in front… Isaac has black shoes with Velcro on top… |
|
Paint-box
/ Cauliflowers fluffy O
A song for harvest time by V.P.
Mitchell and H.C. Mitchell. Sometimes called ‘Cauliflowers fluffy’ and
popular in school assemblies. It was a favourite of my infant
classes after a summer outing to sing on the coach journey back home. |
|
Cauliflowers fluffy and cabbages green, Strawberries sweeter than any I’ve seen. Beetroot purple and onions white: All grow steadily day and night. Chorus The apples are ripe, the plums are red, Broad beans are sleeping in a blankety bed. Blackberries juicy and rhubarb sour, Marrows fattening hour by hour, Gooseberries hairy and lettuces fat, Radishes round and runner beans flat. Chorus Orangey carrots and turnips cream, Reddening tomatoes that used to be green. Brown potatoes in little heaps, Down in the darkness where the celery sleeps. Chorus |
|
Picnic tea O
A minibeast poem for
summer by David Harmer. Find his website at: http://davidharmer.com/poetry-days-in-schools/some-poems/
|
|
We found a shady spot
under a tree. Here’s what we had for
a picnic tea; We had ants in the
sandwiches, Wasps in the jam, Slugs in the lettuce
leaves, Beetles in the ham, Midges in the orange
juice, Flies on the cheese, Spiders on the
sausages, Ice-cream full of bees! |
|
Roll
with the waves 🔊
Music by Michael Levine, lyrics by Eric Litwin and Michael Levine,
they have a delightful site of accessible and often original songs, on
occasion using classical music as an inspiration at: https://www.thelearninggroove.com/
. |
|
Rolling, rolling; roll with the waves. x2 Come now with me to my boat on the sea, We'll bounce on the waves in the cool summer
breeze, Sometimes the boat, it will rock to and fro, So we let out the sail and away we go! Oh we are..
Rolling, rolling; roll with the waves. x2 Deep in the ocean there swims a blue whale, Watch as he moves with a swoosh of his tail, All of the fishies get out of his way Splashing about, you can hear the fish say that we
are... Rolling, rolling; roll with the waves. x4 |
|
Seagull, seagull sit on the shore 🔊
I originally found a
simple version of this on BBC Schools TV ‘Music time’ broadcast in the late
80s. This version is usually sung as a two part song and the arrangement was
written by Susan Brumfield. |
Seagull, seagull, sit
on the shore, sit on the shore, sit on the shore. Seagull, seagull, sit
on the shore, and sail on my Santy Anna. Captain, captain, hoist
up the sails, hoist up the sails, hoist up the sails, Captain, captain, hoist
up the sails, and sail on my Santy Anna. For my love is far
away, far away, far away, For my love is far
away, ‘cross the ocean. Blue horizon, heading
for home, heading for home, heading for home, Blue horizon, heading
for home, oh, sail on my Santy Anna. ‘Cross the waves and
back again, back again, back again, ‘Cross the waves and
back again, Santy Anna. Sail on my Santy Anna. |
|
Seagull, seagull sit on the shore
(2) 🔊
This simpler version for
younger children can be played as a hand play and comes from BBC Schools TV
‘Music time’ broadcast in the late 80s. The verses might be a little
different. 1. Cross hands at wrists,
flap and fly. 2. Make hand dip and dive. 3. Flap hands. 5. Pull at an
imaginary rope. |
|
Seagull, seagull, sit
on the shore, sit on the shore, sit on the shore. Seagull, seagull, sit
on the shore, sail away my Santy Anna. Penguin, penguin, swim
in the sea, swim in the sea, swim in the sea, Penguin, penguin, swim
in the sea, sail away my Santy Anna. Puffin, puffin, follow
the ship, follow the ship, follow the ship, Puffin, puffin, follow
the ship, sail away my Santy Anna. Captain, captain, hoist
up the sails, hoist up the sails, hoist up the sails, Captain, captain, hoist
up the sails, sail away my Santy Anna. |
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Shadows go round 🔊
A circle game to play outside on a sunny day; watch how the shadows lengthen and shorten as the circle moves round. Alternatively play with a
partner. Repeat
three times, the second quickly and the third slowly. |
|
Shadows go round,
shadows go round, Shadows go round with
me. Skip and dance in the
sunshine, All the way round with
me. |
|
Shake the papaya down 🔊
A calypso work song. It
works well as a partner song. A. Sing 1.-4.
sequencially. B. Sing 1.&2. together. C. Sing 1.&2. Together. D. Sing
2. |
|
1. Mama says no play,
this is a work day, Up with the bright sun,
get all the work done. If you will help me,
climb up the tall tree, Shake the papaya down. 2. Shake them down,
shake them down, Climb the tall tree,
shake them down, Shake them down, shake
them down, Shake the papaya down. 3. I love papaya, yes I
do, juicy papaya, yes I do, If you will help me,
I’ll help you, Shake the papaya down. 4. Sweet, sweet papaya,
fruit of the island, When all the work’s
done, dance on the white sands, If you will help me,
climb up the tall tree, Shake the papaya down. |
|
Sponge fishing / Xekina mia psaropoula 🔊
A traditional song from
Greece. I remember this one from BBC broadcasting for Schools Music Box from
the 1980s but originally it came from ‘East West songs’ 1960. Hear ‘Xekina mia
psaropoula’ sung in its original language at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilZmeOc9FfQ and https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-trata-mas-i-kourelou/id1102324986. Australia has a
considerable Greek population and different interpretations of the song
published by the Australian ABC broadcasting for Schools are discussed here: file:///C:/Users/daros/AppData/Local/Packages/Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe/TempState/Downloads/49-218-1-PB.pdf. |
|
Ξεκινά μια ψαροπούλα απ’ το γιαλό, απ’ το γιαλό ξεκινά μια ψαροπούλα απ’ την Ύδρα τη μικρούλα και
πηγαίνει για σφουγγάρια, όλο γιαλό, όλο γιαλό Little boat we’ll go
a-fishing, Out from the shore, Out from the shore. When the evening bell
is ringing, Many sponges we’ll be
bringing, And we’ll sail for home
with singing, Out from the shore, Out from the shore. |
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