Seasonal
songs
Spring
P-So
Pancake
Day
Planting
a garden
Pop a
little pancake
Pussy
got the measles
Pussy
willow
Pussy
willow’s Springtime song
Sakura
/ Cherry blossoms
Says
the bee
See
the dragon dance and prance
See
the little hare
“Shall
I sing?” said the lark
Shower
and sunshine
Shrove
Tuesday
Silver
raindrops patter
Sing
a song of Spring
Snowdrop
bells
Someone’s
making pancakes
Sounds
of Spring
Also find Spring poems and songs at:
Last updated: 4/4/2022
11:48 AM
The songs below are part of ‘Away 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.
|
Pancake Day 🔊
This song was broadcast on BBC
Television for Schools ‘Watch’ programme from the mid 1970s onwards. It was adapted by Liz Benett from
the traditional Dutch song ‘Hop Marjanneke’ which you can find at: http://www.singinggamesforchildren.com/A%20Cluster%202.8%20Dutch/1-6%20In%20Holland%20staat%20een%20huis.htm
|
|
Pancake Day, Pancake Day, Now’s the time to fry them, Pancake Day, Pancake Day, Now’s the time to fry. For today is Sunday, And tomorrow’s Monday, Tuesday, hey, is Pancake Day, Let’s dance our cares away. Toss them high, toss them high, Toss them to the ceiling. Toss them high, toss them high, Catch them as they fall. On the table pop them, Don’t you dare to drop them! Tuesday, hey, is Pancake Day, Let’s dance our cares away. |
|
Pop a
little pancake O
Shrove Tuesday in Britain is traditionally
the time for making pancakes to use up all the good things in the larder
before Lent begins. It is also a time for pancake races and the tossing of
pancakes. |
|
Pop a little pancake into a pan, Pop a little pancake into a pan, Pop a little pancake into a pan, That’s for my dinner today. Toss it in the air up high, high, high...x3 That’s for my dinner today. Shake on the sugar with a shake, shake, shake...x3 That’s for my dinner today. Squeeze on the lemon with a squeeze, squeeze, squeeze...x3 That’s for my dinner today. Roll it all around with a roly poly roll...x3 That’s for my dinner today. Pop it in my mouth with a yum, yum, yum...x3 That’s for my dinner today. |
|
Planting
a garden 🔊
It’s Spring! Time to get out in the
garden. Could easily be used as a hand
play. By Richard Compton 1921 to a
Flemish folk song; from 140 folk songs’ published in 1921. Adapted by Dany
Rosevear. |
|
Your rake and shovel and wheelbarrow bring; We’ll plant us a garden this morning in Spring; Dig little trenches, pull out all the weeds; Pour in some water, then drop in your seeds. Be sure you cover them all as you go; Now rake the top over and leave them to grow. Shine, merry sunlight, and fall, gentle rain! Look after my garden till I come again. |
|
Pussy
got the measles O
I found the first verse of this
song in Bill Meek’s ‘Moonpenny’. Jean Ritchie was familiar with the
original morbid Irish version which included verses about the death of the
cat; she adapted the music to suit her inimitable style of singing and added
the more soothing words as below to keep her children happy! I also remember a playground chant
and game ‘The cat’s got the measles, the measles, the measles, The cat’s got
the measles, the measles got the cat’. |
|
Pussy got the measles, on the first day of Spring, The first day of Spring, the first day of Spring, Pussy got the measles on the first day of Spring, The poor, the poor, the poor wee thing. We'll send for the doctor with his pills and things, Pills and things, pills and things, We'll send for the doctor with his pills and things, The poor, the poor, the poor wee thing. We'll make her some soup on a chicken's wing, A chicken's wing, a chicken's wing, We'll make her some soup on a chicken's wing, The poor, the poor, the poor wee thing. And all night long we will rock and sing, Rock and sing, rock and sing, And all night long we will rock and sing, The poor, the poor, the poor wee thing. |
|
Pussy
willow 🔊
A winter to spring hand play. A song by Mary Root Kern from
‘Songs of childhood’ published 1923. Tune adapted and arranged by Dany
Rosevear. 1. Shape sun, melt snow
away. Hand moves like stream. Hand to eyes. 2. Raise fingers behind
hand. Hand moves like brook. Stroke fur. |
|
The sun has melted all the snow, And icy streams begin to flow, Pussy Willow, Pussy Willow, Will you soon be here? Pussy Willow, Pussy Willow, Will you soon be here? Behind a sunny, quiet nook, Beside a busy little brook, Pussy Willow, Pussy Willow, Shows her sil’vry fur, Pussy Willow, Pussy Willow, Shows her sil’vry fur. |
|
Pussy
willow’s Springtime song 🔊
Winter turns into spring and we
look out for the dear pussy willow. Take a twig of pussy willow, ask
the children to close their eyes and gently stroke the little furry catkins
on their cheeks. Words and music by Dany Rosevear. |
|
With soft downy little pillows, Pussy willow, pussy willow, You’ve slept all winter long. Sil’vry kittens, silky kittens, With tiny, bright green mittens, Sil’vry kittens, silky kittens, Sing to us your Springtime song! |
|
Sakura / Cherry blossoms 🔊
A popular Japanese
folk song. It was once played at court and is often accompanied by the koto,
a Japanese harp, played on the floor by a kneeling musician. One of the
favourite Spring pastimes in Japan is cherry blossom viewing or ‘hanani’. Visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura_Sakura to hear it
sung in Japanese and to find out more about this song. |
|
Blossoms pink, blossoms
fair, Floating lightly in the
air, ‘Tis not mist or clouds
one sees But countless lovely
cherry trees Wafting fragrance in the
breeze. Come and see, come and
see, Springtime is for cherry
trees. Sakura, sakura, Yayoino sorawa. Miwatasu kagiri, Kasumika kumoka. Nioizo izuru, Izaya, izaya, Mini yukan. |
|
Says the bee 🔊
Get ready for some
buzzy business. Bees are busy all through the sunshine season. Just love this
lazy Spring into summer tune, song by Malvina Reynolds, from ‘Tweedles and
foodles for young noodles’ published 1961. The buzzy
refrain has been added by Dany Rosevear. It would work well with a percussion
accompaniment, washboard, kazoo, scraper for example. In her intro Malvina
encourages us to add our own ideas to her songs, such a generous spirit!. |
|
Come with me, says the
bee, Into the daffodil. All our house has yellow,
yellow walls And honey on the sill. Chorus Buzz, buzz, buzzy buzz,
buzz, Buzzy buzz, buzz, buzz,
buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz,
buzzy, buzzy, buzz, Buzz, buzz, buzzy buzz,
buzz! Come with me, says the
bee, Into the open rose. Perfume curtains hanging
all around And pollen on your toes. Come with me, says the
bee, Into the lily flower. Sun in your window every
sunny day Umbrella for a shower. |
|
See the dragon dance and prance 🔊
Chinese New
Year was a great time in school, We made a large dragon head out of boxes and
dragony drapes under which the whole class danced, whirling and twirling to
songs like this one accompanied by cymbals and other metal instruments. |
|
See the dragon dance and
prance, dance and prance, dance and prance. See the dragon dance and
prance on Chinese New Year's Day. See the lanterns swing and
sway, swing and sway, swing and sway, See the lanterns swing and
sway on Chinese New Year's Day. Hear the fireworks pop and
bang, pop and bang, pop and bang, pop and bang, Hear the fireworks pop and
bang on Chinese New Year's Day. Hear the cymbals clash and
clang, clash and clang, clash and clang, Hear the cymbals clash and
clan on Chinese New Year's Day. See the dragon shake its
tail, shake its tail, shake its tail. See the dragon shake its
tail on Chinese New Year's Day. See the dragon weave and
turn, weave and turn, weave and turn, See the dragon weave and
turn, on Chinese New Year's Day. Hear the children laugh
and clap, laugh and clap laugh and clap. Hear the children laugh
and clap, on Chinese New Year's Day. See the dragon go to
sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep. See the dragon go to sleep
on Chinese New Year's Day. |
|
See the little hare 🔊
A very simple circle game
or hand play. One for Easter or any other
time. Children are very familiar
with rabbits, hares are shyer creatures and and certainly not pets; both
feature in Easter traditions. It is well worth making comparisons between the
two. Hares remind me of kangaroos! Adaptation and music by
Dany Rosevear. Action
game: Choose one child to be the hare, they
sit in the centre of the circle. At the end of the song, jump here ther and
everywhere. Eventually they stop in front of another child who becomes the
new hare. Hand play: Close fist and put up two fingers. Place hands to
cheek. One hand strokes the ‘hare’ hand. Place finger on lips. Make ‘hare’
hand hop. |
|
See the little hare, So fast, so fast asleep, Little hare, oh, are you
ill That you lie so quiet and
still? Hop little hare, Hop, hop anywhere! |
|
“Shall I sing?” said the lark 🔊
Also called
‘April’, The first verse is from ‘The
Children's Encyclopedia’ by Arthur Mee. The second two verses by Margaret Lane
can be found ‘Harlequin – 44 songs around the year’ published by A&C
Black. Music by Dany Rosevear. This could easily be played
as a hand play. |
|
"Shall
I sing?" says the lark, "Shall I bloom?" says the flower; "Shall I come?" says the sun, "Or shall I?" says the shower. You must sing, happy lark, For cold winter’s sleep is past. You must bloom lovely flowers, For Spring has come at last. Welcome, sun, gently shine, Give your warmth to the earth. Welcome, shower, gently fall, Giving Spring new birth. |
|
Shower and sunshine 🔊
A spring poem
and hand play. The only place
I could find this poem by Maud Morin was in the wonderful collection of
poetry for children ‘The book of 1,000 poems’ published in 1942. Music by Dany
Rosevear. 1.
Wiggle fingers downwards for rain and shape a circle with and make fingers
wiggle upwards for the sun. Hold up hands with fingers splayed for trees,
make flowers bloom by placing palms together and open fingers. Cup hands for
nest. Hand to ears. Cross hands at wrist and flap high and away. |
|
Shower and sunshine, Sunshine and shower, Green are the treetops And blooming the flower, Nesting are wild birds, Air full of song; Hark! Now the cuckoo – It does not stay long. |
|
Shrove
Tuesday O
In this traditional song his sister
poisons poor Jack - accidently one hopes! Play this as a ‘Thread the needle’
game. Hold hands in one long line, two
children at the end make an arch for the line to pass through as in 'The big
ship sails through the Ally ally-o'. The line ends up with everyone's hands
crossed in front. Such games were popular at Shrove
Tuesday festivals in Wiltshire. Find out more about such customs and how to
play it at: http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/traditional-games-2/traditional-games-2%20-%200330.htm |
|
Shrove Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, When Jack went to plough, His mother made pancakes, But she didn't know how. She tipped them, she tossed them, She made them so black, She put in some pepper And she said, ‘Jack, eat that!’ Jack’s father made pudding, ‘Twas done in an hour, He hadn’t got eggs And he hadn’t got flour. He hadn’t got figs And he hadn’t got fat. He dropped it on the table And he said, ‘Jack, eat that!’ Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, Jack’s father went to plough, His sister made pancakes, But she didn't know how. She buttered them, she sugared them, She burnt them so black, She made them so awful That she poisoned poor Jack! |
|
Silver raindrops patter 🔊
Here comes the
gentle rain to help Spring on its way. Arrangement by
Dany Rosevear. In a circle sit back on lower legs. Make fingers fall gently to the
ground and then drum fingers softly on the floor. Rub eyes and stretch, then
slowly rise following hands pointed upwards– frame face with outstretched
hands. |
|
The silver raindrops
patter Upon the earth today, Tip tap! Their knock is
gentle, And this is what they say: “Awake now little flowers And open wide your door, Put on your rainbow
dresses For Spring is here once
more!” |
|
Sing a song of Spring 🔊
A cheerful ode to Spring. Spring is on its
way, time to appreciate the outdoor life and the natural world surrounding
us. Written by
Edith Möller, music by F.W. Möller and English lyrics by Antonia Ridge. |
|
When the green buds show, and
the March winds blow, And the birds all call
across the meadow Glad as bird on wing,
we'll go wandering Sing a song of spring the
wide world over. Chorus: Tra la la la la la la Tra la la la la la la, Tra la la la la la la, The wide world over. Warm will shine the sun,
far from home we'll run, Greeting ev'ryone so kind
and friendly. As we go we'll sing, tell
the world it's Spring, Make sweet echoes ring the
wide world over. Chorus |
|
Snowdrop bells 🔊
A song set to
the music of Jean de Neuville a 12th century troubadour. The words
are by Anne Mendoza and Joan Rimmer and can be found in ‘Thirty folk song
settings for children’ published in 1960. |
|
Snowdrop bells go
ring-a-ding. Winter’s gone and here is
Spring. Primroses sweet in woodlands
grow, Under trees where breezes
blow. Lambs skip and play in
meadows green, Winter’s gone and Spring
is Queen. |
|
Someone's making pancakes O
This rhyme was
written by Elizabeth Fleming and was set to music by Herbert Wiseman for ‘A
third sixty songs for little children’ published 1960. The word ‘girdle’
rather than ‘griddle’ was used in this publication – no idea why?! |
|
Someone's
making pancakes, The
griddles on the grate, The bowl
of batter’s beaten up So I am
going to wait Until
the work is over, And
there perhaps will be, Among
the brown and speckled ones’ A yellow
one for me!
|
|
Sounds of Spring O
A seasonal
action song. Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Move forefingers downwards. 2. Frog, a loose fist
jumps up arm. 3. Cross hands and flap wings, thumb and forefinger open and
close. 4. Wind left hand up right arm. 5. Cross forefingers and move around.
6. With palms and forearms together move upwards then fan out fingers. |
|
The
melting snow says, "Drop, drop, drop." The
little frog goes, "Hop, hop, hop." The
little bird says, "Peep, peep, peep." The
little vine goes, "Creepetty creep." The
little bee says, "Hum, hum, hum." The
little flower says, "Spring has come!" |
Return to the ‘Singing games for
children’ home