More circle games
Tea Rye Riley
That’s the life of a farmer
The button and the key
The Elfin Cap
The farmer
The feather bed’s the best bed
The juniper tree / Oh, Sister Phoebe
The leaves are green
The needle’s eye
The posy rhyme
The wind blows high
There came an old woman from Sandy Land
There once was a princess
There stands a lady on the mountain
There were two jolly sailors
There’s a great big bear
Time to get clapping
Ting, tang, tellerlein
To push the business
Tread, tread the green grass
Last updated: 8/21/2023 10:32 AM
These songs are nursery rhymes and other traditional songs
compiled, illustrated and music arranged by Dany Rosevear.
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To listen to music from these songs click on 🔊
To watch the
author sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2013 All rights reserved
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works under the following conditions:
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Tea Rye Riley 🔊
A circle game from Texas found
in the ‘Handy play party book’ published in 1940 by the Cooperative
Recreation Services who have published the most wonderful collections of
games and songs. A circle
of partners face the centre. 1. Circle to the right. 2. Circle to the left.
3.Forward to the centre and back. Repeat. 4. Drop hands and swing partners.
Promenade round the cirlce. |
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Right around this way, Tea Rye Riley, Tea Rye Riley, Tea Rye Riley, Right around this way Tea Rye Riley, Tea Rye Riley, ray. Right back this way ... All in a motion ... All I want is a fine young thing (gal, lass or lad) To ride upon Ole Charley. I want no more of your weasely wheat, Your weasely wheat, your weasely wheat, I want no more of your weasely wheat, Tea Rye Riley, ray. |
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That’s the life of a farmer O
I found this song in Lynn Kleiner’s delightful book ‘Farm
songs and the sound of Moo-sic’. The music is traditional and I presume the
words are too but have been unable to find more information about this song. Children
sit in a circle. A small group of children stand inside the circle and
dramatize digging and hoeing and then planting seeds. The same number of
rabbits waiting outside hop into the circle and nibble the plants. On ‘Shoo,
shoo, shoo!’ the farmers chase each rabbit out of the ‘garden’ and attempt to
catch them. |
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This is the way we dig and
hoe, This is the way we dig and
hoe, This is the way we dig and
hoe; That's the life of the
farmer. We’ll plant the seeds and
watch them grow, We’ll plant the seeds and
watch them grow, We’ll plant the seeds and
watch them grow; That's the life of the
farmer. Here come the bunnies
hippity hop, x3 That's the life of the
farmer. Out of my garden, Shoo,
shoo, shoo! X3 That's the life of the
farmer. |
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This is a game that encourages careful listening and voice
recognition. Choose from a cache of objects, natural ones if playing
outside! Children
sit in a circle with eyes closed and hands cupped behind their backs. As the
song is sung a named child walks round the outside and places the button and
the key in two hands. Everyone sings “Who has the button?” and one child
answers “I have the button” This is repeated for the other object. The others
listen carefully and try to identify the voices. The child on the outside ask
the others if they know who has each object. One of the successful children
replace the one on the outside. |
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Around comes Johnny, around comes he. He is hiding the button and the key. Who has the button? I have the
button. Who has the key? I have the key.
Let us see! Let us see! …He is hiding the acorn and the leaf... …He is hiding the feather and the pea… |
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A jolly circle game from Germany Children
stand in a circle holding hands. As the song they skip round for the first
three lines. One child, Elfin Cap, with hands together above head skips in
the opposite direction. Nodding head on the 4th and 5th
line. The circle then stands still and Elfin Cap stops in front of a child;
jumps to the left and right then kicks heels behind self. Elfin Cap then
shakes hands with the new Elfin Cap and the game begins again. |
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Around, around our circle runs a pointed Elfin Cap, diddle, dum, Around, around our circle runs a pointed Elfin Cap, Three times three is nine you know, See the cap nod to and fro; Add some more then if you will, Elfin Cap stands still, stands still, stands still, Then jumps to the left and jumps to the right, Kicks up heels, it's quite a sight, Then greets new Elfin Cap, Then greets new Elfin Cap. |
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The farmer 🔊
I found this song in ‘A child’s book of songs’ by Robert
Foresman published in 1928. It is a traditional play party game and familiar
in England and Dutch Pennsylvania. Find out more at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/Lins050.html
. 1.
Children walk round in a circle. 2. Children imitate sowing hoeing etc.. |
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Shall I show you how the
farmer, Shall I show you how the
farmer, Shall I show you how the
farmer, Sows the barley and the
wheat? Oh, it’s this way that the
farmer... Sows the barley and the
wheat? Shall I show you how the
farmer... Hoes the barley and the
wheat? …Mows the barley and the
wheat? …Threshes barley and
wheat? |
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I first came across this in the classroom classic ‘Infant
Joy’ 1954. I have slightly modified the words after looking it up in Iona and
Peter Opie’s ‘The singing game’ 1985 which says it is a game that belongs to
the north-east of England and the Scottish borders. Children
sit in a circle with one child skips around in the centre holding a cushion.
At the end they lay the cushion in front of a chosen child. They both kneel
on the cushion and give each other a hug or shake hands (traditionally a
kiss). The chosen child then becomes the new bearer of the cushion and the
game begins again. |
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The feather bed’s the best
bed, The best bed of all; The best bed in our house
is made of pease straw, The pease straw was dirty
and lying on the ground; But never mind my bonny
wee lass, Just lay the cushion down. Lay it down, lay it down, Lay it down at someone’s
feet, feet, feet, feet. |
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The juniper tree / Oh, Sister Phoebe 🔊
‘The
juniper tree’ was a play-party game that was popular on the American frontier
in the first half of the 19th century. Children join hands and
skip or walk around a child in the centre. One child in the circle holds a
hat in their hands. On the second verse this child places the hat on the one
in the centre and kisses or shakes their hand. During the second verse that
child chooses someone from the circle and they swap roles so the game can
continue.
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The leaves are green O A song for
autumn; talk about the changing colours of this magical season.
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The needle’s eye 🔊
A ‘choosing’ play party game or in the past more likely to
be a ‘kissing’ game! Two or three arches can be made for the game to progress
more quickly. Two
children secretly choose ‘pins’ or ‘needles’ or ‘apples and ‘pears’ etc. and
then facing each other join and raise hands to form an arch. The others form
a line in a circle and follow each other through the arch singing. At the end
of the song the pair drop hands to catch a child as in ‘Oranges and lemons’;
that child is asked to quietly choose between ‘pins’ and ‘needles’ and then
leaves the line to stand behind the one they have chosen. The game
continues until the players are divided into two separate groups and a tug of
war ensues. |
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The needle's eye, it does
supply, The thread that runs so
truly, There’s many a lass that I
let pass, (There’s many a beau that
I let go,) Because I wanted you, Because I wanted you,
because I wanted you. There’s many a lass that I
let pass, (There’s many a beau that
I let go,) Because I wanted you,
because I wanted you. |
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The posy rhyme 🔊
A calendar circle dance from Somerset. The daisy verse references an old Somerset saying, ‘If you
can put your foot on twelve daisies at once Spring has really come.’ Adapted from ‘The posy rhyme’ which has a verse for each
season; here I have ordered it to fit in with the school calender beginning
with Autumn. It can be ordered as you wish or just sing one verse for each
season. Find the Spring / Daisy verse here: https://studio.youtube.com/video/ZMCMGymRob8/edit?o=U Find in ‘The chime child’ or ‘Somerset singers’ collected
by Ruth L. Tongue. Music adapted by Dany Rosevear as the original tune was
too difficult for my meagre talents; I have written a simpler melody,
hopefully more suited to the young. Form a ‘slow’ circle ‘with an in-and-out walking step and
swinging of arms.’ |
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The apples, the apples,
are hanging so red, A-bending the branches
that bow overhead, They grow, oh they grow, and
are sweet to the tongue, Apples, fine apples, when
September is done. The holly, the holly,
a-shining in sight, Its leaves they do
glisten, its berries be bright, It grows, oh it grows, at
the ending of the year, To cheer up our houses
when Christmas is near. The daisy, the daisy, she
sits in the grass, Where the little birds
nest and the little lambs pass, She grows, oh she grows,
in a fine silver ring, And when there are twelve,
it is the sweet, sweet Spring. The roses, the roses, they
sit up above, Where no one may pick them
to give to their love, They grow, oh they grow,
all so pretty as ev’ryone knows, And sweetly they smell
when Summer is at its close. |
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The wind blows high 🔊
This is another singing game that can be found all over the
English speaking world but has its roots in Ireland and Scotland. Sometimes
it is sung as a jump rope song. The game below is from the ‘Clarendon books
of Singing games’ 1957. Traditionally many of these circle games were played in
streets and playgounds by girls though younger brother’s were often allowed
to join in; the themes were often of love and courting; I have adapted this
song from a variety of sources to make it more gender neutral so both boys
and girls can happily participate. The children,
hand in hand, dance in a ring round a child in the centre; singing that name
in bar 5. On ‘good friends, the circle advances and retreats to the centre,
then stands still as the child makes a choice. The chosen child goes to the
centre and is named in verse 2. The circle once again advances and retreats
and then everyone takes a partner and skips round holding hands. |
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The wind, the wind, the wind
blows high, The rain comes
scattering from the sky, (Name) comes
walking by, Looking for
the one with a roving eye. S/he is
handsome, s/he is witty, S/he is a
child the golden city, S/he shall
choose 1-2-3, You are the
one that it will be! (Name) comes
into the ring, Ready to dance
and ready to sing; Clap your
hands and away we go To *London
city, E.I.O. *Or any other city. |
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There came an old woman from Sandy Land 🔊
This ‘hiring’ game has been found all over the United
Kingdom, the one below, with slight changes, was recorded in a Donegal school
playground in 1987 https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4493742/441
one5652 . The game was not accompanied by a tune so I have added and
arranged a generic one from Peter and Ionas Opie’s collection ‘The singing
game ‘ p 113 where there are also several other versions. It can also be
played as a line game with the woman and children pacing back and forth to
the ‘hirer’. Children
holding hands walk round in a circle. One child stands in the circle. This
child chooses another from the circle and they walk round holding hands
.Eventually the inside circle become bigger than the one outside. The last
chosen becomes the new ‘hirer’. |
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There came an old woman from Sandy Land, With all her children by the hand, “One can knit, the other can sew, And one can make a lily white bow, One can sit by the fire and spin, One can bake a cake for the king. One can do most anything. Pray ma’am, will you take one in?” Hirer: “The fairest one that I can see is Peggy Gordon” “Then poor (name) she is gone Without a farthing in her hand, Without as much as a guinea-gold ring. Good-bye, (name), Goodbye.” |
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There once was a princess O
Children make a circle around the princess who sits on
a cushion. The wicked fairy and the prince stand outside the circle.
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There are many versions of this circle game including ‘Oh
no John’. Children
holding hands walk round in a circle. One child the ‘laddie’ or ‘lady’ stands
in the centre. On ‘Madam’ or ‘Kind sir’ the children stop to sing. The child
in the centre answers emphatically. On the last line he/she answers ‘YES!’
and chooses a child to come into the ring where they dance round to the
music. The chosen child then becomes the new one in the middle as the game
continues. |
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There stands a lady on the mountain, Who she is I do not know; All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young man. Madam will you walk? Madam will you talk? Madam will you marry me? NO! What if I buy you a nice arm chair, To sit in the garden when you take the air?NO! What if I buy you a silver spoon, To feed your baby in the afternoon? NO! What If I buy you a nice straw hat, With seven yards of ribbon hanging down the back? YES! |
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There were two jolly sailors 🔊
Originally a kneel and kiss cushion game, the version here
is similar to the one sung and played with lots of giggling in Dearham,
Cumberland in 1962 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn13PIBVOqM
; it can also be found in Iona and Peter Opie’s wonderful research ‘The
Singing game’. That game was played in much the same way in Somerset in the
1920s. It has been adapted here to be gender free so any child in the circle may
be chosen. A circle
is formed and two children holding hands walk round inside. On ‘as we go
around…’ the circle walks round and stops on ‘The one…’; the sailors in the
middle choose a new child and take them round the circle. Each time the new
child chooses the next on to join the line. When the ones inside exceed those
in the circle they leave the ring and walk in a line holding hands outside
until eventually all are part of the outer circle. |
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Just lately
come ashore. They spent
their days in merry, merry ways, As they have
done before. As we go
around and round, As we go
around and round, The one who
finds another merry child, Must take
them, must take them, Must take them
round and round. There were
three jolly sailors… |
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There’s a great big bear 🔊
A hide and seek circle game. Music by Dany Rosevear. To ensure this game doesn’t go on for ever split larger
groups into three or four smaller ones. Children
sit in a circle; one, the bear sits in the centre with a honey pot (jam jar) beside
him/her. The others take turns to creep up, quickly grab the pot and hide it. Mr/Mrs
Bear then wakes up and goes in search of the pot while those in the circle
call out 'warm, warmer'. |
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There’s a great big bear, Sleeping over there; Who is going to hide her/his honey? Wake up, great big bear! Go and find your honey! |
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A lively Turkish circle game. You can find it brilliantly played here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CXs1L4bZf4
Unfortunately there are no links to help me understand the
Turkish words so I have used my imagination to write my own English ones
rather than as usual translating them. I presume it is traditional, if not
many apologies to whoever has written it. I would be delighted to find out
more if there is a kind Turkish person out there to help me!!! Melody
arranged by Dany Rosevear. 1.
Children stand in a circle and clap, tap and stamp in time to the music. 2.
Children hold hands and gently trot round with an emphasis on each ‘Hey!’. |
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Time to get clapping, Clap! Clap! Clap! Time to get tapping, Tap! Tap! Tap! Time to get stamping, Stamp! Stamp! Stamp! Holding hands we’ll dance around, Just like this! Li, li, lili, li, li, li, li, Li, li,lili, lai! Hey! Li, li, lili, li, li, li, li, Li, li,lili, lai! Hey! Li, li, lili, li, li, li, li, Li, li,lili, lai! Hey! Li, li, lili, li, li, li, li, Just like that! |
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This circle game comes from Germany, you can see the
German words below. The English words here were written by Anne Mendoza and
published in ‘Sociable songs’ in 1970, the words and the melody are
arranged by Dany Rosevear. Children
hold hands and stand in a circle. One child the ‘postman’ or ‘post lady’
walks round the outside of the circle and on the last line counts ‘one, two,
three’ children. The third child follows him / her and the game continues. |
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Ting, tang, tellerlein, Who's knocking at my door? It is the friendly postman / post lady / postie And this is what s/he calls: "Knocking once, knocking twice, Knocking three times at your door, Ting, tang, tor! One, two, three!” Ting, tang, Tellerlein wer klopft an meine Tür? Ein wunderschönes Mägdelein, das sprach zu mir: “Erster Stein, zweiter Stein, dritter Stein soll bei mir sein, eins,
zwei, drei.” |
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To push the business on O
This traditional circle game was collected by Cecil J.
Sharp. According to the Opies in‘The Singing game’ it was popular
dance at Sunday School socials but died out in the 1920s. It appeared more recently in the Ladybird book of ‘Dancing
games’ in 1976 but I don’t recall playing this in class or the playground. The
players stand in a circle holding hands with boys and girls alternating;
alternatively children could be labelled with coloured bands. Line 1-3
The circle skips round to the right. Line 4-5
Partners face each other clapping their hands in time to the music. Line 6-7
Partners join both hands and swing round changing places to end up ready to
play again with a new partner. This
sequence is repeated each time the song is sung until everyone is back in their
original place. |
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I'll buy a horse and steal
a gig, And all the world shall
have a jig; And I'll do all that ever
I can To push the business on, To push the business on; And I'll do all that ever
I can To push the business on. |
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Tread, tread the green grass 🔊
This choosing ring game from Maryland is from ‘The Games
and songs of American children’; it also has a version from Philadelphia with
‘dust, dust, dust’ (a corruption of the Scottish adist, come this way’)
instead of ‘star, star, star’. I have combined the two words, adapted the song to be
gender neutral and have added a colour theme but hopefully still reflect the
nature of the original versions. It is ideally played outside. Children
circle round one behind the other with hands behind the back. One child walks
round in the the circle in the opposite direction; this child decides on a
colour and invites a child from the ring wearing that colour to join in
holding hands. The game continues with the new child choosing a colour.
Eventually all the children will be in the centre circle except the last one
who starts the new game. |
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Tread, tread the green grass, Star, stardust; Come, choose the one all dressed in blue, And walk along with us. If you are dressed in blue, As I suppose you be, I’ll take you by the hand, my friend And lead you across the sea. |
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