If You're Happy and You Know It
This traditional children's song that originated in 1916 is a favorite with preschoolers. This song is perfect for introducing body percussion. Students can easily improvise with clicking tongues, patting cheeks, rubbing hands, tapping toes, and so on.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap)
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap)
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it,
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap, clap)
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
This is a traditional nursery rhyme, thought to have originated in 1852. It is a gentle, relaxed song that introduces the basic idea of a round to preschoolers and can be accompanied with movement. Ask the children to sit "criss-cross applesauce" facing each other and have them hold hands and "row" in time with the music.
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
Little Birdies
This is a fun rhyme for preschoolers. The "tweeting" action at the end is one of their favorite parts!
Way up in the sky (jump high)
The little birds fly (flap arms)
While down in the nest (form nest with arms)
The little birds rest (hands next to head like napping)
Shhh! They're sleeping. (stage whisper shh! say quietly they're sleeping)
With a wing on the left (flap left elbow)
And a wing on the right (flap right elbow)
The little birds sleep (hands next to head like napping)
All through the night.
Shh! They're sleeping. (stage whisper shh! say quietly they're sleeping)
The BRIGHT SUN COMES UP! (Yell it out and jump high with arms above head)
The dew goes away
"Good morning! Good morning!" the little birds say (make hands into bird beaks and tweet)
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
I have already written about little rhyme here. Scarves can be used as a prop for this rhyme.
Zoom, zoom, zoom!
We're going to the moon.
Zoom, zoom, zoom!
We're going very soon.
(wave scarf back and forth rapidly)
If you want to take a trip,
Climb aboard my rocket ship.
Zoom, zoom, zoom!
We're going to the moon.
(continue to wave scarf back and forth; at the end of the
second stanza, put the scarf on the floor in front of you)
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
(hold fingers up and count down)
BLAST OFF!
(toss scarf into the air)
This video offers other great ideas for motions to accompany the rhyme:
See the Pony Galloping
This is a great song to teach the concept of fast and slow. The repetitious lyrics make it perfect for preschoolers to engage and to sing along.
See the pony galloping, galloping, down the country lane.
(children gallop)
See the pony galloping, galloping, down the country lane.
(children gallop)
See the pony galloping, galloping, down the country lane.
(children gallop)
See the pony coming home, all tired out, all tired out.
(children slow down, and sit on the floor on the last "all tired out")
This video demonstrates how to sing this rhyme with a baby.
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