Songs with
grandma’s little helpers
A
jewel in the universe / Hear the stars sing
Head
and shoulders, knees and toes
Here
comes Thomas
I
whistle whenever I want to
Love
grows one by one
My
roots go down
One
and one, it’s a mountain (at Nursery number favourites to ten)
One
pair of hands
Pirate
is my guinea pig
Teddy
has the measles
Last updated: 8/20/2019
3:16 PM
The songs below are compiled and adapted by Dany
Rosevear with ideas and help from her grandchildren
Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home
To listen
to music from these songs click on 🔊
To watch the authors 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.
|
A jewel in the universe / Hear the stars sing 🔊
Imagine the stars could speak…What might
they say? Our planet is unique in the universe; we need to look after it! This tune might very well be a
familiar one and is very popular with my eldest grandson who loves to dress
up as Darth Vader. He also helped with the stage management. It is adapted here with apologies
by Dany Rosevear. |
|
Stars shine, up in the universe, Shining so brightly, in the dark night. Tell me stars, what can you see up there, Out in the universe, all blazing with light? Shooting stars, comets and asteroids, Suns, moons and planets, zoom and spin round. Great black holes, billions of galaxies, The wonderful Milky Way, where Earth can be found. Stars shine, up in the universe Shining so brightly, in the dark night. Tell me stars, what can you see down here, Down on our lovely Earth, our own paradise? Oceans blue, forests and islands green, Ice caps and glaciers, mountains sky high, Volcanos, rivers and waterfalls, A jewel in the universe just teeming with life. Stars shine, up in the universe, Shining so brightly, in the dark night. Tell me stars, what must we do down here, Down on our lovely Earth, to keep it’s delights? Take good care, care of your neighbourhoods, Wasting less water, recycle and mend, Plant a tree, use clean energy, Travel responsibly with family and friends. Little jewel, our jewel in the universe, We’ve now heard the stars sing, twinkle and sing; We’ve listened well, we’ll do what we can to help,
Keeping our Earth home safe, for all living
things, For all living things. Spoken:
For you and me and everyone! |
|
Head and shoulders,
knees and toes 🔊
A simple action rhyme for the
very young from the early edition of ‘This little Puffin’. There is only one mention of the
Alabama verse on the internet with the spelling ‘bolders’. Touch body parts as they are
mentioned and finish by turning around. Encourage children to think of other
actions to finish. |
|
Head and shoulders, knees and
toes, Knees and toes, knees and
toes, Head and shoulders, knees and
toes, We all turn round together. Eyes and ears and mouth and
nose, Mouth and nose, mouth and
nose, Eyes and ears and mouth and
nose, We all clap hands together. (Alabama version) Bed and boulders, bees and
bows... We all stamp feet together. |
|
Here comes Thomas 🔊
My
grandchildren, big Thomas the Tank Engine enthusiasts, requested a song that
had to have the following characters: Thomas, James, a frog and a crocodile,
this is the outcome with some modification from them! You can easily add
other animals to the scenario. This can be played as a hand play or as below
in groups of three. Children take turns to be the animal. 1. In pairs chuff round the room with arms moving
back and forth. 2. A third child pretends to be frog or crocodile and stops
train. 3. Shake forefinger and put hands on hips, Pull on hooter and make
loud tooting noise. |
Here comes Thomas, Mike and
James,
Rolling down the track again.
Right in front in the deep, dark gloom,
A frog is singing to the moon;
“Little frog you might be cute,
But it’s time you scarpered, Toot! Toot! Toot!”
Here comes Thomas, Mike and
James,
Rolling down the track again.
Right in front out on the track,
A crocodile goes snippety snap;
“Crocodile you might be cute,
But it’s time you scarpered, Toot! Toot! Toot!”
Here comes Thomas, Mike and
James,
Rolling down the track again.
Right in front out on the track,
Ducklings three go Quack! Quack! Quack!
“Ducklings three you might be cute,
But it’s time you scarpered, Toot! Toot! Toot!”
Here comes Thomas, Mike and
James,
Rolling down the track again.
Right in front out in the dark,
A little dog goes Bark! Bark! Bark!
“Little dog you might be cute,
But it’s time you scarpered, Toot! Toot! Toot!”
Here comes Thomas, Mike and
James,
Rolling down the track again.
Right in front out in the sun,
A polar bear is having fun,
Polar bear you might be cute,
But it’s time you scarpered, Toot! Toot! Toot!”
|
I whistle whenever I
want to 🔊
Ethan asked if we could make up another song so we discussed some
things he liked to do; he is very proud of his new whistling skills and
independently came up with the first line of the song. The other two needless
to say talked about their favourite activity and the song soon fell into
place. The tune is based on ‘My name is Dick Darby I’m a cobbler’ Children can whistle and
play instruments in between verses. |
I whistle whenever I want to,
I whistle wherever I can,
I whistle just like my
grandaddy,
I’m a whistling wizard I am!
Whistle whenever you’re happy,
Whistle whenever you’re sad,
Whistle if the blue sky is
falling.
And your troubles will vanish
like that! Clap!
I drum whenever I want to,
I drum wherever I can,
I drum outside in the garden,
I’m the best drummer in all of
the land.
Drum whenever you’re happy,
Drum whenever you’re sad,
Drum if the blue sky is
falling.
And your troubles will vanish
like that! Clap!
I dance whenever I want to,
I dance wherever I can,
I dance with my friends and
relations,
Together we dance hand in hand.
Dance whenever you’re happy,
Dance whenever you’re sad,
Dance if the blue sky is
falling.
And your troubles will vanish
like that! Clap!
We sing whenever we want to,
We sing wherever we can,
We sing with our grandma and
grandad,
We’re superstar singers so
grand.
|
Love grows, one by one 🔊
This delightful song by Carol Johnson is often accompanied by sign
language as below but you can always make up your own. Find Carol Johnson’s CDs and Music at: http://www.caroljohnsonmusic.com Raise one finger on each
hand, then two, then four to the beat of the music as the numbers are sung. ‘Love’ - make fists with
hands and cross your arms on your chest. ‘Grows’ put right hand
behind your left and move it upward to indicate growing. ‘Round like a circle’ - draw
a large circle in the air with your finger. ‘Comes back’ - beckon with
hand. ‘Knocking’ – ‘knock’ with
hand. ‘Door’ - place hands in
front of you, palms forward. Move right thumb and hand back toward your face
to show an opening door. |
|
Chorus: Love grows, one by one, Two by two and four by
four, Love grows 'round like a
circle, And comes back a-knocking
at your front door. Note by note we make a
song, Voice by voice we sing it, Choir by choir we fill up
the world With the music that we
bring it. Chorus So let me take your hand,
my friend, We’ll each take the hand
of another, One by one we’ll reach for
all, Our sisters and our
brothers. Chorus |
|
My roots go down 🔊
Words and music by Sarah Pirtle, © 1979 and 1989. You will find many other delightful versions of this song on the internet as Sarah has encouraged others to make up verses meaningful to their own lives. You will also notice differing interpretations of the music. Sarah has
recently created a site where people can hear and download sixty of her two
hundred songs for free: http://sarahpirtle.com/hope-sings/heart-of-the-world.htm
Move with imagination; the video will give you
some ideas! |
|
My roots go down, down to the earth, My roots go down, down to the earth, My roots go down, down to the earth, My roots go down! I am a pine tree on the mountainside, I am a pine tree on the mountainside, I am a pine tree on the mountainside, My roots go down! I am a tiny stream trickling down, I am a tiny stream trickling down, I am a tiny stream trickling down, My roots go down! I am a willow in a raging storm, I am a willow in a raging storm, I am a willow in a raging storm, My roots go down! I am a waterfall skipping home… I am the river rushing to the sea…. I am an ocean wild and free… We are the
voice of every living thing… |
|
A hand play, double numbers
as you go. 1. Raise one finger on each hand, place tips
together. 2.Show two fingers on each hand, place hands
together and stretch out four fingers to make them walk. 3. Show three fingers on each hand, sweep face with
them like cat cleaning whiskers. 4. Show four fingers on each hand, place hands
together and wiggle fingers. 5. Show five fingers on each hand, cross wrist and
flap hands moving upwards and away. |
|
One and one, It's a mountain. Two and two, It's a crab. Three and three, It’s a cat: ‘Meow!’ Four and four, It’s an octopus. Five and five, It’s a butterfly, Fly up through the sky - And away! |
|
One pair of hands 🔊
Together
we can make a difference. This song
is based on Pete Seeger’s ‘One man’s hands’; other words of protest for good
causes have been attached to this wonderful song over many years. It
was Marilyn and Paul Wilson’s version written with Wren choirs in Devon that
caught my imagination. The words for young children here are written by Dany
and Alan Rosevear and the music adapted and arranged by myself. Show both hands, shake finger. Wave hands. Chorus: Show hands, point to self. Use imagination for the others ‘til I revisit this site!! Too busy. 😊 |
|
One pair of hands
can’t stop the climate changing, Two pairs of hands
can’t stop the storms from raging; Chorus: But if two and two and
many make a million, Then we can change the
world, Then we can surely change
the world. One pair of hands
can’t stop the ice caps melting, Two pairs of hands
can’t stop sea waters rising; One pair of hands
can’t stop fatburgers growing, Two pairs of hands
can’t keep clean water flowing; One pair of hands
can’t stop our cars polluting, Two pairs of hands
can’t stop waste accumulating; One pair of hands
can’t keep the the whales a-spouting; Two pairs of hands
can’t keep us all from shouting; If two and two and
many make a million, Then we can change the
world, Then we can surely
change the world. Then we can surely
change the world. |
|
Pirate is my guinea pig 🔊
My
grandchildren are very fond of their pet guinea pigs and asked for a song
that include their names. They were already familiar with the song Tiny Tim
so it seemed a good idea to use this as the basis of the tune and some ideas. |
Pirate
is my guinea pig, I’m very fond of him;
He jumped into the deep blue sea to see if he could swim,
He drank up all the water, he ate up every boat,
He tried to eat a great white whale but it got stuck in his throat.
Hiccup, hiccup, hiccup,
Hiccup, hiccup, squeak!
I pulled him out and stroked his fur then dried his little feet.
Chorus
We love our little guinea pigs, you can be sure it’s true,
They’re soft and warm such fun to watch in everything they do.
My brother has a guinea pig and Waffles is its name,
We took it to the doctors because it had a pain.
“You must change all the bedding because its very ill.
And here’s a prescription for seven little pills,”
Squeaky, squeaky, squeak squeak,
Squeaky, squeaky, squeak!
With dandelions and lettuce it got better in a week.
We love our little guinea pigs, you can be sure it’s true,
They’re soft and warm such fun to watch in everything they do.
My sister has a guinea pig, its name is Bubble and Squeak,
She sang it songs most every day and almost for a week.
She sang it ‘Baa baa black sheep’ and ‘Tra la la la la’,
And then at bedtime softly sang, ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’.
Squeaky, squeaky, squeak squeak,
Squeaky, squeaky, snore!
It woke up in the morning asking her for more.
We love our little guinea pigs, you can be sure it’s true,
They’re soft and warm, such fun to watch in everything they do.
|
Teddy has the measles 🔊
Originally ‘Dolly
has the measles’, I’ve only found this rhyme in one place on the internet to
encourage young children to engage in hospital play. My three year old
granddaughter enthusiastically enjoys doctor play at present so this is for
her. Music and
extra verses by Dany Rosevear with help from Ethan (especially QUACKCHOO)! 1. Rock teddy then dolly in arms, point to
spts. 2. Mime phoning, nod with thumb up. 3. Hands to cheek. 4. Mime tucking
in. 5. Tip water. 6. Tap teddy gently. |
|
Teddy has the measles, dolly has them too, Send for the doctor, she’ll know just what to do; Send the patients straight to bed, Keep them tucked up tight, Give them lots of water, They’ll soon be quite all right. Bunny has the measles, puppy has them too, Send for the vet today, he’ll know just what to do; Send the patients straight to bed, Keep them tucked up tight, Give them lots of water, They’ll soon be quite all right. Piglet has the sneezes, duckling has them too, QUACKCHOO! Send for the farmer, he’ll know just what to do; Send the patients straight to bed, Keep them tucked up tight, Give them lots of water, They’ll soon be quite all right. Grandma has the measles, grandad has them too, Send for the grandchildren, they’ll know just what to do; BOO! |
Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home