Here is a sample of some of our favorite songs and activities we do during our class. Singing these songs during your daily routine can help your day go more smoothly and help with transitions like nap time, bath time and cleaning up toys, and they're really fun!

EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC ACTIVITIES AND LYRICS

Compiled by Susan Porter

Fall 2005

FINGER PLAY

Don’t dismiss the old standards, such as Patty-cake, Patty- cake, Where is Thumbkin?, or Open, Shut Them. Children love them and you can add your own style to these old faves and make them fun for you to share.

“Peek-A-Boo”

Peek-a-boo, Peek-A-boo,

I see your smiling face, la la la la la

Peek-a-boo, Peek-A-boo,

I see your smiling face. Peek-A-Boo!, Peek-A-Boo

“The Garden Snail”

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.

 “The Flea Song”

On my toe, there is a flea,

Now he’s climbing 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 climbing down on me.

Past my tummy, past my knee,

On my toe, take that you flea!

“Shoo Fly”

Shoo fly, don’t bother me,

Shoo fly, don’t bother me,

Shoo fly, don’t bother me,

‘Cause I belong to somebody

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star.

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star.

“Beehive”

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!

“Uno, Dos, Tres Amigos”

Uno, dos, tres amigos,

Cuatro, cinquo, seis amigos

Siete, ocho, nueve amigos

Deiz amigos son.

One, two, three friends,

Four, five, six friends,

Seven, eight, nine friends,

Ten friends are we.

 “The Magic Penny Song”

Love is something if you give it away,

Give it away, give it away.

Oh, Love is something if you give it away,

It comes right back to you.

It’s just like a magic penny, hold it close and you won’t have any.

Lend it spend it, give it away, it comes right back to you.

“Tick Tock”

Tick tock, tick tock goes the grandfather clock.

But the cuckoo clock goes double-time,

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!

“Zoom, Zoom, Zoom”

Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon.

Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon.

If you want to take a trip,

Climb aboard my rocket ship.

Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to the moon.

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1…zoooooooom!

“Rocket Ship”

Rocket ship, rocket ship, to the moon.

Rocket ship, rocket ship, to the moon.

Rocket ship, rocket ship, to the moon.

Zooooooooooooooom!

Choo choo train, choo choo train, choo choo by. (Repeat 3x)

Choo choo, chugga, chugga, chugga, chugga, choo choo!

Race car, race car, racing by (Repeat 3x)

Brrrrrrrrrr  (lips!)

Airplane, airplane, flying high.  (Repeat 3x)

Whoooooooosh!

Butterfly, butterfly, flutter by. (Repeat 3x)

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

“This Old Man”

This Old Man , he played one, he played knick-knack on my thumb.

With a knick-knack patty whack give the dog a bone,

this old man came rolling home.

This old man he played two, he played knick-knack on my shoe.

He played three, he played knick-knack on my knee. 

“Ding Dong, Hot Dog”

Ding dong , I’ve got the rhythm in my hands.

Hot dog I’ve got the rhythm in my hands,

Ding dong I’ve got the rhythm in my hands,

Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, hot dog!

(Replace hands with feet, arms, head, fingers, etc.)

“Who Stole The Cookies From The Cookie Jar?”

Who Stole The Cookies From the cookie Jar?

Jackie stole the cookies from the cookie jar.

Who me? Couldn’t be, then who?

Ruth stole the cookies from the cookie jar

Who me? Couldn’t be, Then who?

WHOLE BODY/GROSS MOTOR SONGS

“Jack Be Nimble”

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,

Jack jumped over the candlestick.

Jack jumped high, and Jack jumped low.

Jack jumped low and stubbed his toe.  Oh, no!

(Repeat, change ending to his other toe, his nose, and he made it!)

“Babybird”

Here’s A babybird,

He’s hatching from his shell.

First comes his head, and then comes his tail.

Now his legs he stretches, his wings he gives a flap,

And then he flies and flies and flies, what do you think of that?

Down, down , down, down, down, down, down, down. BOOM!

“One Elephant Went Out to Play”

One elephant went out to play,

Out on a spider’s web one day.

He had such enormous fun,

He called for another elephant to come.

(Replace elephant with any big animal, such as a dinosaur, or a kangaroo)

“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.

“Walking, Walking” (To the tune of “Are You Sleeping”)

Walking, walking, walking, walking,

Hop, hop , hop, hop, hop, hop.

Running, running running, running running running,

Now I stop, now I stop.

“My Two Hands”

My two hands go clap, clap, clap.

My two feet go stomp, stomp, stomp

My one body turns around,

And quietly sits on the ground.

CHANTS AND RHYMES

“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?

“The Earth is Our Mother”

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.

“A Parachute Song” (To the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle”)

Red and yellow and green and blue,

These are the colors over you.

Red as an apple.

Green as a tree.

Yellow as the sun.

Blue as the sea.

RECORDED MUSIC WITH MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES

“Rondo Alla Turca” from “Moving with Mozart” by Georgiana Stewart

“Etude #1 in A Flat” by Chopin from “Musical Moments”

  by USC Thornton School of Music

“DeColores” traditional folk song from “Bells Collection” by Music Together

“Animals” by Saint-Saens from “Wee Sing and Pretend” by Price Stern Sloan

“Wipe Out” by The Ventures:  surf to it , play air guitar, silly freeze.

“Sail Away” by Enya from “Paint the Sky with Stars” by Enya

“The Pizzicati” by Delibes