Tuesday, December 15, 2015


Hello Families! Here is a list of songs , rhymes, and fun musical chants from our music class. I hope you enjoy singing and playing with your young child today! Take advantage of their love of music, imaginative play and movement! This is the time of their life to ignite and nurture a lifeling love of music as well as stimulate their brain with the magic and joy of musical play! Singing and playing with musical activities is a wonderful way to bond and connect with your child, and to enjoy these precious years with them ! They grow up so fast. Enjoy!
Love, Teacher Susy



Early Childhood Music Activities and Lyrics
Compiled by Susy Porter
11/11/02

Finger Play

Here is the beehive, but where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Watch and you’ll see them come out of the hive,
One two, three, four five.
BZZZZZZZZ!

Slowly, slowly, very slowly, creeps the garden snail.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly up the wooden rail.
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, runs the little mouse!
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, in his little house.

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill,
One named Jack and one named Jill.
Fly away Jack. Fly away Jill. Come back Jack, come back Jill.
Notes:  Replace “blackbirds” with different animals or creatures.  Ask the children for ideas.  It will always rhyme as long as you keep the creatures’ names “Jack and Jill.”

On my toe there is a flea.
Now he’s crawling up on me
Past my tummy, past my nose,
On my head where my hair grows.

On my head there is a flea.
Now he’s crawling down on me.
Past my tummy past my knees.
On my toe, take that you flea! (flick the flea off your toe w/your finger)



Johnny had one friend, one friend, one friend,
Johnny had one friend, one friend two.
Johnny had two friends, two friends, two friends.
Johnny had two friends, two friends three. (continue up to five)

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Whoops,
Johnny, Whoops, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny

                  “Wiggle” by L. Levinowitz from Maracas by Music Together
Wiggle ,wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. (etc.,etc.)
Notes:  Replace with “tickle”, or “jiggle”, or let the kids suggest words.
 

Upper Body Movement


A Ram Sam Sam, A Ram Sam Sam,
Gooley, gooley gooley gooley gooley Ram Sam Sam.
A raffey, a raffey!
Gooley gooley gooley gooley gooley, Ram Sam Sam.
Notes:  Audiate the different phrases of the song (hear the song without singing out loud while doing the motions), audiate the whole song, then sing the song.
        
Roly poly, roly poly, up, up, up!
Roly poly, roly poly, down, down, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, out, out, out.
Roly poly, roly poly, in, in, in.
Notes:  Vary the volume and pace.

This old man, he played one. He played nick-knack on my thumb.
With a nick-knack paddy whack, give the dog a bone.
This old man came rolling home.
This old man, he played two, he played nick-knack on my shoe
This old man, he played three, he played nick-knack on my knee

Hey Mr. Knickerbocker, boppity bop.
I feel so good with my boppity bop,
I put that beat right into my fingers. (tap,tap,tap,tap,tap,tap,tap)
Hey Mr. Knickerbocker, boppity bop.
I feel so good with my boppity bop,
I put that beat right into my ___________

The earth is our mother; we must take care of her.
The earth is our mother; we must take care of her.
Hey yanna ho yanna hey yanna ho.
Hey yanna ho yanna hey yanna ho.
The sky is our father; we must take care of him.
The rivers are our sisters; we must take care of them.
The trees are our brothers; we must take care of them.
The earth is our mother; she will take care of us.
Notes:  Try sitting in a circle (“knees to knees if you please”), or dancing with bells.

Tick tock, tick tock goes the grandfather clock.
But the cuckoo clock goes double-time,
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

Bouncing Songs

 
I have a little pony. His name is Macaroni.
He trots and trots and then he stops.
My funny little pony; Macaroni.

Mother and father and Uncle John, went to market one by one.
Mother fell off, and father fell off,
But Uncle John went on and on and on and on.

Chants and Rhymes


Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
Jackie stole the cookies from the cookie jar.
Who me? Couldn’t be! Then who?
Cheryl stole the cookies from the cookie jar.

                  “The Sounds of Fall” by Ken Guilmartin from Music Together
Listen to the leaves falling one by one, chh chh chh chh,
When we rake them up, we’re gonna have some fun.
Listen to the birds in the tree so high, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.
Don’t you wish that you could spread your wings and fly?

I’m a long John (teacher)         I’m a long John (children echo)
I’m a long time gone         I’m a long time gone.
Like a turkey in the corn         Like a turkey in the corn
With my long johns on         With my long johns on
Ba ba ba ba ba         Ba ba ba ba ba
Boo boo boo boo boo         Boo boo boo boo boo
Notes:  Make up your own sounds (ma, bo, po, la, etc)

As I was walking to town one day,
I met a __________ along the way.
And what do you think that _________ did say?

Unusual Meter Rhythmic Chants

                  “Rocketship”

Rocketship, rocketship, to the moon.
Rocketship, rocketship, to the moon.
Rocketship, rocketship, to the moon.,Zoooom
Airplane, airplane, flying high.whoosh
Butterfly, butterfly, flutter by. Shhh,shhh,shhh
Notes:  Replace rocketship with fire truck, race car, choo choo train, or school bus You can ask the kids for suggestions; you’ll get some fun ideas!

                  “Splishing and splashing” by K. Guilmartin from Music Together
Oh I like to sit in a nice hot tub,
splishing and splashing and splishing and splashing.
And I like to walk in the rain and the mud,
splishing and splashing and splishing and splashing.
And I like to play washing dishes in the sink,
splishing and splashing and splishing and splashing.
And I like to watch as my doggy takes a drink,
splishing and splashing and splishing and splashing.

Train Songs (Shaker eggs work great with these)


                  “Train is a comin’”
Train is a comin, oh yeah, train is a comin, oh yeah,
Train is a comin, train is a comin, train is a comin, oh yeah.
Train’s goin’ faster, oh yeah, train’s goin’ faster, oh yeah,
Train’s goin’ faster, train’s goin’ faster, train’s goin’ faster, oh yeah.
Notes:  Replace “train’s goin’ faster” with “train’s goin’ slower” or “better get your ticket.”  Have children blow out all their steam at the end of the song.

                  “This Train is Bound for Glory”
This train is bound for glory. This train is bound for glory.
This train is bound for glory. Children get on board.
No more weepin and a wailin. No more weepin and a wailin.
No more weepin and a wailin. Children get on board.
Notes:  Try “this train is headed for the zoo” (the farm, the city, the moon)

                  “Down by the Station”
Down by the station early in the morning.
See the little pufferbellies all in a row.
See the engine driver pull the little handle,
chug chug, toot toot, off we go!
Notes:  Have children sit in a circle, facing the same way, making a ‘train’, moving arms like a
train, and pulling the handle on “toot toot.”

“Little Red Caboose”
Little red caboose, chug, chug, chug
Little red caboose, chug, chug, chug
Little red caboose behind the train, train, train, train.
Smokestack on his back, back, back, back. (tap your back)
Comin round the track, track,track,track.(rub your palms together)
Little red caboose behind the train. Choo Choo!

Up & Moving/Dances


                  “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean” Scottish traditional
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
My Bonnie lies over the sea.
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
Oh bring back my Bonnie to me.
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back my Bonnie to me, to me.
Bring back, bring back, oh bring back my Bonnie to me, to me.
(Optional 2nd verse)
Oh blow ye winds over the ocean,
Oh blow ye winds over the sea (continue same as 1st verse)
Notes:  Walk in a circle while singing, emphasizing the 1-2-3 beat.  On, ‘bring back’, all come together lifting hands in the air.

                  “Clap and Stop”
I’m gonna clap and clap and clap and stop.
I’m gonna clap and clap and clap and stop.
I’m gonna clap and clap and clap and stop.
Clap and clap and clap and stop.
Notes:  Replace clap with walk, spin, stomp, run, hop, crawl, and surf.  This simple song helps children develop impulse control.

                  “Do Re Mi”
Doe, a deer, a female deer
Ray, a drop of golden sun
Me, a name I call myself
Far, a long long way to run
Sew, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow sew
Tea, I drink with jam and bread
That will bring us back to do...oh oh oh
Notes:  For a walking activity with the song, have children take a step for each note while singing up and down the scale, starting at one side of the room walking to the other. You can have fun with it by singing, ‘do re mi re do’,or ‘do mi so mi do’, and taking big steps.

Recorded Music with Movement Activities


·      “In The Hall Of The Mountain King” from “Peer Gynt” by Grieg:  tip toe like mice, act like cat, then dog, then giant, then hide in the cave.
·      “Flight Of The Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov:  buzz like bees
·      “March from the Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky:  soldier marching, butterfly dancing, bumblebee buzzing and flying.
·      “Rodeo: Hoe Down” by Aaron Copland:  dancing as on a horse.
·      “Wipe Out” by The Ventures:  surf to it , play air guitar, silly freeze.
·      “DeColores” traditional folk song: use rainbow streamers or scarves.
·      “The Pizzicatti” by Diebes: rhythmic sneezing and use scarves.
·      “Can Can” by Offenbach
·      “Rock Around The Clock” by Bill Hailey and the Comets:  twist!
·      Wee Sing “Pretend & Play”
·      Musical Moments, Activities for Kids and Parents, USC School of Music

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

The fall session of Sing, Dance & Play is offering one class on Thursdays at 9:45 a.m. in The Uruapan Room located in The Veteran's Park administration building on the corner of Overland and Culver Blvd.
Come Rock out with Teacher Susy. Enjoy a great class with awesome music, imaginative play, fun chants, rhymes, and all kinds of engaging activities that enhance the daily routine with your young child. Make the most of this precious time with your baby and toddler. They will grow up while you're not looking. Trust me on this one parents! Every moment is precious (I know it doesn't seem that way at 2:30 a.m......and yet 'tis true!)
Keep singing and dancing! It makes everything better!

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The Fall Session of "Sing, Dance & Play" begins Wednesday, 
September 30th!

I am excited about beginning our fall session this year! 2015 marks 18 years that I have been working with young children, singing, playing, and having the time of my life!

The most important thing for babies and young kids is a healthy, loving, secure attatchment to their parents or caregivers. Love is where it all begins!

Music, creativity, and expressive play ignites and enlivens our children's minds ! I am conviced that the arts, and music specifically does what nothing else can do for the development of our children's brains. Musical play brings joy, wonder, excitement, fascination, and fun to every day.

I cannot imagine raising kids without the help of Mozart, James Taylor, Raffi, and all the other gifted musicians who have enriched the fabric of my day to day life as a mother.

I look forward to seeing all of you in Septmeber, when we will "Sing, Dance & Play"!!

Keep singing!
Love, Teacher Susy

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Sing, Dance & Play
Summer 2015
Come join the fun!



Our summer session will include two classes. 
They meet at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday 
and 9:45 a.m. on Thursday mornings. 
We meet at Vet's Park in Culver City in the Uruapan room. See you there!
Keep singing, Teacher Susy

Thursday, June 18, 2015


Sing, Dance, and Play!
Summer Session Begins July 8th!



Come join the fun!
 Learn songs and musical games!
This magical parent-and-child music class combines music with creative movement and dramatic play!

Instructor: Susy Porter

For children ages birth to 4 years old. 
Wednesday   7-8 to 6-10  9:45-10:30 & 10:45-11:30 a.m.
Thursday     7-9 to 6-11  9:45-10:30 & 10:45-11:30 a.m.
10 weeks               $125 Resident, $136 Non-Resident
Location: Veteran’s Memorial Building, Uruapan Room
Register online or at the Parks & Rec office
310-253-6650
www.culvercity.org
Or contact Susy directly
310-913-1385 or at susyporter.blogspot.com

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Sing, Dance, and Play!


This special parent-and-child music class combines music with creative movement and dramatic play. A wide variety of musical instruments and props are used to engage children in expressive and free movement. For children 6 months to 4 years old. 


Our Summer session begins on Wed July 8th!

Classes run for 10 weeks from July 8th to Sept. 9th

Wed  9:45 & 10:45
Thurs  9:45 & 10:45

$125 Resident, 
$136 Non-Resident 
Register now at CulverCity.org
Click on The Culver City Living Brochure for all the details!
See you soon and keep singing!!

Monday, March 30, 2015

Here is a fun article one of our moms
 wrote about  our Sing, dance & Play class! 
(click on the link at the bottom!) 

See you April 8th for our first class of the Spring Session!
Keep singing!
Love, Susy





                              http://patch.com/california/culvercity/miss-susys-classes-kid-paradise

Tuesday, March 17, 2015



Sing, Dance, and Play!
Spring Session Begins April 8th!


Come join the fun!
 Learn songs and musical games to help 
make your day more joyful and harmonious. 
This magical parent-and-child music class combines music with creative movement and dramatic play. A wide variety of musical instruments and props are used to 
engage children and inspire creative expression.

For children 6 months to 4 years old. 
Instructor: Susy Porter

Wednesday 4-8 to 6-10  9:45-10:30 & 10:45-11:30 a.m.
Thursday     4-9 to 6-11  9:45-10:30 & 10:45-11:30 a.m.
10 weeks                 $125 Resident, $136 Non-Resident

Location: Veteran’s Memorial Building, Uruapan Room

Register online or at the Parks & Rec office
310-253-6650
www.culvercity.org

Or contact Susy directly
310-913-1385

Saturday, January 24, 2015






Sing, Dance & Play classes will happen on 
Wednesdays at 9:45 
and Thursdays at 9:45 a.m.
Our classes began on Wednesday, 
January 14th and will continue for ten weeks. 
There are still a few
spots left in each class.
Come join the fun!
Teacher Susy

Thursday, January 8, 2015











Sing, Dance & Play!
Winer session begins Wednesday, January 14th, 2015
9:45 & 10:45 a.m Wed & Thurs
Music classes for ages birth to 4 with Teacher Susy

“My whole family LOVES Sing, Dance, Play
with Teacher Susy! The class is the most affordable
class I have found....and the most fun!”
~Amanda, mother of two

Come join the fun!
        
Register online or at the Parks & Rec office
310-253-6650
www.culvercity.org

Or contact Susy directly
310-913-1385