La noche, el dia y el tiempo

Al ánimo

Chiapenecas

Con el guri, guri, guri

La araña pequeñita

Martinillo

Patatin, patatin, patatero

Pimpón

Que llueva

Tres hojita madre

Last updated: 6/28/2016 2:10 PM

The songs below are part of ‘‘La pajara pinta’ The Spanish collection

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

To listen to music from these songs click on O

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page

© 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.

The Spanish Collection

It is said that children who are exposed to just 50 words of a second language before to age six begin to develop an "ear" for the sounds of that language.

It is hoped that where possible these songs will be sung in their home language. An English version is provided so children can enjoy the tunes before they have mastered Spanish. Literal translations do not always make sense to the English ear so these have been translated freely (very freely in some cases!) to complement the music and capture the spirit of each song.

You will find more Spanish songs in the collection ‘Away We Go’.

Spanish pronunciation

Spoken Spanish in both Spain and Latin America is quite distinctive from spoken English. For that reason a few lyrics are accompanied by the sounds of the Spanish language. The more distinctive sounds of letters in the words of the songs are provided to aid pronunciation in the guide below. The letters not listed are pronounced approximately as in English.

a sounds like ah (father) as in madre

i sounds like ee (feet) as in mi

e sounds like e (met) at the beginning or within a word as in leche

e sounds like ay at the end of a word as in leche

o sounds like oa (boat) as in no

u sounds like oo (boot) as in una

c sounds like th before the letters i and e as in cinco

cc sounds like ks (accident) as in accidente

j and g sounds like ch (loch) as in juego and girafa

g sounds like h (hallo) before the letters i and e as in gente

ll sounds like y (yard) as in llamas

ñ sounds like ni (onions) as in señorita

qu sounds like k as in ¿qué?

rr sounds like a Scottish r as in arroz

v sounds like b as in vaca

z sounds like th (thin) as in arroz

h is always silent unless the word is of foreign origin

u is silent after g and q as in ¿qué?

In Spain ‘d’ is spoken with a lisp, this is not so in Latin America.

There are many sites on line that provide help with pronunciation

Spanish punctuation

Written Spanish in both Spain and Latin America is also distinctive from written English; fewer capitals are used at the beginning of each line of verse, exclamation and question marks are used both at the beginning and end of sentences. However, for familiarity I have usually conformed to the English model when writing Spanish verse.

Al ánimo O

In this old song from Cuba the word ‘Ánimo’, has many meanings and purposes; spirit, courage, intention, come on, cheer up! Here a fountain is broken; variations include a broken bridge and a fire. The concept is that no problem is too difficult to overcome. It is sometimes played like ‘Oranges and lemons’ with choices of heaven or hell.

Listen at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SEnJMpt5YM

Make two rows of facing pairs.

Directions: The pair at the head of the row hold hands and skip sideways up and down the set, finishing at the tail where they hold hands high to make an arch. Those in the row clap twice after each line.

On ‘uri, uri, ura’ the two rows ‘peel the orange’; the pair at the front followed by the others turn to face the head of the line. They then turn to the left or the right and skip up the outside to meet their partner. Holding hands pairs skip through the arch and down to their original position where they swing around.

Al ánimo, al ánimo, la fuente se rompió, CLAP! CLAP! Al ánimo, al ánimo, mandarla a componer. CLAP! CLAP! Urí, urí, urá, la estrella va a pasar, La de adelante corre mucho, la de atrás se quedará. Verbena, verbena, jazmines y azucenas, CLAP! CLAP! Verbena, verbena, jazmines y azucenas. CLAP! CLAP! Urí, urí, urá, la estrella va a pasar, La de adelante corre mucho, la de atrás se quedará.

Step lively now, step lively now, the fountain has run dry, CLAP! CLAP! Step lively now, step lively now, we’ll fix it by and by. CLAP! CLAP! Uri, uri, ura, there goes a shooting star, Oh, the front is many miles away and the tail is not so far. Verbena, verbena, sweet lily and jasmine, CLAP! CLAP! Verbena, verbena, sweet lily and jasmine. CLAP! CLAP! Uri, uri, ura, there goes a shooting star, Oh, the front is many miles away and the tail is not so far.

Con el guri, guri, guri O

Enjoy the wonders of the outdoors like the young pharmacist strolling in the fresh air.

Listen at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=6Cu4TtHs0pw

Spread out individually around the room.

Directions:

Walk around the room in time to the music, imitating the movements of the apothecary, sun, joy etc.

Con el guri, guri, guri, Que lleva la boticaria, Parece que va diciendo: “Del junquillo sale el agua.” Del junquillo sale el agua, De Medina sale el sol, De Villarcayo los rayos. Alégrate, corazón. Alégrate, corazón, Aunque sea por la tarde: Corazón que no se alegra, Nunca cría buena sangre.

Hear the tippy, tippy, tapping, As a young man goes a-walking, For his steps are surely saying: "From the jonquil drops the water." From the jonquil drops the water, From the east we see the sun rise, Light shines down on every quarter, Cheerful hearts will make our smiles wide. Cheerful hearts will make our smiles wide, Though it’s very nearly evening: But a heart that’s not contented, Finds the sunshine swiftly leaving.

La araña pequeñita O

Learn a very familiar action rhyme in another language.

Watch at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YbjoDl9TMM&feature=related

Directions:

Place thumbs and forefinger of opposite hands together and swap up and down to indicate climbing. Wiggle fingers raising hands high and low to make rain. Raise hands and stretch out wide to make sunshine then wiggle fingers upwards. Make same movement as the first line to show climbing.

La araña pequeñita subió, subió, subió. Vino la lluvia y se la llevó. Salió el sol y todo lo secó. Y la araña pequeñita subió, subió, subió.

Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. And Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again.

Chiapenecas O

More familiarly known in the English speaking world as the ‘Mexican hand clapping song’; ‘Chiapenecas’ is a folk dance, from Chiapas in Mexico sung with various Spanish and English lyrics over the last century. The words here are written to aid movement.

Find this dance at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aok4iIGBmpE&feature=related

The Spanish verse below has been translated with some poetic license:

Cuando la noche llegó, When night time covers the ranch,

Y con su manto de azul, With its dark mantle of blue,

El blanco rancho cubrió, Under the moon and the stars,

Allegre baila empezó. I will be dancing with you.

Make a double circle formation facing clockwise. Each child on the outside joins hands with a member of the inner circle.

Chorus

Skip round the circle and clap, CLAP! CLAP! Turn around then you skip back, CLAP! CLAP! Dance with your partner and clap, CLAP! CLAP! Move close together and clap. CLAP! CLAP! Dance , dance, everyone’s dancing......

1. Skip twice in one direction with knees high. Clap x2. 2. Turn and skip twice the other way. Clap x2. 3. Holding hands face partner. Move out, in then out again. Clap x2. 4. Move in, out and then in; outer circle claps twice behind partner’s neck, inner circle claps twice behind partner’s waist. Hold partner and waltz

Martinillo O

A Spanish version of ‘Frere Jacques’, learn this song in other languages too.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVPrp9rTCo8&feature=related

Make a single circle holding hands standing next to a partner.

Directions:

Walk round in a circle first one way then the other. On the last two lines release hands and ring bells stretching up high and pulling down to the ground.

In the second verse turn to face partner and bow twice. Shake hands, first right then left. Link right arms and skip round, repeat with left arms linked.

Wave and pass each other to stand next to a new partner.

Continue as above each time the song is sung until original partner is encountered once again.

Martinillo, Martinillo, Dónde estás? Dónde estás? Suena la campana, Suena la campana, Din, don, dan! Din, don, dan! Buenos días, buenos días, Cómo estás? Cómo estás? Muy bien, gracias, Muy bien, gracias, Y usted? Y usted?

Little Martin, little Martin, Where are you? Where are you? In the belfry ringing, In the belfry ringing, Ding, ding, dong! Ding, ding, dong! Hey, good morning, hey, good morning, How are you? How are you? Very well, I thank you, Very well, I thank you, How about you? How about you?

Patatin, patatin, patatero O

At the start of each day greeting songs like this one from Asuncion in Paraguay are sung in nurseries throughout South America.

Watch at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QfeFGf0S6s&feature=related

Sit in a circle.

Hello, hello, first to you and then to me, Play this little game and it starts just like this: Very lightly, very slowly, On my head I put a hat now, See it fall; pom, pom, pom! Pick it up and; pom, pom, pom! Hear us sing our song together. Hello, hello, first to you and then to me, Play this little game and it ends just like this: La, la, la, la, la, la, la! Patatin, patatin, patatero, Hello children, tell me how are you, Yeah! Patatin, patatin, patatero, Hello children, are you all well? Yeah!

Wave palms of hands from side to side. Point to audience then to self. Clap from side to side. Roll hands up slowly. Tap head with palms of hands. Roll arms down. Tap floor three times. Roll arms up. Tap head three times. Clap hands together. As first two lines. Clap hands from side to side. Roll arms. Stand up and stamp feet. On ‘Yeah!’ throw hands up in the air. Repeat.

Pimpón O

This gentle lullaby is sung at bedtime to children in Mexico and other countries too.

Watch at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53EksB87M_o

Directions:

Stand in a circle and mime the actions of the song; washing face, combing hair and shaking hands with a neighbour. For the last verse open and close fingers to show the twinkling stars then form a pillow with hands against the cheek and say ‘Buenas noches’ / ‘Good night.’

Pimpón es un muñeco, pim-pone ace oon moon-yea-koh Con cara de cartón, cone cah-rah day cah-tone Se lava la carita, say ya-va la cah-ee-ta Con agua y con jabón, con jabón. cone ag-wa ee cone sha-bone Se desenreda el pelo, con peine de marfil, Y aunque no le gusta, no llora, ni hace así. Pimpón dame la mano , con un fuerte apretón, que quiero ser tu amigo, Pimpón, Pimpón, Pimpón. Y cuando las estrellas, comienzan a salir, Pimpón se va a la cama, Pimpón se va a dormir. Buenas noches.’

Pimpon he is a puppet, His face a paper plate, He likes to wash his round face, With water and soap because washing is great. Pimpón he keeps his hair so smart, He uses comb or brush, Although he doesn’t like it, He’ll never make a to-do or a fuss. Pimpón he shakes his hands with me, A big smile on his face, He wants to be my favorite friend, Pimpón, Pimpón, I will be your best mate. And when the twinkling stars at dusk, Appear up in the sky, Pimpón will gently close his eyes, And whisper quietly, ‘Good night.’ ‘Good night.’

Que llueva O

One for a wet day and similar to the traditional English rhyme ‘It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring!’ Find out more about these Latin American animals and research new ones to add more verses with their Spanish names.

Listen to a cheerful version sung by Jose Luis Orozco from Mexico City at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-uV3HgK-Uo

Directions

Two facing players form a cave with hands held high. The others march through in single file. On the first ¡Que si! The arch falls over a child but lifts on ¡Que no! Finally a player is trapped under the arch on the syllable ‘rron’. This happens to a second child on: ¡Que si! ¡Que no! As the final phrases are repeated these two children make a second archway.

More arches are added each time the game is played. The latest arch drops to catch a player. The game continues until all children are part of the cave.

Que llueva, que llueva, El quetzal está en la cueva, Los pajaritos cantan, Los neubes se levantan, ¡Que si! ¡Que no! Que caiga un chaparron. ¡Que si! ¡Que no! Que caiga un chaparron. Que llueva, que llueva, La llama está en la cueva, Los pajaritos cantan,.. etc. El cóndor está en la cueva ...And the condor sits in a dry cave.... La anaconda.../...And the anaconda... La piraña /...And the piranha... El tucán /...And the toucan... El caiman /...And the caiman...

It’s raining, it’s pouring. In a dry cave sits a quetzal, The little birds are singing, The clouds are gently rising, Oh, yes! Oh, no! The rain comes a-tumbling down. Oh, yes! Oh, no! The rain comes a-tumbling down. It’s raining, it’s pouring. In a dry cave sits a llama, The little birds are singing... In a dry cave sits a toucan… In a dry cave sits an anaconda... In a dry cave sits a piranha…

Tres hojita madre O

Is it Autumn or is the tree suffering from drought?

This gentle traditional song originates from the Asturias region of Spain.

Listen at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqabamOZ1cw&feature=related

Directions

Stand in a large circle. Groups of three children are each allocated a number.

1. Child one stretches up waving branches as the other two whirl round crouching low. On ‘Inés’ the three skip round in a circle first one way then the other.

2. As before 3. Still holding hands children two and three make a bridge as child one flows under their arms and on to the next pair in the large ring. On ‘Inés’ make a new circle of three moving round first one way then the other.

1. Tres hojitas, madre, tiene el arbolé. La una en la rama, las dos en el pie, las dos en el pie, las dos en el pie. Inés, Inés, Inesita, Inés, Inés, Inés, Inesita, Inés. 2. Dábales el aire, meneábanse. Dábales el aire, meneábanse, meneábanse, meneábanse. Inés, Inés, Inesita, Inés, Inés, Inés, Inesita, Inés. 3. Arbolito verde secó la rama. Debajo del Puente retumba el agua, retumba el agua, retumba el agua. Inés, Inés, Inesita, Inés, Inés, Inés, Inesita, Inés.

Three little leaves, my mother, has the tree: One is on the branch but two are falling free, two are falling free, two are falling free. Ines, Ines, Inesita, Ines. x2 See the wind is blowing, how those leaves do dance. See the wind is blowing, how those leaves do dance, how those leaves do dance, how those leaves do dance. Ines, Ines, Inesita, Ines. x2 Once the tree was green but now has branches dry. Water flows beneath the bridge, just hear it sigh, you can hear it sigh, you can hear it sigh. Ines, Ines, Inesita, Ines. x2

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page