POETRY
NURSERY RHYMES
2009 - 2010
The importance of music for children
Through the experience of singing and performing the various kinds of action songs, children can learn and develop a variety of skills. Simple songs, in which we point to parts of the body help to develop confidence and self-awareness. It improves the children's co-ordination as well as generally learning the parts of the body. It is also useful for the child to move their hands or feet in time to the music, e.g. stamping their feet, as this can improve an awareness of the beat and it increases the chances of them absorbing the song.
Some songs require the children to imitate or pretend to do actions that are routine or familiar, like jumping out of bed, or something that will develop their imagination, like using their arms to form a teapot shape.
The children will be learning to sing songs, and recognise rhythms and tunes, using different instruments such as the tambourine and piano. They will be able to explore sounds and learn how to develop their coordination by moving to the beat, as well as learning corresponding actions.
| WELCOME SONG (Sang to ‘Happy Birthday’ tune) We welcome you here We welcome you here We welcome everybody We welcome you here Actions: Wave as you sing ABC SONG ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Now I know my ABCs Next time won’t you sing with me BAA, BAA BLACK SHEEP Baa, baa, black sheep Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir Three bags full One for the master And one for the dame And one for the little boy Who lives down the lane Baa, baa, black sheep Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, Three bags full Actions: Simple actions showing a sheep, and the numbers 1 and 3. FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS Five little monkeys jumping on the bed One fell off and bumped his head Mama phoned the doctor and the doctor said “No more monkeys jumping on the bed” Four little monkeys… Three little monkeys… Two little monkeys… One little monkey… Actions: Use correct number of fingers for each verse, bouncing them on the other hand, which is the bed. Touch the floor for ‘fell off’, and pointing to the head when 'bumped his head'. Draw circle on hand for telephoning the doctor, and one finger to and fro for ‘no more jumping’ HEADS, SHOULDERS, KNESS AND TOES Head, shoulders, knees and toes Knees and toes Head, shoulders, knees and toes Knees and toes And eyes and ears and mouth and nose Head, shoulders, knees and toes Knees and toes Actions: Touch each part of the body as it is mentioned I CAN SING A RAINBOW Red and yellow and pink and green Orange and purple and blue I can sing a rainbow Sing a rainbow Sing a rainbow too Listen with your eyes Listen with your eyes And hear everything you see I can sing a rainbow Sing a rainbow Sing along with me Red and yellow and pink and green Orange and purple and blue I can sing a rainbow Sing a rainbow Sing a rainbow too Actions: Hold up the colour as you sing it. Spread your arms for a rainbow. Point to parts of the body when they are sung e.g. eyes IF YOU’RE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands If you’re happy and you know it, stamp your feet If you’re happy and you know it, stamp your feet If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it If you’re happy and you know it, stamp your feet Repeat with other movements e.g. touch your head, turn around Actions: Act out each action corresponding to the verse e.g. clap your hands THE MORE WE GET TOGETHER THE WHEELS ON THE BUS | I’M A LITTLE TEAPOT I’m a little teapot, short and stout Here is my handle, here is my spout When I get all steamed up, hear me shout Just tip me over and pour me out! Actions: ‘…short and stout…’ – mimic small and round 'handle' – one hand on hip ‘spout’ – the other arm INCY WINCY SPIDER Incy Wincy Spider Climbing up the spout Down came the rain And washed the spider out Out came the sunshine And dried up all the rain Incy Wincy Spider Climbed up the spout again! Actions: Imitate a spider climbing up a spout by using your fingers up in the air. For the rain, wave fingers downwards. Spread your arms out from the top to the sides to show the sunshine. Repeat actions LONDON BRIDGE IS FALLING DOWN London Bridge is falling down Falling down, falling down London Bridge is falling down My fair Lady Build it up with wood and clay Wood and clay, wood and clay Build it up with wood and clay My fair Lady Actions: Exaggerate the actions like falling down (sit down), build it up (stand up) OLD MACDONALD HAD A FARM Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-eye, ee-eye oh And on that farm he had some pigs, ee-eye, ee-eye oh With an oink, oink here and an oink, oink there Here an oink, there an oink Everywhere an oink, oink Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-eye, ee-eye oh Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-eye, ee-eye oh And on that farm he had some ducks, ee-eye, ee-eye oh With a quack, quack here and a quack, quack there Here a quack, there a quack Everywhere a quack, quack Oink, oink here and an oink, oink there Here an oink, there an oink Everywhere an oink Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-eye, ee-eye oh NB: Repeat with other animals e.g. horse, cow Actions: Show a different animal for each verse, using puppets or pictures, encouraging the children to say what the animal is. Make the noises of each animal ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE One, two, three, four, five Once I caught a fish alive Six, seven, eight, nine, ten Then I let him go again Why did you let him go? Because he bit my finger so Which finger did he bite? This little finger on the right Actions: Use fingers to show numbers. Sing slowly for children to register numbers, and repeat. RING-A-RING O’ROSES Ring-a-ring o’roses A pocket full of poses A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down Fishes in the water Fishes in the sea We all jump up With a one, two, three Actions: Every time they sing 'A-tishoo' get them to sit down, and jump when they sing ‘jump’ SHAKE YOUR SILLIES OUT We’re going to shake, shake, shake our sillies out Shake, shake, shake our sillies out Shake, shake, shake our sillies out Wibble our wobbles away We’re going to nod, nod, nod our naughties out Nod, nod, nod our naughties out Nod, nod, nod our naughties out Wibble our wobbles away We’re going to clap, clap, clap our crazies out Clap, clap, clap our crazies out Clap, clap, clap our crazies out Wibble our wobbles away We’re going to jump, jump, jump our jiggles out Jump, jump, jump our jiggles out Jump, jump, jump our jiggles out Wibble our wobbles away We’re going to stretch, stretch and yawn again Stretch, stretch and yawn again Stretch, stretch and yawn again Wibble our wibbles away We’re going to shake, shake, shake our sillies out Shake, shake, shake our sillies out Shake, shake, shake our sillies out Wibble our wobbles away Actions: Mime the actions for each verse THIS OLD MAN This old man, he played one He played nick nack on my drum With a nick nack paddy whack, give a dog a bone This old man came rolling home This old man, he played two He played nick nack on my shoe… This old man, he played three He played nick nack on my knee… This old man, he played four He played nick nick on my door… This old man, he played five He played nick nack on my hive… This old man, he played six He played nick nack on my sticks… This old man, he played seven He played nick nack up in Heaven… This old man, he played eight He played nick nack on my gate… This old man, he played nine He played nick nack on my line… This old man, he played ten He played nick nack on my hen… Actions: Use visual aids or fingers to represent numbers, and have objects ready or pictures to represent each verse TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR Twinkle, twinkle little star How I wonder what you are Up above the world so high Like a diamond in the sky Twinkle, twinkle little star How I wonder what you are Actions: ‘Twinkle twinkle’ – open and close your hands as if you were waving ‘How I wonder…’ – point to your brain as if thinking ‘Up above…’ – point to the sky ‘Like a diamond…’ – Make the shape of a diamond with both hands |