Lap play / dandling games T-Z

The galloping major

The gingerbread man

The lost shoe

The meadow-bout fields

This is the way the ladies ride

To market, to market to buy a fat pig

Tommy O’Flynn

Trip a trop a tronjes

Trot, old Joe

Trot, trot, little rider / Hoppe, hoppe Reiter

Trot, trot to London

Trot, trot, trot

Walter, Walter, Wagtail

What shall we do with the grumpy pirate?

Zoom, zoom, zoom

 

Last updated: 6/13/2022 9:45 AM

The songs below are part ofAway we go

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

·       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.


 

 

 

The galloping major O

 

The chorus of this great music hall song by Fred W. Leigh and George Bastow is perfect as a lap play game giving a vigorous ride to a lively baby or toddler.

You can find out more about this song including the verses at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Galloping_Major_(song) 

 

Bounce your young child up and down on your knee It is also suitable for galloping around the room on an imaginary horse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump!

As if I was riding my charger.

Bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump-i-ty, bump!

As proud as an Indian Rajah.

All the girls declare

That I'm a gay old stager.

Hey! hey! clear the way!

Here comes the galloping major!


 

 

The gingerbread man 🔊

 

 


A seasonal baby bounce.

Also a song to sing when reading the traditional story and making gingerbread men. One for the Christmas tree a season when gingerbread provides a feeling of warmth at that time of year.

Words adapted from those of Eva Rowland in Music by Dany Rosevear.

Find the traditional refrain here: (2) Run, run, as fast as you can! Move fast, slow, loud and quiet with the gingerbread man. - YouTube

1. Bounce toddler on lap. Draw imaginary smile. Tap feet together. 2. Bounce on lap.  Lay child backwards. Lift child up high. Continue bouncing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sing humpty, dumpty, dickery dan!

Sing hey, and sing ho, for the gingerbread man!

With a smile so sweet and a form so neat

And gingerbread shoes on those gingerbread feet,

And gingerbread shoes on those gingerbread feet.

 

With eyes of currants all shiny and black;

He’s baked in a pan, lying flat on his back;

Then out of the oven so glossy and brown,

The lovliest gingerbread man in the town,

The lovliest gingerbread man in the town!

 


 

 

The lost shoe 🔊

 

 


Lots of bouncing fun. For a boy sing ‘ the prince has…’

Second verse by Dany Rosevear.

 

1. Bounce baby or toddler up and down. Change speed and rhythm in the second half slowing down and even more so on the last line. On the fourth line stop suddenly, then resume quickly. 2. Bounce again before lifting child up to bounce on feet, finally clap babies hands together in celebration of acheivement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Doodley, doodley doo,

The princess lost her shoe;

Her highness hopped

The fiddler stopped…

Not knowing what to do!

 

Doodley, doodley doo,

The princess found her shoe;

She hopped and skipped

And danced a bit…

For she knew what to do!


 

 

The meadow-bout fields 🔊

 

 


Off we go! The word ‘meadow-bout’ has yet to be defined, could it be ‘nearby’? Some suggest ‘bout’ is an Irish word for ‘bog’, follow the discussion at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=52683

 

Bounce baby or toddler to the rhythm of the song.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Oh, I have been to the meadow-bout fields,

And I have been to the gorses.

I have been to the meadow-bout fields,

To seek my master's horses.

Chorus:

And I got wet, and very very wet,

And I got wet and weary,

And I got wet, and very very wet,

When I came home to Mary.

 

Oh, I have been to the meadow-bout fields,

And through the grasses creeping.

Oh, I have been to the meadow-bout fields,

And found those horses sleeping.

Chorus


 

 

This is the way the ladies ride O

 

 


There are many, many versions of this baby bouncing game; this is probably the closest to the one I remember as a child.

 

Jog child up and down on your lap in time to the rhythm of the music, a little faster each time. On ‘And down into the ditch’ drop baby between legs and back onto lap with a hug.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


This is the way the ladies ride,

Trit, trot, trit trot, trit trot.

This is the way the gentlemen ride,

Clippetty clop, clippetty clop clippetty clop.

This is the way the farmers ride,

A-gallop, a-gallop, a-gallop, a-trot.

This is the way the old men ride,

Hobble-dy-hoy, hobble-dy-hoy, hobble-dy-hoy.

SPOKEN: And down into the ditch!


 

 

 

To market to market O

 

This rhyme was first appeared in 1598 and also in 161.1It has a Roud number 19708. To find out more visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_market,_to_market

 

Place baby or toddler on your lap holding their hands and jog up and down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,

Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.

To market, to market, to buy a fat hog,

Home again, home again, jiggety-jog.

 

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig;

Home again, home again, dancing a jig.

To market, to market, to buy a fat hog;

Home again, home again, jiggety-jog.

 

To market, to market, to buy a plum bun,

Home again, home again, market is done.

 


 

 


 

 

Tommy O’Flynn O

 

 


A baby bouncing song which possibly originated from within the Irish-American population.

 

Place baby on your lap facing away from you. Line 1&2: Bounce baby on your lap. Line 3: Drop child between knees, up and then again. Line 4: Lift up and bounce quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Tommy O’Flynn and his old grey mare,

Went off to see the county fair.

The bridge fell down and the bridge fell in,

And that was the end of Tommy OFlynn,

O’Flynn, O’Flynn, O’Flynn, O’Flynn!

 

Tommy O'Flynn with his old grey hair,

Went off to sea under sky so fair.

The boat sunk down, and he fell in,

And that was the end of Tommy O’Flynn,

O’Flynn, O’Flynn, O’Flynn, O'Flynn!


 

 

Trip a trop a tronjes 🔊

 

 


A Dutch nursery rhyme and foot riding song. The translation here is by Alan Mills.

The rhyme travelled to the New World where Dutch was often spoken at home well into the 20th century and according to Martin Langeveld https://www.rnw.org/archive/dutch-nursery-rhyme-white-house "Interestingly, this was also the one piece of Dutch that was remembered by Theodore Roosevelt, who was the first 20th century president of the United States, but who grew up in the 1860s in New York. He would go to dinner at his grandparents’ house. And at Sunday dinner his grandparents spoke Dutch at the dinner table. And this same nursery rhyme is one that he learned there, and he mentions in his autobiography that when he went to visit South Africa, he found Boers there and recited this nursery rhyme to them and they knew it too!”

 

Place baby on your foot facing towards you and hold hands. Bounce baby up and down. On the last line raise up high and drop foot to the floor and tip baby off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Trip a trop a tronjes,

Up and down and over,

The pigs are in the bean patch,

The cows are in the clover.

The ducks are in the water place,

The calf is in the long grass;

So big my baby is,

Pop-pe-jay bas!

 

Trippe trappe troontjes,

De varkens in de boontjes,

De koetjes in de klaver,

De paarden in de haver,

De eendjes in de water-plas,

De kalf in de lang gras -

So groot myn kleine poppetje was!

 

Trip a trop a troontjes,

The pigs are in the beans,

The cows are in the clover,

The horses in the oats,

The ducks are in the water,

The calf in the long grass,

This is how big my baby was!


 

 

 

Trot, old Joe O

 

 


A great buggy riding song.

 

Sit on the floor and place baby on your lap facing away from you and off you go.

Holding onto your child roll on your back and then forward to sitting with each “Whoa, Joe!” Sing and play the second verse slowly and the last verse fast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Trot, old Joe, trot old Joe,

You ride better’n any horse I know.

Trot, old Joe, trot, old Joe,

You’re the best horse in the country, oh!

Whoa, Joe! Whoa, Joe!

 

Trot slow Joe, trot slow Joe,

You ride slower’n any horse I know.

Trot slow Joe, trot slow Joe,

You’re the slowest horse in the country, oh!

Whoa, Joe! Whoa, Joe!

 

Trot fast Joe, trot fast Joe,

You ride better’n any horse I know.

Trot fast Joe, trot fast Joe,

You’re the fastest horse in the country, oh!

Whoa, Joe! Whoa, Joe!

 


 

 

Trot, trot, little rider 🔊

 

 


Ready for a bumpy ride! "Hoppe, hoppe Reiter" A traditional German lap play.

Translation by Dany Rosevear. Hear it sung in German here:

Hoppe, hoppe Reiter - Kinderlieder zum Mitsingen | Liederkiste - YouTube.

 

Bounce baby / toddler on your knee, then drop child between legs on the last line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Trot, trot, little rider, fall and you will cry sir,

Fall into the ditches, crows will peck your britches,

Fall into the swamp, make a splashy plomp!

 

Trot, trot, little rider, fall and you will cry sir,

Fall into the hedgerow, slugs and snails will get you!

Fall into the swamp, make a splashy plomp!

 

Trot, trot, little rider, fall and you will cry sir,

Fall into the green grass, you will get your pants wet.

Fall into the swamp, make a splashy plomp!

 

Trot, trot, little rider, fall and you will cry sir,

Fall into the water, you’ll get even wetter.

Fall into the swamp, make a splashy plomp!

 

Trot, trot, little rider, fall and you will cry sir,

Fall down on the hard stones, you will break a leg bone.

Fall into the swamp, make a splashy plomp!

 

Hoppe hoppe Reiter,

wenn er fällt, dann schreit er.

Fällt er in den Graben,

fressen ihn die Raben.

Fällt er in den Sumpf,

macht der Reiter plumps.

 

Hoppe hoppe Reiter,

wenn er fällt, dann schreit er.

Fällt er in die Hecken,

fressen ihn die Schnecken.

Fällt er in den Sumpf,

macht der Reiter plumps.

 

Hoppe hoppe Reiter,

wenn er fällt, dann schreit er.

Fällt er in das grüne Gras,

macht er sich die Hose nass.

Fällt er in den Sumpf,

macht der Reiter plumps.

 

Hoppe hoppe Reiter,

wenn er fällt, dann schreit er.

Fällt er in das Wasser,

macht er sich noch nasser.

Fällt er in den Sumpf,

macht der Reiter plumps.

 


 

 

 

Trot, trot to London 🔊

 

 


Trot to any place that takes your fancy.

Toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy riding games such as this one as much as any baby.

 

1. Bounce baby on your knee, lean to one side. 2. As before then drop child between legs. 3. As before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Trot, trot to London,

Trot, trot to Dover.

Watch out, baby, (NAME)

Or you might fall over! WHOA!

 

Trot, trot to Boston,

Trot trot to Lynn.

Better watch out

Or you might fall IN!

 

Trot, trot to Boston

To buy a pound of butter.

Trot, trot home again

And dropped it in the gutter!

 


 

 

Trot, trot, trot O

 

 


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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Trot, trot, trot,

Go and never stop.

Trot along my little pony,

Though the way is rough and stony,

Trot, trot, trot, trot, trot,

Go and never stop.

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa,

We’ve not far to go.

Keep me safe my little pony,

Though the way is rough and stony,

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,

We’ve not far to go.

 

Stay, stay, stay,

Time to end our play.

You kept me safe my little pony,

Though the way was rough and stony,

Stay, stay, stay, stay, stay,

Time to end our play.

 

 


 

 

Walter, Walter, Wagtail O

 

 


A lap play game with two different movements. If you come from Australia you might like to sing it as ‘Little Willy Wagtail’.

 

Lines 1&2: Bounce child up and down on your knees. 3&4 Move knees from one side to the other. 5. Open knees and drop child down – carefully!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Walter, Walter Wagtail,

Sat upon a pole;

He wagged his tail,

And wagged his tail,

‘Til he fell down a hole.


 

 

What shall we do with the grumpy pirate? 🔊

 

 


A vigorous baby bouncing game to cheer up a baby or toddler.

There was great controversy in the national press when Bookstart, a government funded organisation, amended the words of ‘What shall we do with the drunken sailor?’ to fit in with a pirate theme: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/feb/03/drunken-sailor-kiddie-pirate-makeover. You can find the original version which would also work as a lap play game at:  http://www.singinggamesforchildren.com/A%20Cluster%202.2%20Awaywego/19%20Lavender%20Lane%20S-Z.htm 

Words adapted by Dany Rosevear.

If you wish change the words below to make them gender specific.

 

 

Verse 1. Bounce young child on your knee to the rhythm of this song. Chorus: Lift child up each time. Verse 2. Dance child on your lap. Verse 3. Move from side to side. Verse 4. Tickle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


What shall we do with the grumpy pirate,

What shall we do with the grumpy pirate,

What shall we do with the grumpy pirate,

Early in the morning?

 

Hooray and up she rises,

Hooray and up she rises,

Hooray and up she rises,

Early in the morning.

 

Do a little jig to get them dancing,

Do a little jig to get them dancing,

Do a little jig to get them dancing,

Early in the morning.

 

Hooray and up she rises...

 

Make’em walk the plank till they start to wobble,

Make’em walk the plank till they start to wobble,

Make’em walk the plank till they start to wobble,

Early in the morning.

 

Hooray and up she rises ...

 

Tickle their toes till they wiggle and giggle,

Tickle their toes till they wiggle and giggle,

Tickle their toes till they wiggle and giggle,

Early in the morning.

 

Hooray and up she rises...


 

 

 

Zoom, zoom, zoom O

 

Rock baby back and forth on your lap, On ‘climb aboard’ hold baby’ up on your knees. On the last line count back slowly from five then lift baby up high.

 

Older children might like to skip round in a circle then crouch down and count back from ten, finishing with a big leap in the air.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Zoom, zoom, zoom,

We’re going to the moon,

If you’d like to take a trip,

Climb aboard my rocket ship,

Zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom,

We’re going to the moon,

5 4 3 2 1...

Blast off!

 


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