More circle games 1
A-tisket,
a-tasket
All around the buttercup
Ally galoo
galoo
Boom makaleli
Built my lady a fine brick
house
Button you must wander
Can you tell me?
Clapping Land
Last updated: 6/13/2015
3:58 PM
These
songs are nursery rhymes and other traditional songs compiled, illustrated and
music arranged by Dany Rosevear.
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To watch the author
sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2013 All rights reserved
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you must give the original author credit
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A fun circle game. This song
was first noted in the U.S.A. in 1879. Roud Folk Song number 13188 Sit in a circle and as the others sing a child walks round the outside
and drops a letter behind one child’s back. This child then jumps up and runs
in the opposite direction to the dropper aiming to reach the vacated space
before them. If successful they become the new ‘postman’.
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If you like this one also
look out for ‘Buttercups and daisies dancing’ Stand in a circle with linked hands held high. One child weaves in and
out of the windows. On ‘me!’ this child chooses the nearest who holds hands
with the first child and leads them in and out of the circle. Each time the
refrain is sung a new child is chosen to lead the line until one child is
left and the line circles round them. If there is time that child then
becomes the new leader travelling in and out of the newly formed circle.
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A circle game for young
children. It is very similar to ‘Sally goes round the sun’. Walk round in a circle holding hands. On ‘Wheeee!’
kick foot up high. The second time walk into the circle and raise hands high.
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A circle game. This song
possibly has African origins – I have no evidence and would be delighted to
hear more. Children walk in a circle holding hands. One child walks in the centre
in the opposite direction. On ‘Down, down’ this child invites a named child
to come into the circle and follow the leader in a crouched position. Each
time the game is played a new child is chosen until everyone is waddling in a
ring behind the leader.
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This game can be found in
Ruth Crawford Seegers ‘American folk songs for
children’ It was also noted as coming
from Western Nebraska in 1888 see: http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/some-play-party-games-of-the-middle-west--piper.aspx . Children stand in a circle in groups of three. Two children hold hands
and the third stands in the middle. The pair circles round the one in the
middle. On the third line that child moves under their hands and on to the
next pair (house) in the circle and the game continues.
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Many games around the world
involve passing an object round the circle. The game below is fairly simple
though the children need to be devious as they try to fool the child in the
centre. There are other versions of
this game including one that involves the identification of a child’s voice
at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIxoZkJQdHE. Children sit in a circle with one a child in the centre. This child
closes eyes as one child in the circle is given a button to hold. During the
song the button is passed round the circle while those without the button
pretend to pass it on. At the end the child in the centre attempts to guess
who has the button. They are allowed three or four guesses.
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This song can be adapted to
work with your physical or dramatic objectives. One child goes in the
centre of the circle and mimes an action: texting, cycling, shopping. The
others guess what they are doing and then copy them. Skip in a circle; one child in the centre chooses a movement and the
other children then copy it.
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This song is sung as a
cheerful Christmas song in Norway ‘Jeg gikk meg over sjø og land ‘. It is also sung in other parts of Scandinavia. Skip round in a circle holding hands for the first five lines. For the
second part drop hands and move round the circle one behind the other
clapping, stamping, hopping or whatever takes your fancy!
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