Summer
songs T-Z
The
bees in the flowers
The
bees’ party
The
cuckoo is a pretty bird
The
dandelion and the child
The
lighthouse
The
little gardener
The
minibeast parade
The
shape of water
The
sleepy fishes
The
Slithery Dee
The
sun has got his hat on
The
teddy bears’ picnic
The
water fairies
There
I was just a-swimming in the sea
There’s
a tiny caterpillar
There
was a bee-i-ee-i-ee
There
was a little turtle
Tommy
and the apples
We
have planted in our garden
We sail and we sail and we stop!
Whales
can’t wink
Winding
the Maypole
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah
Also
see:
Down in the grass, curled up in
a heap
She sailed away on a lovely summer’s day
Last updated: 8/15/2022
10:02 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 🔊
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:
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you must give the original author credit
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you may not use this work for commercial purposes
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Your
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|
The
bees in the flowers 🔊
The garden is buzzing with
activity. 1. Cross fingers and fly. 2.
First two fingers walk. 3. Open and close thumb and forefingers. 4. Walk
forfinger. 5. Roll forefingers round each other. 6. Cross hands at wrist and
flap. 7. Dot back of hand. 8. Wiggle fingers. 9. Smack back of hand. |
|
The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz, Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz, Out in the garden. The ants in the grass go march, march,
march... The crickets in the fields go chirp, chirp,
chirp… The caterpillar on the leaves go munch,
munch, munch… The spiders in the bushes spin their webs… The butterflies in the sky they flit about… The ladybird on the wall has lots of spots… The worms in the ground they wiggle and
squirm… The mosquitos nipping me well they get
smacked…. |
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The
bees’ party 🔊
An American folk song? Insects
galore – all out there on a hot summer’s day wonderful to watch and listen to
but just what you don’t want for a picnic! |
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The bees gave a party and invited all they knew: The wasps and the hornets and a few mosquitoes, too. Yo-ho, and hey, every orchard tree was humming with a Buzz, buzz, buzz on that sunny summer day. The bees said, “Good day, and won’t you make yourself at home?” The band played sweet music, which they made upon a comb A lovely scene was that happy party, gaily singing Buzz, buzz, buzz as they danced upon the green. Miss Wasp asked the bumblebee if he would sing a song. She said they would listen if it wasn’t very long. The bee said, “Oh, very gladly I will sing for you, but Hum-sweet-hum is the only song I know.” The hours passed too quickly and the sun was too soon fled The wasps and the hornets said “good-night” and went to bed But ho! and hey! the mosquitoes never stopped their singing Buzz-buzz-buzz ’til the dawning of the day. |
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The
cuckoo is a pretty bird 🔊
A song from The Baring-Gould and Cecil
Sharp collection ‘English folk songs for schools’ |
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The cuckoo is a pretty bird, she singeth as she flies, She bringeth us good tidings, she telleth us no lies, She sips the sweet flowers to keep her voice so clear, And every time she singeth, “Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!” The summer draweth near. The cuckoo is a giddy bird, no other is as she, That flits across the meadow, and sings from every tree. A nest she never buildeth, a vagrant she doth roam; Her music it is tearful, “Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! I nowhere have a home.” The cuckoo is a witty bird, arriving with the spring. When summer suns are waning, she spreadeth wide her wings. She flees approaching winter, she shuns the rain and snow. Like her I would be singing, “Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!” And off with her I'd go! |
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The
dandelion and the child 🔊
A question and answer rhyme from
‘Little primary pieces for wee folk to speak’ Compiled and arranged by C.S.
Griffin in 1902. One child takes the part of the child the other the
dandelion. Dany Rosevear has set it to music as it also makes a delightful
song. |
|
Oh, dandelion as yellow as gold, What do you do all day? I just wait here in the long green grass Till the children come to play. Oh, dandelion as yellow as gold, What do you do all night? I wait and wait till the cool dew falls And my hair grows long and white. And what will you do when your hair grows white And the children come to play? They’ll take me up in their dimpled hands And blow my hair away. |
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The
lighthouse 🔊
A summer action game. From ‘Music
through the day’, published 1956.Written by a group of children from New York
City School, arranged by Dany Rosevear. Children can play the role
of different types of boats coming into the harbour where the lighthouse, one
child safely guides them in with a beam of moving light. Others could
dramatiize the rolling waves, seagulls gliding and swooping, cranes working
hard. |
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I’d love to be a lighthouse, a-standing by the sea. I’d turn my light for all the boats that pass by me! |
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The
little gardener 🔊
From ‘Songs of a little child’s
day’ by Emilie Poulssen, music Eleanor Smith published 1910. The second verse has been slightly
adapted by Dany Rosevear for a modern audience so it is not gender specific. |
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I wish I had room for my roots!" said the flow'r; "All about them so many weeds crowd! I wish oh I wish there might be a cool show'r, But the sky has not even a cloud." Off to work in that garden the child quickly ran, Pulling out from the bed ev'ry weed, And sprinkled the plants from a full brimmin' can; “Little flow'r, yes I know what you need!” |
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The
minibeast parade 🔊
Move like the minibeasts. An echo song
with actions and instrumental accompaniment. From BBC Radio for schools ‘Music
Box’ by Veronica Clark published 1995. All trace of this dear little song
seems to have disappeared from the internet. Tap thighs in time to the ‘poms’ of the chorus. Make up hand / arm
actions for movements of each minibeast and add these to the echo lines. Choose percussion instruments to match each minibeast. |
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Pom, pom, pom, pom, Pom, pom, pom, pom, Pom, pom, pom, pom, POM! Wiggle like a worm, Wiggle like a
worm, Wiggle like a worm, Wiggle like a
worm, Wiggle like a worm, Wiggle like a
worm, In the minibeast parade. In the
minibeast parade. Slide like a slug… Flutter like a moth… Scurry like an ant… Crawl like a beetle… Spin like a spider… |
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The
shape of water 🔊
The wonder of water. A poem by Rodney Bennett. Summer is a time for water play,
swimming and time to consider the conservation of water. Music by Dany Rosevear. Make up further verses for
bathtubs, swimming pools, glasses, rivers and oceans etc.. |
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Water in bottles Water in pans, Water in kettles, Water in cans. It’s always the shape Of whatever its in; Bucket or kettle, Or bottle or tin. |
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The
sleepy fishes 🔊
Wakey, wakey! Time to rise! I found this old traditional song
in ‘New elementary music’ by Charles A. Fullerton published in 1925 and have
added extra verses found elsewhere, maybe added through the folk process with
grandparents passing it on to their grandchildren as several versions of this
song can be found. Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards published
it in two of her books; ‘In My Nursery’ published in 1890 and ‘Tirra lirra:
New rhymes and old’ published in 1932. It is not clear if she is the original
author. Can be sung as a two part song. |
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Once I found a little boat, Such a pretty, pretty boat, Just as the summer day was dawning, And I took a little oar And I rowed off from the shore, So very, very early in the morning. Ev’ry merry little wavelet had its nightcap on; Its light cap, bright cap, white cap on, Ev’ry merry little waveglet had its nightcap on So very, very early in the morning. In their caves so cool and deep, All the fishes were asleep; Then, as my splashing gave them warning, Said the minnow to the skate,“ Don’t you lie abed so late; So very, very early in the morning?” Said a herring to a trout, We had better be about; Don’t let the fisher catch us yawning,” Said a sturgeon to an eel, “Just imagine how I feel, So very, very early in the morning." Just then up jumped the sun, And the fishes every one, For their laziness at once fell a-mourning. But I stayed to hear no more, For my boat had reached the shore, So very, very early in the morning. Ev’ry merry little wavelet took its nightcap off; Its light cap, bright cap, white cap off, Ev’ry merry little wavelet took its nightcap off And curtsied to the sun in the morning. |
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The
Slithery Dee 🔊
One version of a funny, short,
scary but not too scary folk tale. Music by Dany Rosevear. Wave arm around with hand
head open-mouthed. Make a two handed
head to catch the ‘others’. Shake finger. Cover head from behind and shrink
down. |
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The Slithery Dee crawled out of the sea. It caught all the others but it didn’t catch me! No, you won’t catch me! Old Slithery Dee, You caught all the others but you won’t….. GULP! |
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The
sun has got his hat on 🔊
A song Noel Gay and Ralph Butler
originally recorded in 1932. |
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The sun has got his hat on, Hip, hip, hip, hooray! The sun has got his hat on And he's coming out today. Now we'll all be happy, Hip-hip-hip-hooray! The sun has got his hat on and he's coming out today. He's been shining all day long, Out in Timbuktu. Now he's coming back To do the same for you So jump into your sunbath, Hip-hip-hip-hooray! The sun has got his hat on and he's coming out today. All the little birds are singing, All the little gnats are stinging, All the little bees in twos and threes Buzzing in the sun all day. The sun has got his hat
on, Hip-hip-hip-hooray!... All the little boys excited, All the little girls delighted; What a lot of fun for everyone Sitting in the sun all day. So jump into your sunbath, Hip-hip-hip-hooray! The sun has got his hat on and he's coming out today. |
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The
teddy bears’ picnic O
Summer is a time for eating out of
doors and taking your teddies on a picnic is an occasion for fun. Words by Jimmy Kennedy 1932, music by
John W. Bratton 1907. Find out more about this song at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Bears%27_Picnic
and http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=14553
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If you go down to the woods today, You're sure of a big surprise. If you go down to the woods today, You'd better go in disguise; For every bear that ever there was Will gather there for certain, because Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic. Chorus Picnic
time for teddy bears; The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today. Watch them, catch them unawares, And see them picnic on their holiday. See them gaily gad about; They love to play and shout, They never have any cares. At six o'clock their mummies and daddies, Will take them home to bed, Because they're tired little teddy bears. Every teddy bear who's been good Is sure of a treat today. There's lots of marvellous things to eat And wonderful games to play. Beneath the trees where nobody sees, They'll hide and seek as long as they please, ‘Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic. If you go down to the woods today, You'd better not go alone. It's lovely down in the woods today, But safer to stay at home. For every bear that ever there was Will gather there for certain, because Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic. Chorus |
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The
water fairies O
This song was written by Frances B.
Wood and put to a Gaelic tune (Highland fairy lullaby http://www.singinggamesforchildren.com/A%20Cluster%202.2%20Awaywego/18%20Lullabies%20A-Iw.htm ) for the ‘Second sixty songs for little
children’ It can also be found in BBC radio
for schools Time and Tune Summer 1954. |
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As I lay on the golden sands, The golden sands, the golden sands, As I lay on the golden sands, I saw the water fairies O! The fleecy clouds sailed overhead… So snowy white and airy O! I watched the bonny seagulls fly… A-wheeling o’er the water O! The sparkling waves came splashing in… Each ridden by a fairy O! They danced across the shining sands… In fairy rings so lightly O! They sang the sweetest fairy tune… As hushed I lay a-listening O! And singing still they flew away… Like thistle-down a-floating O! |
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There I was
just a-swimming in the sea O
A seaside song. |
d
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There I was just a-swimming in the sea, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. All of the sudden there’s a dolphin next to me, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. She swam fast, (She
swam fast,) She dove deep, (She
dove deep,) She swam fast, dove deep, Hey this dolphin’s pretty neat! Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee, Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. There I was just a-swimming in the sea, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. All of the sudden there’s a crab next to me, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. He nipped hard, (He
nipped hard,) He dug deep, (He
dug deep,) He nipped hard, dug deep, Hey this crab is pretty neat! Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee, Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. There I was just a-swimming in the sea, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. All of the sudden there’s a whale next to me Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. She breached hard, (She breached hard,) She dove deep, (She
dove deep,) She breached hard, she dove deep, Hey this whale is pretty neat! Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee, Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. There I was just a-swimming in the sea, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. All of the sudden there’s a shark next to me, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. He swam fast, (He
swam fast,) He dove deep, (He
dove deep,) He swam fast, he dove deep, Hey this shark is pretty neat! Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee, Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. There I was just a-swimming in the sea, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. All of the sudden there’s a seahorse next to me, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. He swam left, (He
swam left,) He swam right, (He
swam right,) He swam left, swam right, Hey this seahorse is outta sight! Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee, Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. There I was just a-swimming in the sea, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. All of the sudden there’s a mermaid next to me, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. She had a tail, (She
had a tail,) And curly hair, (And
curly hair,) She had a tail, and curly hair, It was hard not to stare, Singing, do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee, Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee. X3 |
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Learn about the life cycle of the
butterfly. This song is by Sue Nicolls from the book ‘Bobby Shaftoe clap you
hands’ to the tune of ‘She’ll be coming round the mountain’. 1. Move forefinger like a caterpillar 2. Make hands open and close. 3.
Roll hands round each other, 4. Cross thumbs and make hands flap. 5. Do all
above. |
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There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf, wiggle wiggle , There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf, wiggle wiggle, There’s a tiny caterpillar, tiny caterpillar, There’s a tiny caterpillar on a leaf, wiggle wiggle. He will eat the leaves around him ‘til he’s full, munch munch, He will eat the leaves around him ‘‘til he’s full, munch munch, He will eat the leaves around, eat the leaves around He will eat the leaves around him ‘til he’s full, munch munch. A cocoon is what he’s spinning for his home, spin spin , A cocoon is what he’s spinning for his home, spin spin, A cocoon is what he’s spinning, cocoon is what he’s spinning,
A cocoon is what he’s spinning for his home, spin spin. Then he’ll be a butterfly and fly away, flap flap Then he’ll be a butterfly and fly away, flap flap Then he’ll be a butterfly, be a butterfly, Then he’ll be a butterfly and fly away, flap flap. So that tiny caterpillar went like this Wiggle
wiggle, munch munch, spin spin, flap flap, So that tiny caterpillar went like this Wiggle
wiggle, munch munch, spin spin, flap flap, So that tiny caterpillar, that tiny caterpillar So that tiny caterpillar went like this Wiggle
wiggle, munch munch, spin spin, flap flap. munch
munch. |
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There
was a bee-i-ee-i-ee 🔊
A campfire song and community
sing-a-long. A good opportunity to learn how not
to get stung; A good opportunity to learn how not to get
stung; pretend to be a flower, the bee will approach, look you over and think ‘That's not a flower!’ and will buzz
off. Being aggressive and waving your
arms around just makes the bee think you want to hurt it. |
There was a bee-i-ee-i-ee,
Sat on a wall-i-all-i-all,
And he could buzz-i-uzz-i-uzz,
And that was all-i-all-i-all.
There came a boy-i-oy-i-oy,
Who had a stick-i-ick-i-ick,
He hit that bee-i-ee-i-ee,
An awful lick-i-ick-i-ick.
So then that bee-i-ee-i-ee,
Began to sting-i-ing-i-ing,
And stung that boy-i-oy-i-oy,
Like anything i-ing-i-ing,
And then that boy-i-oy-i-oy,
Began yell-i-ell-i-ell,
And told that bee-i-e-i-e,
To go to buzz-i-uzz-i-ell.
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This is a cumulative action song
and great fun as the movements get progressively harder to perform. Each time
the song is sung. |
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There was a little turtle. He lived in a box. He swam in the puddles. He climbed on the rocks. He snapped at the mosquito. He snapped at the flea. He snapped at the minnow. And he snapped at me! He caught the mosquito. He caught the flea. He caught the minnow. But he didn't catch me! |
Make hand
into a fist with thumb out. Cover turtle with the other hand. Place one
hand on top of the other and make thumbs ‘swim’. Hands make
a climbing motion Snap thumb and finger x3s. Snap at self. Grab three times. Shake finger from side to
side and point to self. |
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Tommy
and the apples O
Children ‘scrumping’ for apples
used to be a common sight in the countryside in days gone by. This cheerful song was collected in
both Yorkshire and Gloucestershire in the UK but also Quebec in Canada: http://www.vwml.org/roudnumber/8723# It was recorded by Cyril Tawney on his CD
‘Children’s songs from Devon and Cornwall. The first verse of this song could be used for different movements:
skipping, jumping, hopping etc. Children could use their own names, change
the season or what was seen on the journey. |
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As Tommy went walking one fine summer’s day. Some rosy cheeked apples he saw on his way, Saw on his way, saw on his way, Some rosy cheeked apples he saw on his way. Those apples were ripe and so pleasant to see, They seemed to say, "Tommy, come climb up the tree, "Climb up the tree, climb up the tree." They seemed to say, "Tommy, come climb up the tree." So Tommy climbed up; from the bough he did fall, And down came the apples, poor Tommy and all, Tommy and all, Tommy and all, And down came poor Tommy, the apples and all. His face was all scratched and he felt very sore. He promised he'd never steal apples no more, Apples no more, apples no more, He promised he'd never steal apples no more. |
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We have planted in our garden O
There are all sorts of pests ready
to consume our carefully tended garden produce. This is a Czech folk song
from Children’s Songs from Other Lands by C. K. Offer, W. Paxton & Co
Ltd. This version came from BBC radio’s
Music Time Summer 1973. The first verse also appeared in Time and Tune Autumn
1965. |
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We have planted in our
garden beans and peas and pickling cabbage; Came our neighbour's
greedy chickens and scratched them all up. Get you home you greedy
chicks, or we’ll chase you off with sticks! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! We have planted in our
garden lots of maize and mangel wurzels; From the churchyard
rats of all kinds came and ate them all up. Get you home you
thieving rats, or we’ll buy a dozen cats. Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! |
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A nursery action song for the
summer – best played outside. Place hands on hips with elbows pointing out like sails, then move
with feet apart from side to side. The other actions: jump, twirl, wiggle, hide (peek-a-boo!) should be self
evident! |
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We sail and we sail and we stop! We sail and we sail and we stop! We sail and we sail and we sail and we sail And we sail and we sail and we stop! We jump and we jump and we stop! We jump and we jump and we stop! We jump and we jump and we jump and we jump And we jump and we jump and we stop! We twirl… We wiggle… We hide and we hide and we (peek-a-boo!)... |
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Whales
can’t wink 🔊
A summer
ocean hand play to celebrate what each of us, big or small, can or can’t do! Baby seal
will learn that we all have different abilities suited to our particular
needs and should be proud of each achievement as we make it. Some can
and some can’t ‘wink’ but there are so many other things we can do. And of course we can always try! Make a list of things children, seals and
whales can do, include the wonderful whale song, swimming and spouting! Watch
a baby seal wink here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwPVEvuuFxQ
I swim
most mornings in the local pool and the gentle motion of the breast stroke
and the presence of other swimmers often provides inspiration for a new song.
This one in particular! 1. With hands spread show the size of each whale. 2. Make swimming and
spouting movements then wave hands across body. 3. Cross forefingers and flap
to make seal tail. 4. Touch forehead, wink if you can! |
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Mother whale, brother whale, Another whale and me, Were swimming and a-spouting In the deep blue sea. A baby seal then tagged along And chuckled, “Me, oh my! Whales can’t wink, wink or blink, I wonder, why oh why?! Makes you think, not one wink, However hard they try!” |
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Winding
the Maypole 🔊
One for early Summer. I remember
well my younger sister being crowned as the May Queen at her infant school. |
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Here we gaily sing As we blossom bring, Merry voices ring As we dance along the way; ’Tis a time of joy For each girl and boy, As we wind the Maypole today. In and out we go, Keeping step just so, And all honour show To our chosen one today. On the village green We will crown our queen As we wind the Maypole today. |
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The ultimate ‘feel good’ summer song.
Words and music by Ray Gilbert and Allie Wrubel with lyrics from the Walt
Disney 1946 animated film ‘Song of the South’. Find out more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah . |
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Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, My, oh my, what a wonderful day! Plenty of sunshine headin' my way, Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder. It's the truth, it's actual, Ev'rything is satisfactual. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, Wonderful feeling, wonderful day! Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay, My, oh my, what a wonderful day! Plenty of sunshine headin' my way, Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. |
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