Classic singing games

A ring o’roses

Green gravel

Little sandy girl

Mrs. Bond

Nuts in May

Oranges and lemons

Pop! goes the weasel

The farmer’s in his den

The mulberry bush

This old man

Last updated: 07/08/2016 09:05

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 O

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

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

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A ring o’roses O

It is always lovely to discover new games from this and other countries but songs such as this one, the most well known traditional singing game in the English language should not be forgotten. This and ‘Oranges and lemons’ are a must for all those under fives and an essential part of their cultural heritage.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC4DNntThbk

A ring a ring o’roses, A pocket full of posies, Atishoo! Atishoo! We’ll all fall down! The cows are in the meadow, Eating buttercups, Atishoo! Atishoo! We’ll all jump up! A ring a ring o’roses A pocket full of posies, Atishoo! Atishoo! We’ll all fall down! Fishes in the water, Fishes in the sea, We all jump up, With a 1, 2, 3!

Children skip round in a circle and sit down quickly on ‘We all fall down!’ Skip round with knees slightly bent, on the last line jump up high.

Green gravel O

This game, possibly an old Irish song, is associated with funeral rights, the traditional version goes; ‘Your true love is dead’. There is also a longer version that contains the lines: ‘We’ll wash them in new milk and dress them in silk, And write down their names with a gold pen and ink.’

Make circles of six to eight children to allow for a shorter game.

Around the green gravel, The grass grows so green, And all the young children, Can plainly be seen. Dear------, dear------, Your true love has fled, He / she sends you a letter, So turn back your head. Around the green gravel, The grass grows so green, And all the young children, Can plainly be seen. Dear------, dear------, Your true love’s in Spain, The king sends a letter, So turn back again.

The children holding hands walk round in a circle. A child is named by the others and at the end of the verse turns to face the outside of the circle. This is continued until all the children are facing outwards. The game continues but this time each child turns to face the centre of the circle.

Little sandy girl O

This song encourages children to look out for each other especially when someone is sad.

See at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5d_218hgVA

See the little sandy girl / boy, Sitting on a stone, Crying, weeping, Because s/he’s all alone. Jump up little sandy girl / boy, Wipe those tears away, Choose a friend who likes to dance, And take them out to play. Tra la la la la la la la,Tra la la la la.

The circle walks gently round one in the middle who sits on a cushion and pretends to weep. The children skip round the circle. The child in the middle gets up and walks in the opposite direction choosing a partner on the last word. The two children cross hands and skip round as the others stand still and clap. The game begins again with the chosen child in the centre.

Mrs Bond O

The ducks in this song very sensibly do not readily respond to an invitation to come to the slaughter.

According to Iona Opie this song first appeared in 1763. A version was also recorded by the Victorian collector Baring-Gould as part of a Mother Goose collection.

Listen at: Oh what have you got for dinner Mrs Bond? music courtesy of the Broadside Band. You can find a song sung in Polish using this tune at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2nQ7YHD56k

Make two equal sized circles one inside the other both facing inwards. The inside players, the ducks in the pond, move to the left. Those on the outside move to the right.

Oh, what have you got for dinner, Mrs Bond? There's beef in the larder, and ducks in the pond; Dilly, dilly, dilly, dilly, come to be killed, For you must be stuffed and my customers be filled! John Ostler, go fetch me a duckling or two, Ma'am, says John Ostler, I'll see what I can do, Cry, Dilly, dilly, dilly, dilly, come to be killed, For you must be stuffed and my customers be filled! I have been to the ducks that are swimming in the pond, And they won't come to be killed, Mrs Bond; I cried, Dilly, dilly, dilly, dilly, come to be killed, For you must be stuffed and my customers be filled! Mrs Bond she flew down to the pond in a rage, With plenty of onions and plenty of sage; She cried, Dilly, dilly, dilly, dilly, come to be killed, For you shall be stuffed and my customers be filled!

Circles walk round holding hands. Ducks turn and face a partner in the outside ring. Pairs hold hands and skip round on the spot. Repeat these simple movements each time a verse is sung meeting with a new partner in the second half.

Nuts in May O

This old English song is commonly sung and danced at the May Day festivities; the tune is very similar to ‘Here we go round the mulberry bush’. Wikipedia suggests that as nuts are commonly picked in autumn the ‘nuts’ here refer to ‘knots’ or bunches of flowers, perhaps ‘knots of May / hawthorn’ for the May time celebrations.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK-yOghkPx4

Divide children to form two facing lines.

Refrain Here we go gathering nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May, Here we go gathering nuts in May, On a cold and frosty morning. Who will you have for nuts in May... Refrain We will have …… for nuts in May... Refrain Who will you send to fetch her away... Refrain We will send ……. to fetch her away... Refrain

Two lines advance and retreat. One line only advances and retreats. The other side advances and retreats choosing a child from the line opposite. The first side advances to ask their question. The second side choose a child from their own line. The two chosen children have a tug of war until one child is pulled to the other side where they join that line. The game continues until one side has all the players.

Oranges and lemons O

This old nursery rhyme refers to the bells of churches in or around the City of London; many other verses were sung including: ‘Kettles and pans,’ say the bells of St. Anne, ‘Pancakes and fritters,’ say the bells of St. Peter's, ‘Two sticks and an apple,’ say the bells of Whitechapel.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTWDiGt5TKs

“Oranges and lemons,” say the bells of St. Clement’s. “You owe me five farthings,” say the bells of St. Martin’s “When will you pay me?” say the bells at Old Bailey. “When I grow rich,” say the bells at Shoreditch. “When will that be?” say the bells of Stepney. “I'm sure I don't know,” says the great bell of Bow. Here comes a candle to light you to bed, Here comes a chopper to chop off your head! Spoken: Chip chop! Chip chop! The last man's DEAD!

Two children make an archway with hands held high and quietly choose who will be ‘orange’ and who ‘lemon’. The rest form a line and pass under the arch. The two making the arch lower their arms over each child as they move through capturing one on the word ‘head’. This child out of hearing chooses to be a lemon or an orange and stands behind either the ‘orange’ or ‘lemon’ leader. When all children have been captured there is a tug of war.

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Pop! goes the weasel O

This song was based in London’s East End; the Eagle was a music hall in the City Road. ‘Pop’ meant to pawn. It was popular as a singing game possibly as early as the 17^th century and it is suggested linked with the Huguenots silk weaving trade. It is said that Queen Victoria and Albert enjoyed dancing to this music making it the height of fashion to do so.

For simplicity walk or skip around the room and then at the word ‘Pop!’ jump high and clap hands above the head. Another simple game can be found at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-syqPaxuf7Q&feature=related

The dance below is a version of the Virginia reel. Yet another dance can be found in ‘La belette‘ see Allons-y’ The French collection and such movements would also work well with ‘with the song below.

Split class into sets of six or eight

Up and down the City Road, In and out the Eagle, That’s the way the money goes, Pop! goes the weasel. Half a pound of tuppeny rice, Half a pound of treacle, Mix it up and make it nice, Pop! goes the weasel. All around the cobbler’s bench, The monkey chased the weasel, The both of them had lots of fun, Pop! goes the weasel A penny for a spool of thread, A farthing for a needle, That’s the way the money goes, Pop! goes the weasel.

Stand opposite partner in two long lines. Top couple chasse down and back while the others clap and sing. All make a two hand swing with a jump and clap to finish. Head couple turn away from each other and march up the outside to the bottom of the line, followed by the others. There they make an arch for the other couples to go through. These couples swing jump and clap. Repeat as above Version 2: Four groups of four children circle round one child

The farmer’s in his den O

Sung in most nursery settings this is a game that works well with all age groups. Sing and play the song to the children – the tune will be instantly recognizable!

Learning this familiar game is child’s play. Everyone holds hands in a circle, the farmer stands in the centre.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73EVr3jSrVI&feature=related

Refrain The farmer’s in his den, The farmer’s in his den, Ee-eye the addio, The farmer’s in his den. The farmer takes a wife... The wife takes a child... The child takes a nurse... The nurse takes a cat... The cat takes a mouse... The mouse takes the cheese... We all beat the cheese, We all beat the cheese, Ee-eye the addio, We all beat the cheese.

The circle walks to the left. The ‘farmer’ walks to the right. On the second verse he chooses a partner and walks holding hands round the circle in the same direction. Eventually seven are chosen walking round the circle with hands joined. Once the cheese has been chosen all the children VERY GENTLY pat that child’s back.

The mulberry bush O

A simple dance suitable for the youngest children. Sing the refrain after each verse.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns5Lr8ZDLG8

Refrain Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush Here we go round the mulberry bush, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we clap our hands… This is the way we wash our face… This is the way we clean our teeth…

Skip round to the left in a circle. Stop and mime the actions. This is the way we stamp our feet… This is the way we warm our hands…

This old man O

This well known tune provides a lovely opportunity to dance a ‘heel and toe’ polka.

See it danced at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6lokmC6ovE.

Children stand in a circle opposite a partner holding hands. For the first line move anti clockwise.

This old man he played one, He played knick knack on my drum, With a knick knack paddy whack give the dog a bone, This old man came rolling home. two / shoe three / knee four / door five / hive six / sticks seven / off to Devon eight / gate nine / spine ten / back again

1^st time; Heel and toe twice then four slip steps sideways. Repeat in the opposite direction. 2^nd time; Slap partner’s right hand three times, left hand x3, both hand x3s and then own knees x3. Offer right hand to partner then walk. round to face next partner in the circle. Continue this sequence for the rest of the game.

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