Snip, snap crocodile P-S
Poems + action and other rhymes for children
Picnic tea
Pretty cow
Pussy willow
Rat-a-tat-tat
Red in Autumn
Sampan
Sing, little bird
Six little mice
Someone came knocking
Something told the wild geese
Sun and moon
Swift things are beautiful
Swing high, swing low
Also see:
Have fun with this
collection; it’s a great way to:
• increase verbal
skills, expand vocabulary and horizons
• interact with a
partner or larger groups and understand turn taking
• learn to follow
or synchronize actions with each other
• learn to start
and stop and discover the value of rules
• use children’s
natural response to rhythm and rhyme
• sharpen
listening skills
• improve memory
• continue the
tradition of children’s verse from this and other countries
• be creative,
there are many opportunities change words or actions, add verses, use different
voices or change
roles
• above all to
have lots of tremendous fun – even the most timid child will follow the rhyme
and with the group
soon begin to join in.
The rhymes and
poems below are part of ‘Away we go!’
compiled and illustrated by Dany Rosevear
Last updated: 5/1/2023
9:01 AM
Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page
To watch and
listen to the rhyme click on the title at:
©
Dany Rosevear 2012 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
·
for
any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of
this work
·
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.
Picnic tea O A minibeast poem for
summer by David Harmer. Music by Dany Rosevear. Find his website at: http://davidharmer.com/poetry-days-in-schools/some-poems/
|
We found a shady spot
under a tree. Here’s what we had for
a picnic tea; We had ants in the
sandwiches, Wasps in the jam, Slugs in the lettuce
leaves, Beetles in the ham, Midges in the orange
juice, Flies on the cheese, Spiders on the
sausages, Ice-cream full of bees! |
Pretty cow 🔊 A lullaby and poem by
Jane Taylor who was born on 23rd September 1783 and lived in Colchester,
England. She is remembered along with her older sister Ann as a poet, hymn
writer and children's author. It comes from Poems of Home: II. For Children. Poems like this were
often passed on by word of mouth, with the text slightly changing on the way;
music like the one below might have been added later. This version and tune is
from Bill Crawford’s ‘Biding time’ album which was collected by Dave Lowry
from a Mrs Atkinson of Rocky Park Road, Plymstock, Devon in the 1960s. The music below is
transcribed by Dany Rosevear and the two versions have been modified to work
together. |
Thank you, pretty cow,
that gives The pleasant milk to
soak my bread, Every morning, every
night, Warm, and fresh, and
sweet, and white. Fresh and clean, and
pure, and white. Where the purple
heather grows, Where the bubbling
stream runs clear, Where the grass grows
fresh and fine, Pretty cow, go there
and dine. Do not chew the hemlock
rank, Growing on the weedy
bank; But the yellow cowslips
eat, That will make it very
sweet. Where the purple violet
grows, Where the bubbling
water flows, Where the grass grows
fresh and fine, Pretty cow, go there
and dine. |
Pussy
willow A poem by Aileen Fisher. Creep around the room with a sprig of pussy willow. Stroke it gently
across the children’s cheek as they sit with eyes closed. |
Close your eyes And do not peep And I’ll rub Spring Across your cheek- Smooth as satin, Soft and sleek- Close your eyes And do not peep. |
Another
question and answer rhyme. Mime actions. Sit
the children in two lines facing and looking at each other. Once the children
are familiar with the rhyme each group take turns to ask and answer questions
using good expression (make sure you sound quizzical for the questions). Swap
over. Who was most effective? Why? Encourage use of different voices – loud,
soft, angry, amused. What other voices could they use? |
Rat-a-tat-tat Who is that? Only grandma’s pussy
cat What do you
want? A pint of milk Where’s your
money? In my pocket Where’s your
pocket? Oh I forgot it Oh you silly
old pussy cat! |
Red in Autumn O A poem for Autumn by
Elizabeth Gould. Music by Dany Rosevear. |
Tipperty-toes, the
smallest elf, Sat on a mushroom by
himself, Playing a little
tinkling tune Under a big red harvest
moon; And this is the song
that Tipperty made To sing to the little
tune he played. “Red are the hips, red
are the haws, Red and gold are the
leaves that fall, Red are the poppies in
the corn, Red berries on the
rowan tall; Red is the big round
harvest moon, And red are my new
little dancing shoon.” |
Sampan A poem by Tao Lang Pee which
describes a river with sampans floating on it using rhyming, repetitive
language. These boats can commonly be seen in China and Malaysia. This
arrangement can be found in the Ladybird book of ‘Bedtime rhymes’. Can be used as a hand play
as below. 1. Move hands up and down across body and in
parallel. Place on hand on the other and move thumbs. ‘clap’ fingers. Point
hands up and ‘flap’.Tap forefingers together. 2. Wind arm along. Flicker
fingers.Point fingers down and wave from side to side. Flicker fingers. 3. As in one in reverse. |
Waves lap lap Fish fins clap clap Brown sails flap flap Chop-sticks tap tap; Up and down the long green river, Oh hey, oh hey, lanterns quiver Willow branches brush the river, Oh hey, oh hey, lanterns quiver. Chop-sticks tap tap Brown sails flap flap Fish fins clap clap Waves lap lap. |
Sing, little bird 🔊 Oh, how we need the calming sound of bird song and
other soothing sounds of nature in this busy, noisy, chaotic and
unpredictable world of ours! A poem from ‘In the nursery of my bookhouse’, edited
by Olive Beaupre Miller and published in 1920. It comes at the end of a
little Scotch folk tale. ‘Wee Robin’s Christmas song’. Music by Dany Rosevear. |
Sing, little bird, when the skies are blue; Sing, for the world has need of you; Sing, when the skies are overcast; Sing, when the rain is falling fast. Sing, happy heart, when the sun is warm; Sing, in the winter's coldest storm; Sing, little songs, O heart so true; Sing, for the world has need of you. |
Not
all stories for children end happily and flattery can be successful. C’est la
vie! |
Six little mice sat
down to spin. Pussy passed by and she
peeped in. "What are you
doing my fine little men?" "We’re weaving
coats for gentlemen." "Can I come in and
cut off your threads?" "Oh no, Mistress
Pussy, you'd bite off our heads." Said pussy, “I think
you’re wonderfully wise, I love your long
whiskers and your round black eyes.” The mice were so
pleased that they opened their doors. And pussy soon laid
them all dead on the floor! |
Spin with
first fingers and thumbs. Make
hands into creeping paws. Slyly. Spin with
first fingers and thumbs. Snip with
fingers two and three. Draw finger
across throat. In a
flattering voice. Indicate whiskers
and eyes. Open tiny
door enthusiastically. Sweep hand
across. |
Someone came knocking A night time poem. By Walter de la Mare, 1873-1956, one of England's greatest
poets and a writer especially for children. Recite with a sense of mystery. Mime the
actions. |
Some one came knocking At my wee, small door; Someone came knocking; I'm sure-sure-sure; I listened, I opened, I looked to left and right, But nought there was a-stirring In the still dark night. Only the busy beetle Tap-tapping in the wall. Only from the forest The screech-owl's call. Only the cricket whistling While the dewdrops fall, So I know not who came knocking, At all, at all, at all. |
Something told the wild geese A poem for Autumn / Fall when there is a chill in the air. The seasons are turning, Summer is gone, Autumn is here, and Winter is
on its way. By Rachel Field. |
Something told the wild geese It was time to go. Though the fields lay golden Something whispered,—‘Snow.’ Leaves were green and stirring, Berries, luster-glossed, But beneath warm feathers Something cautioned,—‘Frost.’ All the sagging orchards Steamed with amber spice, But each wild breast stiffened At remembered ice. Something told the wild geese It was time to fly,— Summer sun was on their wings, Winter in their cry. |
Sun and Moon 🔊 A poem by
Charlotte Druitt Cole. Music by Dany Rosevear. The sun and
moon might be so very far away but still connect to us in a very intimate way
as their sunbeams and moonshine accompany us through our lives. Social
distancing has made life difficult this year but the company of these distant
heavenly bodies can be very comforting. |
The moon shines clear as silver, The sun shines bright like gold, And both are very lovely, And very,very old. They hang up there like
lanterns, For all beneath the sky; And nobody can blow them out, For they are up too high. |
Swift
things are beautiful 🔊 There is beauty in the
fleeting and the ephemeral just as there is in more unhurried rhythms in
life. Catch the moment and make the most of what you can see. By Elizabeth Coatsworth,
author and poet, 1893-1986. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Coatsworth Set to music by Dany
Rosevear. |
Swift things are beautiful: Swallows and deer, And lightening that falls Bright-veined and clear, Rivers and meteors, Wind in the wheat, The strong-withered horse, The runner's sure feet. And slow things are
beautiful: The closing of day, The pause of the wave That curves downward to
spray, The ember that crumbles, The opening flower, And the ox that moves on In the quiet of power. |
Swing
high, swing low 🔊 The delight of rising up
high on a swing. A poem for the summer by
Patience Strong. Set to music by Dany
Rosevear. |
Swing high, Swing low, Up to the top of the tree you
go, Seeing the mill at the
water's edge, Seeing for miles over field
and hedge. Swing high, Swing low, Down to the ground and then
up you go. Catching a glimpse of the old
green pond, The church in the lane and
the woods beyond. Swing high, Swing low, Just like a bird on the wing
you go, But what would you say if the
swing swung high, And left you up there in the
bright blue sky? |
Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page