Away we go!

Dusty bluebells

Little black train

Little red wagon

My aunt came back

Rig-a-jig-jig

Rise, sugar, rise

Round and round the village

Train is a-comin’

Willowbee

Last updated: 24/10/2015 16:05

The songs below are part of ‘Hop, skip and away we go!’ The original collection

compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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To listen to music from these songs click on O

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

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Dusty bluebells O

A singing games classic that has been sung in school playgrounds at least since great, great, great grandparents were young. The chorus versions are multi various: tippy tippy tap tap, pitter patter pitter patter, tippa rippa rappa, tippy tippy tiptoe, pitter pat pitter pat are just some. Take your pick! Here is the one I sang as a child in the street outside my house.

Watch a:t http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TKaw4DbD0Y&feature=related

Why not make up your own version (In and out the dark green jungle / swirling snowstorm / waving cornstalks / apple orchard) to link in with your teaching topic.

In the classroom this game is best played with circles of seven to ten. The whole class can join together when there is just one child left in each circle, ending with a whole class circle tapping each other on the shoulders. Remind the children that gentle tapping is the order of the day!

In and out the dusty bluebells,

You shall be the leader.

Tippetty, tappetty, on my shoulder,

You shall be the leader.

One child weaves in and out of the circle of raised hands. At the end of the verse that child stops behind someone and taps them on the shoulder. This child becomes the new leader and weaves though the circle with the first child holding on behind.

The game continues until all the children are in a circle tapping each other on the shoulder.

Little black train O

This singing game is adapted from a traditional gospel song. Give the train the pre-school / school’s name e.g. The Charlton Train. Children listen to the words and suggest when the tempo might change.

Dedicate an interlude to the sound of the chuffing train.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtFcU1Gtk78

Directions:

Stand in a class line, the first in line is the engine. The leader takes the children round the room in a snaking movement. Everyone shuffles feet as they follow, moving bent elbows back and forth and round in a circle. As the whistle sounds noisily the leader joins the end of the line leaving a new engine at the front.

Little black train’s a-coming,

A-coming round the bend,

Just hear those big wheels rumbling,

And rolling through the land.

Whooo! Whooo!

Chorus

Get on board, little children,

There’s room for many a more.

Whooo! Whooo!

I hear that train a-coming,

She’s coming round the curve,

A-whistling and a-blowing,

And straining every nerve.

Whooo! Whooo! CHORUS

She’s pulling in the station,

You better not be late,

Run and buy your tickets,

To board that little black train.

Whooo! Whooo! CHORUS

The fare is cheap so all can go,

Both boys and girls are there,

They’re smiling, laughing, shouting

And waving in the air.

Whooo! Whooo! CHORUS

Start slowly and then pick up speed.

Start fast and get slower until the chorus.

Start slowly and pick up speed on last line.

Now faster

Keep to a regular pace and wave with right hand.

Big smiles!

Little red wagon O

Children will enjoy dramatizing the actions of this song, especially if they have seen parents or carers sorting out car problems. Discuss the actions that might be suitable and extend vocabulary of car parts – children will respond to this and often surprise you with their knowledge.

Watch at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRWqeXdIhMg

Jumping up and down in a little red wagon,

Won’t you be my darling?

Now what’s a matter with the little red wagon, Now what’s a matter with the little red wagon,

Now what’s a matter with the little red wagon,

Won’t you be my darling?

One wheels off and the axle’s dragging,

Won’t you be my darling?

Put another wheel on the little red wagon,

Won’t you be my darling?

Jumping up and down in a little red wagon,

Won’t you be my darling?

Children bounce around the room with a big smile.

Children bounce around the room.

Stand still and scratch head, examine car e.g. look under bonnet.

Walk round room dragging one foot behind the other.

Discuss with children how the wheel might be put on. Which tools would they use?

Rig-a-jig-jig O

A seriously cheerful song, Walking is Good Exercise (Rig-jig-jig-jig and Away We Go) was listed as an Ohio State specific song in the 1904 edition ‘Songs of Scarlet and Gray,’ which suggests it was written in the 1890s.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqVTCznT4WA&feature=related or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMC8Gl36qVo&feature=related

Very young children can walk, run march around the room ‘As I was walking / running, marching down the street’ Ask children for their own ideas. As they sing ‘A friend of mine I chanced to meet’ find a partner and move around together.

Later children will be ready for: ‘We clap our hands and stamp our feet’ / ‘We jump up high and come back down’ / ‘Holding hands we skip around’.

Below are instructions for the ring game version. This can be played with one or three children in the centre or begin with two equal sized rings moving in opposite directions.

As I was walking down the street,

Down the street, down the street,

A friend of mine I chanced to meet,

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, heigh-ho.

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho,

Rig-a-jig-jig and a heigh-ho.

Rig-a-jig-jig and away we go,

Away we go, away we go,

Rig-a-jig-jig and away we go,

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, heigh-ho.

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho,

Rig-a-jig-jig and a heigh-ho.

Two equal sized circles walk one inside the other in opposite directions.

Each child stands still opposite a partner in the other circle and shake hands.

Swing both hands once from side to side, take over head, move body under and back to original position.

Cross hands and swing partner around ensuring each arrives back in their original circle at the end of this verse.

Continue as before ready to meet a new friend.

Rise, sugar, rise O

A great song for creative souls and a chance to dream up actions galore;clap hands high and low, jump up and down, bang knees together, hands on hips, sway from side to side, bow. Find alternative words / actions in the Nativity play, ‘Stop I want to get off!’, see Nativity plays at www.gryphonsgarden.co.uk

Watch a delightful pair game based on this tune at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE41DEekfIU

Begin with a circle holding hands. Two stand in the middle. Mix the confident with those less so.

Coming round the mountain two by two,

Rise, sugar, rise.

Show a little motion two by two,

Rise, sugar, rise.

A very fine motion two by two,

Rise, sugar, rise.

Children stomp round circle in time to the music. The two in the middle decide on an action as above.

The circle bend knees low, hands pull body up to a tall stretch. Wave hands high from side to side.

Circle stand still and wag finger as the two in the middle do their action.

As before

Children copy the movement of the two in the centre.

As before

The game repeats with subsequent pairs who choose a different action.

Round and round the village O

This traditional song has been sung and played in countries all over the world from the 16^th or 17^th century. In some places it has been changed to adapt to specific circumstances e.g. Round and round the levee. Its worldwide and long lasting popularity is ensured by the universal themes it embraces: community, marriage and continuity. Children love to copy the roles they see around them, ‘As we have done before’. It is through such imitation that children begin to understand the world and its ways.

Watch at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kYyr3UJwS0&feature=related

The children form a ring to create a little village of houses, standing together holding hands high above their heads.

Go round and round the village,

Go round and round the village;

As we have done before.

Go in and out the window, etc.

Now stand and face a partner, etc.

And off we go to London, etc.

Shake hands before you leave her/him, etc.

One to three children, spread out, skip round the outside of the circle.

Those in the circle skip or walk round in the opposite direction.

Children weave in and out of the arching arms finishing inside facing a partner.

All children clap to the music.

Children lead their partners in and out of the circle.

They shake hands then the first children join the ring and the game continues.

Train is a-comin’ O

Many children know about steam engines from stories such as ‘Ivor the engine’ or visits to railway museums, yards. Introduce this song by comparing older with more modern trains. Discuss train journeys children have made and the distinctive features of the passing landscape: signals, stops at stations, passengers getting on and off.

Individual children can take on roles of railway crew and staff as the train passes: guard, signaller, ticket clerk, engine driver (who moves to the back of the line after each verse is sung to be replaced by a new driver at the front). Revel in the noise of the train as it speeds up or slows for a curve or tunnel, and the loud ‘whoo-oo’ as the piston blows.

Train is a-comin’, oh yes,

Train is a-comin’, train is a-coming,

Train is a-comin’, oh yes.

Run and get your tickets, oh yes…

Train is a-leavin’, oh yes…

First it’s going slowly, oh yes…

Now it’s getting faster, oh yes…

Going through the tunnel, oh yes…

Stopping at the signal, oh yes…

Into the station, oh yes…

Children stand behind one another in a circle or in a line moving around room with one child as a leader. Make wheel and piston movements with arms.

Put hands out for tickets as they pass the ticket clerk.

Whistle blows, guard waves a flag and children wave.

Start slowly then gradually pick up speed.

Bend knees to go through the tunnel.

Signaller rises and lowers arm.

Slow down gradually to come into the station with a last loud ‘whoo-oo!

35. My aunt came back (version 1) O

This call and response song is often sung around the campfire in the United States with place names adapted using more local or familiar ones. The Smithsonian has recorded African American children singing this song in Mississippi.

Travel round the U.S.A. in cheerful version at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHaTOXnpBVg&feature=related and also at: http://www.cherriyuen.com/E-Songs/My_aunt_came_back.swf

The group sits facing a leader. The leader sings the words of the song demonstrating the actions. The children echo each phrase and mimic the actions.

My aunt came back, My aunt came back,

From old Japan, From old Japan,

And she brought with her, And she brought with her,

A paper fan, A paper fan.

From old Algiers - a pair of shears

From Holland too – a wooden shoe

From Guadeloupe – a hula hoop

From the County Fair – a rocking chair

From Kalamazoo – some gum to chew

My aunt came back, My aunt came back,

From Timbuktu, From Timbuktu,

And she bought with her, And she brought with her,

SOME MONKEYS -

THEY WERE JUST LIKE YOU!

Children echo the leader and fan with one hand.

Continue fanning and make a scissor movement with other hand.

Continue hand movements and stamp one foot.

Add swinging hips.

Move back and forth.

Chew vigorously.

Continue movements, leader points to group on last phrase.

My aunt came back (version 2) O

You might prefer the tune below.

See at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBebmvZ7jv4&feature=related

My aunt came back, My aunt came back,

From old Japan, From old Japan,

And brought me back, And brought me back,

A paper fan, A paper fan.

From old Algiers - a pair of shears

From Holland too – a wooden shoe

From Guadeloupe – a hula hoop

From over there – a rocking chair

From Kalamazoo – some gum to chew

My aunt came back, My aunt came back,

From London Zoo, From London Zoo,

And brought me back, And brought me back,

SOME APES LIKE YOU!

Move as before.

Willowbee O

Another traditional song from the USA.

Directions:

Make two or three sets of two facing lines so each child stands opposite a partner.

During the chorus children take turns to make up a simple clapping dance eg swaying and clapping hands from side to side above head, down and up partner on opposite side copies their actions. For the words ‘Now we’re’ wave forefingers from side to side, then clap the beat as the pair at the head of the line move up down and then up the alley to finish at the opposite end. Subsequent couples proceed with a different movement along the alley.

This way willowbee, willowbee, willowbee,

This way willowbee, all night long.

This way willowbee, willowbee, willowbee,

This way willowbee, all night long. Now we’re…….

Dancing down the alley-oh, alley-oh, the alley-oh,

Dancing down the alley-oh, all night long.

Dancing down the alley-oh, alley-oh, the alley-oh,

Dancing down the alley-oh, all night long.

Skipping down the alley-oh

Swinging down the alley-oh

Hopping down the alley-oh

Twirling down the alley-oh

Tip-toeing down the alley-oh

Slipping down the alley-oh

Marching down the alley-oh

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