For the very youngest

Dance to your daddy

Handy spandy

Here we go up, up, up

Hop little bunnies

Jump Jim Joe

Roosters and hens

Row your boat

See-saw Margery Daw

Walking, walking

Last updated: 19/08/2015 13:59

The songs below are part of ‘Away we go’ Round and about

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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To listen to music from these songs click on title at O

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

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Dance to your daddy O

Popular in Scotland and north east England, this is traditionally a song for dandling a baby on the knee in time to the music.

Listen to Nancy Kerr’s folk rendition of this song at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-tU36eyB0k

Dance to your daddy, my bonny laddie/lassie,

Dance to your daddy, my little man.

You shall have a fishy on a little dishy,

You shall have a fishy when the boat comes in.

Dance to your daddy, my bonny laddie/lassie

Dance to your daddy, my little man.

Skip round with a partner first one way then the other.

Sit opposite partner and pull back and forwards in rowing fashion.

Find a new partner and skip round one way and then the other.

Handy spandy O

Dandies were those such as Beau Brummell in the Regency period of history that strived to appear the height of fashion but were often mocked for their fancy and often outrageous clothing.

Directions:

Skip round the room on own or in pairs. Mime visiting a shop. Make four hops.

Here we go up, up, up! O

This simple nursery rhyme is a lovely way to move a baby in different directions, either in the air or on your knee.

Watch a chanted version at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6AqPIZMeDo

The game below can be played individually or with a partner. It could also be played in a circle changing partners at the end of each time the song is sung.

Pairs stand opposite each other holding hands.

Here we go up, up, up,

Here we go down, down, downy.

Here we go backwards, here we go forwards,

Here we go round and roundy.

Stretch and hold hands up high.

Squat down.

Jump away from, then towards each other.

Holding hands skip round on the spot.

Hop little bunnies O

This nursery tune comes from Germany but has been adapted to be sung throughout the English speaking world.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o9CTVlSlIQ

Directions:

Children lie sleeping on the floor, when the call comes they jump up, make rabbit ears and jump around the room.

Add new movements for each verse plus the actions of the previous one in this energetic and cumulative song.

See the little bunnies sleeping, till it’s nearly noon.

Do you think that we should wake them with our merry tune?

Oh so still! Are they ill? Wake up soon.

Hop little bunnies, hop little bunnies, hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop! x2

See the little children sleeping, till it’s nearly noon.

Do you think that we should wake them with our merry tune?

Oh so still! Are they ill? Wake up soon.

Jump little children, jump little children, jump little children, jump, jump, jump! x2

Hop little bunnies, hop little bunnies, hop little bunnies, hop, hop, hop! x2

See the little crocodiles snoring in the sun.

Do you think that we should wake them, wouldn’t it be fun?

Oh so still! Are they ill? Wake up! RUN!

Snap little crocodiles x3 snap, snap, snap! x2 ..... ....

See the little birdies sleeping, perched up in a tree,

Do you think that we should wake them to play with you and me?

Oh so still! Are they ill? Wake up please.

Flap little birdies, flap little birdies, flap little birdies, flap, flap, flap! x2 ..... ....

Jump Jim Joe O

This is a song that has its roots in slavery as ‘Jump Jim Crow’.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrUE-pYO6a8

Children hold hands with a partner in a space. This song will also work well played in a double circle.

Jump, jump , jump, jump Jim Joe,

Shake your head and nod your head and stamp just so,

And it’s round and around and around we go!

Then you take another partner and you jump Jim Joe.

Make three quick jumps to one side then the other, Drop hands, shake and then nod head twice. Stamp feet four times.

Join hands to partner’s elbows and turn around.

Grab another partner and jump three times.

Roosters and hens O

A simple game for the very youngest. Add movements suggested by the children. For more challenge make the actions cumulative: WIGGLE! STAMP! CLAP!

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o9CTVlSlIQ

Directions:

Strut round the room, weaving in and out of each other with hands on hips.

Who stole my roosters and my hens? CLAP! CLAP!

Who stole my roosters? CLAP!

Who stole my hens? CLAP!

Who stole my roosters and my hens? CLAP! CLAP!

Add: STAMP! STAMP!

WIGGLE! WIGGLE!

Flap wings and stop to clap, stamp or wiggle.

Row your boat O

Move gently along the river. For older children this song also works very well as a round.

Place hands round mouth to scream so neighbouring eardrums aren’t hurt!

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bcPci31yKA&feature=related

Sit in pairs opposite each other and spread around the room.

Row, row row your boat,

Gently down the stream,

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily;

Life is but a dream.

Row, row row your boat,

Gently down the stream,

If you see a crocodile...

Don’t forget to scream! ARGH!

Row, row row your boat,

Gently to the shore,

If you see a tiger there...

Don’t forget to roar! ROAARR!

Holding hands move gently back and forth..

As above for the first two lines.

Place thumb and forefinger round eyes then open and close arms.

As above for the first two lines.

Show claws then place hands round mouth.

See-saw Margery Daw O

With its smooth and steady rhythm it is possible that this song helped foresters keep good time when sawing wood.

A traditional see-saw would have simply been made of a log and a wooden plank.

Watch at:

http://www.muzu.tv/kidsmusic/songbox-vol-26-see-saw-margery-daw-music-video/743784

Directions:

Sit in pairs opposite each other and spread around the room. Holding hands move gently back and forth.

Walking, walking O

This simple tune, ‘Frère Jacques’, can easily be adapted to accommodate any type of movement.

Watch an ESL version at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NzBD98NHCQ&feature=related

Walking, walking, walking, walking,

Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop,

Running, running, running, x2

Up down up, time to stop!

Move as suggested by the words.

If the children get over excited when running change the words to ‘Tiptoe, tiptoe’.

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