Category: Songs

Song: The Hokey Pokey

The Hokey Pokey is a participation dance with a distinctive accompanying tune and lyric structure. The Hokey Pokey is well known in English-speaking countries.

The song has actions, uses “right” and “left”, and names body parts. We can sing and dance this song with as many body parts as we can thing of:

  • right foot, left foot
  • right leg, left leg
  • knees
  • elbows
  • bottom or butt
  • shoulders
  • right hand, left hand
  • right arm, left arm
  • head
  • quiet voice
  • loud voice
  • whole body

You put your [right leg] in,
You take your [right leg] out;
You put your [right leg] in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the hokey pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!

The Hokey Pokey originated in a British folk dance The song and accompanying dance peaked in popularity as a music hall song and novelty dance in the mid-1940s in the UK

Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

(POST) Song: If You’re Happy and You Know It

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, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. (clap clap)

If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet. (stomp stomp)

If you’re happy and you know it, shout “Hooray!” (Hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, shout “Hooray!” (Hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, shout “Hooray!” (Hoo-ray!)

If you’re happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray!)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, do all three. (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, hoo-ray

  • “…tap your shoulders”
  • “… slap your knees!”
  • “…blink your eyes!”
  • “…pull your ears!”
  • “…turn around!”
  • “…twist your body!”
  • “…touch the ground!”
  • “… slap your legs!”
  • “…slap your thighs!”
  • “… turn around!”
  • “… snap your fingers!”
  • “… nod your head!”
  • “… tap your toes!”
  • “… honk your nose!”
  • “… pat your head!”
  • “… shout/say ‘We are’!”
  • “…shout/say ‘Hello’!”
  • “…shout/say ‘Amen’!”

Further Reading:

Song: The Itsy-Bitsy Spider

The Itsy-Bitsy Spider nursery rhyme has a fun fingerplay for small children. The fingerplay 1) improves children’s motor skills, and 2) makes a connection between the words and their meaning.

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the waterspout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again

“Itsy-bitsy” is another way to say “teeny-weeny”, as in tiny. Kids often say “itsy-bitsy” or “teeny-weeny”. Sometimes adults say “itsy-bitsy” and “teeny-weeny” too, usually making a small gesture between their thumb and index finger.

“I’m on a diet. I’ll have an itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny piece of birthday cake.”

Song: “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”

I grew up with a song, “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”, with the same melody as “The Wheels on the Bus” but with different words:

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning.

This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face,
Wash our face.
This is the way we wash our face
So early in the morning.

This is the way we comb our hair,
Comb our hair,
Comb our hair.
This is the way we comb our hair
So early in the morning.

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth
So early in the morning.

This is the way we put on our clothes,
Put on our clothes,
Put on our clothes.
This is the way we put on our clothes
So early in the morning.

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning.

BookOfNurseryRhymes p102a.JPG

Further reading:

Song: Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town

The doors on the bus go open and shut
Open and shut, open and shut
The doors on the bus go open and shut
All through the town

The people on the bus go up and down
Up and down, up and down
The people on the bus go up and down
All through the town

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish
Swish, swish , swish, swish, swish, swish,
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish
All through the town

The babies on the bus go wah, wah, wah
Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah,
The babies on the bus go wah, wah, wah
All through the town

The mommies on the bus go shh, shh, shh
Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh
The daddies on the bus go shh, shh, shh
All through the town

I grew up with a song, “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”, with the same melody but with different words:

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning.

This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face,
Wash our face.
This is the way we wash our face
So early in the morning.

This is the way we comb our hair,
Comb our hair,
Comb our hair.
This is the way we comb our hair
So early in the morning.

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth
So early in the morning.

This is the way we put on our clothes,
Put on our clothes,
Put on our clothes.
This is the way we put on our clothes
So early in the morning.

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning.

BookOfNurseryRhymes p102a.JPG

Further reading:

Song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Here is our nighttime song. Most Americans only know and sing the first verse.

Remember that children like routines and find familiarity comforting. I suggest that you sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star as part of your bedtime routine with your child.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

Here’s the whole song. If you and your children know and sing it, they’ll know more of it than most native speakers.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

Song: Are You Sleeping? (Frère Jacques)

Frère Jacques (/ˌfrɛrə ˈʒɑːkə/, French: [fʁɛʁ ʒɑk], in the nursery rhyme and in song more generally [fʁɛʁə ʒɑkə]; English: “Brother John”; Dutch: “Broeder Jacob”, German: “Bruder Jakob”, Italian: “Fra’ Martino”, Polish: “Panie Janie”), is a nursery rhyme of French origin. The rhyme is traditionally sung in a round.

The song is about a friar who has overslept and is urged to wake up and sound the bell for the matins, the midnight or very early morning prayers for which a monk would be expected to wake.

Frère Jacques, frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.

The song is traditionally translated into English as:

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John,
Morning bells are ringing! Morning bells are ringing!
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.

brother_john sheet music

Song: B-I-N-G-O!

There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-o!

There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
<Clap>-I-N-G-O!
<Clap> -I-N-G-O!
<Clap> -I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-o!

There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
<Clap, clap>-N-G-O!
<Clap, clap> -N-G-O!
<Clap, clap> -N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-o!

There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
<Clap, clap, clap> -G-O!
<Clap, clap, clap> -G-O!
<Clap, clap, clap> -G-O!
And Bingo was his name-o!

There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
<Clap, clap, clap, clap> -O!
<Clap, clap, clap, clap> -O!
<Clap, clap, clap, clap> -O!
And Bingo was his name-o!

There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
<Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap>
<Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap>
<Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap>
And Bingo was his name-o!

BINGO sung by Children and faster:

BINGO sung by man and slower:

Song: A-B-C Song

(Song) ABC song (slower, “26 letters from A-z”) (YouTube)
(Song) Singing Walrus – ABC Phonics Song (YouTube)
(Song) Alphabet Dance (YouTube)

A – B – C – D – E – F – G
H – I – J – K – L – M – N – O – P
Q – R – S – T – U- V,
W – X – Y and Z

Now I know my ABC’s
Next time won’t you sing with me?

(Parents, be certain to sing each letter clearly. Pay attention to the L-M-N-O-P part. Kids start to sing “elemeno-P”.)

Backwards Alphabet

This is a version that goes Z to A instead of A to Z.

z-y-x, w
v-u-t, s-r-q
p-o-n-m-l-k-j
i-h-g-f-e-d-c-b-a

Now you know your ZYXs
I bet that’s not what you had expected!

The e-d-c-b part is as fast as the l-m-n-o part in the normal alphabet song.

(Note: “had expected” is an example of the past perfect, a time before a time in the past.)

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