Winter songs

Five little snowflakes

Five little snowmen

Five snow angels

Frosty weather, snowy weather

Hands are cold and feet are cold

I’m a little snowman

It’s snowing, it’s blowing

Jack Frost rapped on the window pane

Jolly red nose

Little Jackie Jack Frost

Little snowflakes song

On a frosty morning

One day we built a snowman

Over the river and through the woods

Peter, Peter Penguin

Sleigh ride

Snowdrops, snowdrops

The sky bears had a pillow fight

We sing of the polar bear

Who saw the footprints in the snow?

also see:

The North wind doth blow

A chubby little snowman

The mitten song

Five little men made out of snow

And the YouTube playlist: Winter songs and poems

 

Last updated: 11/8/2016 4:43 PM

The songs below are part ofAway we gocompiled, adapted and illustrated 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 2008 All rights reserved

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

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Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.


 

Five little snowflakes O

 

A lovely song to dance to while learning about ‘one less’ Use hands or the whole body to dance like snowflakes. And on the last verse, like the snowflakes, fall gently to the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Five little snowflakes dancing here and there

One blew away in the cold winter air!

 

Four little snowflakes dancing here and there

One blew away in the cold winter air!

 

Three little snowflakes dancing here and there

One blew away in the cold winter air!

 

Two little snowflakes dancing here and there

One blew away in the cold winter air!

 

One little snowflake dancing here and there

One blew away in the cold winter air!

 

No little snowflakes, not one to be found

For five little snowflakes have fallen to the ground!

 


 

Five little snowmen O

 

A finger or action rhyme. Learn the concept of ‘one less’.

 

Put one finger down each time a snowman melts.

Alternately five children stand in a row. Another child, the sun, shines on each one and that child melts down to the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Five little snowmen made of snow,

Five little snowmen standing in a row,

Out came the sun and stayed all day,

One little snowman melted away!

Chorus

Ho, ho, ho, don’t you know?

One little snowman had to go!

 

Four little snowmen…

 

Three little snowmen…

 

Two little snowmen…

 

One little snowman made of snow,

One little snowman standing all alone…

That little snowman melted away!

 

No little snowmen made of snow,

No little snowmen standing in a row,

Out came the sun and stayed all day,

Melting every snowman in the town away!

Ho, ho, ho, don’t you know?

All the little snowmen had to go!


 

 

Frosty weather, snowy weather  🔊

 

 


A warming simple circle game for the winter. It has been played by the Clancy children in Tipperary, Ireland on ‘So early in the morning’.

It can also be played as an action game; Shiver and hold arms, fingers fall like snow. Whoosh hands about like the wind. Raise hands up and then slowly down.

Children dance round in a circle holding hands. On the third line they stop, swoop into the centre raising hands as they go. They then move back in an orderly fashion to the spoken words. The spoken words were suggested on:  http://herdingcatsgeorge.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/song-of-month-december.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Frosty weather, snowy weather,

When the wind blows…

We all go together.

SPOKEN: Three steps back with-a one, two, three!

Frosty weather, snowy weather,

When the wind blows…

We all go together.

SPOKEN: Three steps back with-a one, two, three!


 

 

Hands are cold and feet are cold O

 

Cold weather play is fine as long as you know how to keep warm.

A traditional song from Barbara Ireson’s ‘Over and over again’. The second verse is by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hands are cold and feet are cold,

Icy winds are blowing,

Rub your hands and stamp your feet,

And soon they will be glowing.

 

Gloves are warm and scarves are warm

When winter snows are falling,

Jump about, run fast and shout,

If Jack Frost comes a-calling.


 

I’m a little snowman O

 

There are many version of this song. The one below is an adaptation of some of these. The unifying tune is ‘I’m a little teapot’.

 

Mime to the words of this song. Cup the mouth when shouting the fourth line to protect the ears of others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I’m a little snowman short and fat.

Here’s my scarf and here’s my hat.

When the snow is falling hear me shout,

“Time for all the children to come out!”

 

I’m a little snowman, look at me.

Here are my buttons; one, two, three!

Here are my eyes and here is my nose.

I’m so cold without any clothes! Brrrrr!

 

I'm a little snowman short and fat.

Here is my broomstick and here is my hat.

When the sun comes out I’ll melt away.

But I’ll come back to play another day!


 

 

It’s snowing, it’s blowing O

 

 


This song has been adapted from Desmond MacMahon’s ‘Infant Joy’; it would also works well for a clothing or colour topic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


It’s snowing, it’s blowing,

But I am safe from harm.

For I shall wear a yellow pair

Of gloves to keep me warm.

 

It’s snowing, it’s blowing,

But I am safe from harm.

For I shall wear a red wool hat

To keep me dry and warm.

 

It’s snowing, it’s blowing,

But I am safe from harm.

For I shall wear a bright blue pair

Of boots to keep me warm.

 

It’s snowing, it’s blowing,

The birds are safe from harm;

For if they’re cold, their wings they’ll fold

To keep themselves quite warm.


 

 

Jack Frost rapped on the window pane O

 

 


A traditional rhyme, music by Paul Forde.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Jack Frost rapped on the window pane

And knocked on the door with his icicle cane.

“Excuse me,” I said. “The door is shut tight,

I’d rather you didn’t come in tonight.”

So he wrote his name all over the glass

And the baby sneezed, Atchoo!” as she heard him pass.


 

 

Jolly red nose O

 

Can’t find this tune anywhere – would love to know where I originally heard it!

A correspondent recently sent me the following information:

The first appearance of this song that I've seen is from Thomas Ravenscroft's "Deuteromelia," from the year 1609. The singer insists that his "jolly red nose" is caused by the spices in his liquor, not the liquor itself. It's number 496 in the Roud Folk Song Index, and was popular well into the 19th Century.

It can also be found in the Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes and is part of a song called ‘Off all the birds’

 

It could well work as a round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Nose, nose, jolly red nose;

And what gave thee that jolly red nose?

Nutmeg and ginger, cinnamon and cloves,

That’s what gave me my jolly red nose!


 

Little Jackie Jack Frost O

 

 


Watch out, watch out – Jack Frost is about.

 

Make suitable actions with your hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Little Jackie, Jack Frost bites my nose,

Little Jackie, Jack Frost stings my toes,

Little Jackie, Jack Frost climbs the trees,

Little Jackie, Jack Frost paints the leaves.

 

Little Jackie, Jack Frost thinks it’s fun,

Knocking all the leaves down one by one,

When the winter wind begins to blow,

Little Jackie, Jack Frost runs away. - Ho! Ho!


 

Little snowflakes song O

 

This lovely German song ‘Schneeflöckchen, Weißröckchen’ is very loosely translated here. The first two verses I found in the book ‘Festivals family and food’, the last two are by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Oh, where do you come from,

You little flakes of snow?

Falling softly, softly falling,

On the earth below.

 

On the trees and the hedgerows,

On the mountains afar,

Tell me snowflakes,

Do you come from

Angel wings or the stars?

 

Little snowflakes fall softly,

Fall fast and fall deep,

So we wake up to a white world,

From our warm pillowed sleep.

 

Little snowflakes fall round us,

We’ll dance and we’ll play,

And build a friendly snowman,

And throw snowballs all day.


 

 

On a frosty morning 🔊

 

 


Squirrel is out gathering food for winter.

A French folk song with words by John Erwin from ‘140 Folk Tunes’ published 1921.

 

Move around the room with paws in front scampering and jumping like a squirrel and picking up nuts to take back to a hidden store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Patter go the nuts on a frosty morning,

Falling from the trees to the ground below;

Here's Mister Squirrel going Hop! Hop! Hop!

Picking them up as fast they drop;

Packing them away for his food in winter,

When the woods and fields will be white with snow.

 

Mister squirrel lives in a hollow maple;

Window there is none, and but one small door.

Time after time fast home he hops,

Into his door the nuts he drops;

Who do you suppose is inside to meet him?

Mother Squirrel grey and her children four.


 

 

One day we built a snowman 🔊

 

 


This delightful poem was published by an American, W.W. Ellsworth, in 1915 and adapted over the years; you can still find the original at:   https://archive.org/stream/stnicholasserial251dodg/stnicholasserial251dodg#page/347/mode/1up .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


One day we built a snowman,

We built him out of snow;

You should have seen how fine he was,

All white from top to toe!

 

We poured some water over him,

To freeze his legs and ears;

And then we went indoors to bed,

We thought he’d last for years.

 

But in the night a warmer kind

Of wind began to blow;

And Jack Frost cried and ran away,

And with him went the snow.

 

When we went out next morning

To bid our friend "Good Day",

There wasn't any snowman there...

He'd melted right away!


 

 

 

Peter, Peter Penguin O

 

 


A movement song for winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Peter, Peter Penguin, marching by, march in place

Toes turned out and head held high;

waddle with feet at ten to two, lift chin with finger

A long black coat stroke downwards

And a clean white vest, thumbs to chest and sway

Peter, Peter Penguin, you're the best!

waddle then put up thumb


 

 

Over the river and through the woods O

 

This song is based on the poem written in 1844 by Lydia Maria Child who was a women and American Indian rights activist, reformer, writer and speaker. It was originally sung at Thanksgiving but is popular throughout the Christmas season.

There are other verses and the original goes to ‘grandfather’s’ house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Over the river, and through the wood,

To Grandmother's house we go;

The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,

Through the white and drifted snow, oh!

 

Over the river, and through the wood,

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes and bites the nose,

As over the ground we go.

 

Over the river, and through the wood,

With a clear blue winter sky,

The dogs do bark, and children hark,

As we go jingling by.

 

Over the river, and through the wood,

Trot fast, my dapple-gray!

Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound!

For 'tis Thanksgiving Day.

 

Over the river, and through the wood,

Now Grandmother's cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!


 

Sleigh ride O

 

I have used this song from BBC radio’s Music Box in the past to accompany a Russian dance in a wintry Nativity play.

Make jingly sounds with percussion instruments or find metallic bits and bobs to make tinkly sounds such as bottle tops and coins in a container to accompany the song.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Galloping across the plains

Racing in the moonlight,

Hoof beats sounding o’er the snow

And all the sleigh bells ringing.

Hoof beats sounding o’er the snow

Just listen to the bells – Hey!


 

 

Snowdrops, snowdrops O

 

 


A lovely rhyme for the first flowers of the year.

As I was not able to find the tune I have put to music myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Snowdrops, snowdrops, little drops of snow,

What will you do when the cold winds blow?

We’ll hide our little heads and say

“Cold wind, cold wind, go away!”

 

Snowdrops, snowdrops, dressed in green and white,

What will you do when the sun shines bright?

We ring our little bells and sing:

Tingaling, tingaling, here comes spring.”


 

 

 

The sky bears had a pillow fight O

 

 


A song to sing in wonder and amazement as light dawns; save especially for the first snowfall of the year. Second verse by Dany Rosevear; make up your own verses to include other snowy day activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Oh, it snowed last night,

It snowed last night,

The sky bears had a pillow fight,

They tore up every cloud in sight,

And tossed down all the feathers white.

Oh, it snowed last night,

It snowed last night,

Yes, it snowed last night!

 

Oh, it snowed last night,

It snowed last night,

We woke to see the garden white,

And ran outside in such delight,

Quite ready for a snowball fight.

Oh, it snowed last night,

It snowed last night,

Yes, it snowed last night!


 

 

We sing of the polar bear O

 

 


Long live the ice and snow to keep the diminishing number of polar bears happy.

 

To find more about the origins of this song and other versions visit: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=71179 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


We sing of the polar bear fearless and bold.

He never feels hot and he never feels cold,

Because where he lives summer never occurs,

And the rest of the year he wears plenty of furs.

Tooralee, tooralay,

The ice and the snow keep him happy all day.

 

We sing of the polar bear fearless and bold.

He never feels hot and he never feels cold,

He dives in the water with a splash! and a splish!

Catching silvery fish it’s his favourite dish.

Toora lee, toora lay,

The ice and the snow keep him happy all day.

 

Who saw the footprints in the snow? O

 

Make footprints on a snowy day. Have a go at walking in each other’s footprints. Learn to identify animal tracks.

 

Encourage children to make up their own rhyming couplets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chorus

Who saw the footprints in the snow?

Who came along and where did she go?

 

The farmer’s wife has just been out

To scatter bits of bread about.

Chorus

 

One little sparrow was out today

He ate some bread and hopped away.

Chorus

 

A pigeon ate some breadcrumbs too,

She walked around, then off she flew.

Chorus

 

A cat crept up behind the hedge,

Then sprang onto the window ledge.

Chorus

 

A squirrel found the snow too deep,

So went off home to have some sleep.

Chorus

 

On his horse, the farmer’s son,

Went riding off to have some fun.

Chorus

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