Australian collection

An Australian animal alphabet

(Tread lightly on the Earth my friend)

Click go the shears

Did you ever see a kangaroo?

Good morning Mrs Dingo

Grandma saw a possum

Great big boomers

Hop, hop, hop

How does a kangaroo go?

If you cannot see the music below try this PDF link:

http://singinggamesforchildren.com/A%20Cluster%202.2%20Awaywego/16%20Australian%20collection.pdf

Last updated: 2/25/2016 4:59 PM

The songs below are part ofAway we go’ Round and about compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page

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

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

·       you must give the original author credit

·       you may not use this work for commercial purposes

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·       any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

 

 

An Australian animal alphabet

(Tread lightly on the Earth my friend) O

 

What a curious continent with such unique and wonderful animals!

 

This song is quite a challenge to learn but its alphabetical structure will aid the memory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


SPOKEN

Tread lightly on the Earth my friend, tread lightly as you go,

Leave it as you found it for tomorrow’s child to know.

 

Albatross, archerfish, angel shark and ant,

Bilby, bandicoot, budgie, brolga, bat.

Cassowary, cockatoo, crocodile, cane toad,

Dugong, dolphin and dingo by the road.

In the bush, the swamps, the skies, the oceans all around,

We came along and wondered at the creatures we had found.

 

Emu, echidna, eastern tiger snake,

Fairy penguin, frilled lizard, flying foxes wake.

Galah, goanna, gecko and the great white shark,

Humpbacked whale, hare and hog deer leaping through the dark.

In the bush, the swamps, the skies, the oceans all around.

We came along and wondered at the creatures we had found.

 

Ivy leaf roller, island thrush, ibis,

Jacky lizard, jabiru and box jellyfish.

Kookaburra, koala bear, kestrel, kangaroo,

Lyrebird, lorikeet, long-footed potoroo.

In the bush, the swamps, the skies the oceans all around,

We came along and wondered at the creatures we had found.

 

Marsupial mole, magpie,

Nightjar and numbat,

Orcas, osprey, octopus, oystercatchers catch.

Possum, pelican, parrot, platypus,

Quokka, quoll and button quail making such a fuss.

In the bush, the swamps, the skies, the oceans all around,

We came along and wondered at the creatures we had found.

 

Red back spider, rainbow lorikeet,

Sugar glider, stink bug, swordfish and the sheep.

Tree frog, tiger moth, turtle and termite,

Ulysses butterfly so beautiful in flight.

In the bush, the swamps, the skies, the oceans all around,

We came along and wondered at the creatures we had found.

 

Vine hawk moth, vinegar fly, velvet gecko then,

Wombat, wallaby, willy wagtail, wren.

Many eXtinct animals then

Yabby, yakka skink,

Z is for the zebras; lionfish, shark and finch.

In the bush, the swamps, the skies, the oceans all around,

We came along and wondered at the creatures we had found.

 

SPOKEN

Tread lightly on the Earth my friend, tread lightly as you go,

Leave it as you found it for tomorrow’s child to know.

 


 

Click go the shears O

 

Roud # 8398. The tune is an adaptation of the American Civil War song "Ring the Bell, Watchman" by Henry Clay Work. Find out more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Click_Go_the_Shears

I learnt this version below in the 1980s from the children’s Music Box programme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Down by the pen, there the old shearer stands,

Grasping the shears in his thin bony hands,

Fixed is his gaze on the next sheep to come,

In a little minute boys, another’s done.

 

Chorus:

Click go the shears boys, Click, click, click!

Wide is his blow and his hands move so quick,

The ringer looks around and is beaten by a blow,

Zip! Another sheep is done and let him go.

 

In the middle of the floor in his cane-bottomed chair,

There sits the boss with his eyes everywhere;

Notes well each fleece as it comes to the screen,

Paying strict attention that it’s taken clean.

 

The tar-boy is there, awaiting command,

With his black tar pot, and his black tarry hands,

Sees one old sheep with a cut upon its back,

Hears what he's waiting for it’s, "Tar here, Jack!"

 


 

Did you ever see a kangaroo? O

 

A question and answer song. Groups can swap roles for each verse. The words could easily be adapted to suit animals from other continents. Children can have great fun making up daft rhymes – the more ridiculous the better!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Did you ever see a kangaroo? Yes sir!

Did you ever see a kangaroo? Yes sir!

Did you ever see a kangaroo

Playing on a didgeridoo?

Yes sir! Surely not sir? Would I lie?

 

Did you ever see a platypus? Yes sir!

Did you ever see a platypus? Yes sir!

Did you ever see a platypus

Jumping on a Sydney bus?

Yes sir! Surely not sir? Would I lie?

 

Did you ever see a bandicoot? Yes sir!

Did you ever see a bandicoot? Yes sir!

Did you ever see a bandicoot

Bungie jump and loop the loop?

Yes sir! Surely not sir? Would I lie?

 

...kookaburra... ... Surf boarding at Scarborough....

...great white whale... Swimming in a water pail

...jellyfish... ...Wave a wand to make a wish...


 

Good morning Mrs Dingo O

 

This rhyme is from the Australian Northern Territory Department of Education resources for teaching poetry.

I have added a tune so it can be sung or recited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Good morning Mrs Dingo,

Good morning Mrs Fly,

Good morning Mrs Kangaroo,

The sun is in the sky.

Good morning, good morning,

The sun is in the sky.

 

Good morning Mr Donkey,

Good morning Mr Pup,

Good morning Mr Buffalo,

The sun.....is....up!

Good morning, good morning,

The sun.....is....up!

 

 


 

 

Grandma saw a possum O

 

And so she did with granddad on her grandson’s very first birthday. It was on New Year’s Eve 2013 at Tarpeian Precinct overlooking Sydney Harbour bridge! Down the gum tree ran the marsupial and scarpered across the park in the hot sunshine much to the delight of the multinational crowd gathered to watch the fireworks that day.

 

This is just a song to enjoy rather than a singing game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grandma saw a possum,

It ran down a tree,

“G’day,” said the possum,

“You can’t ketch me!”

 

Chorus

Well, a possum is a possum,

And a cross one possibly,

If you tried to toss a possum

Off a eucalyptus tree.

 

 “You betcha?” cried old grandma,

She chucked up her hat.

It landed on the possum

And stopped it in its track.

 

“Is it night time?” cried the possum,

“I can no longer see.”

So he popped it in his pocket

And he ran back up the tree.

 

Grandma danced a jig,

She danced the old can can,

While possum twirled the hat around

Shouting “Ketch it if you ken!”

 

Grandma caught her hat,

She doffed it high and low.

She blew the possum kisses

And danced off on tippy toes.


 

Great big boomers O

 

No visit to Australia is complete without sight or sound of the amazing wildlife to be found in the outback, bush and billabong. Early and late in the day are the times when these creatures stir and make themselves known with their movements and incredible choruses.

Male kangaroos have several different nicknames ‘boomer’ is one of them. Others include: jacks, bucks and old men.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I’d like to see the great big boomers,

Bouncing in the bush lands,

I’d like to see the great big boomers,

Bouncing as the sun goes down.

Hippy hop, don’t stop, great big boomers,

Hippy hop, don’t stop, leap and bound,

Hippy hop, don’t stop, great big boomers,

Bouncing as the sun goes down.

 

I’d like to see the long necked turtles,

Paddling in the billabong,

I’d like to see the long necked turtles,

Paddling as the sun goes down.

Snippety snap, long necked turtles,

Snippety snap, all around!

Snippety snap, long necked turtles,

Paddling as the sun goes down.

 

I’d like to watch the dingoes dancing,

Dancing in the outback,

I’d like to watch the dingoes dancing,

Dancing as the sun goes down.

Howl as the sunsets, dancing dingoes,

Howl as the sunsets, paw the ground,

Howl as the sunsets, dancing dingoes,

Dancing as the sun goes down

 

I’d like to hear the kookaburra,

Laughing in the treetops,

I’d like to hear the kookaburra,

Laughing as the sun comes up.

Whoop-a-whoop, hoo ha ha, kookaburra,

Whoop-a-whoop, woo, you’ll get hiccups,

Whoop-a-whoop, hoo ha ha, kookaburra,

Laughing as the sun comes up.

 


 

Hop, hop, hop O

 

Can you hop on one foot? It’s easy on two!

Originally a German children’s song ‘Hopp, hopp, hopp’ this baby bouncing game is translated into English as ‘Trot, trot, tot’.

 

Place baby on your lap facing you and off you go.

Young children can bounce around on two feet, join with a partner for the second verse and attempt to hop on one foot for the last verse. Stand perfectly still at the end of the song – probably the most difficult thing to do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hop, hop, hop,

Go and never stop.

Hop along old kangaroo,

May I ride away with you?

Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop,

Go and never stop!

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa,

We’ve not far to go.

Safe and snug inside your pocket,

Off we go just like a rocket,

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,

We’ve not far to go.

 

Hop, hop, hop,

Now its time to stop.

You hopped on two feet kangaroo,

Can you hop on one foot too?

Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop,

Whoa, now its time to stop!

 

 


 

 

How does a kangaroo go? O

 

 


This is an adaptation of the song by M.C.Dainton ‘How does a caterpillar go?’ from ‘Physical action training songs’ it can also be found in the original ‘This little puffin’ by Elizabeth Matterson.

Mime actions for each of the creatures in this song. The last line will help you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


How does a kangaroo go?

Dear me, does anybody know?

How does a kangaroo go?

A-jump, a-jump the whole day long

 

A wobbly wombat – wobble, wobble

 

A kookaburra – Koo-koo-kaa-kaa

 

A frilled neck lizard – ssss

 

A sleepy kola - mmmmmm!

 


 

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