Action songs – Nursery Rhymes

Oats Peas Beans and Barley Grow

All Nursery Rhymes — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 21:03:55 +0000

Oats Peas Beans and Barley Grow is a popular rhyme with school-aged children who are taught to recite it along with a number of actions. One child is chosen as the farmer who listens to the rhyme and then acts out the lyrics for the other children to enjoy. When each verse ends, the farmer points to a different child and they switch places, producing a new farmer each time.

The rhyme was created as a folk song and was made popular in both Britain and America. The music that is used for the song was shared in the 1790 Fifier’s Companion book with no attached lyrics and was then later published again in 1894. The song was designed as a play song and has been a source of entertainment for children since its inception.

It is now believed that the first version of the song with words was shared in 1898 and it has continued to enjoy popular usage ever since.

Oats Peas Beans and Barley Grow Lyrics

(Chorus)
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow,
Can you or I or anyone know
How oats, peas, beans, and barley grow?

First the farmer sows his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.

(Chorus)

Next the farmer waters the seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.

(Chorus)

Next the farmer hoes the weeds,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.

(Chorus)

Last the farmer harvests his seed,
Stands erect and takes his ease,
He stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns around to view his lands.

(Chorus)

Sleeping Bunnies

All Nursery Rhymes — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 10:05:35 +0000

Sleeping Bunnies is a well-known and fun children’s song that includes a melody and lyrics accompanied by whole-body movement. It dates back to at least the 1950s, but no one is certain who the original composer is. The rhyme details the image of bunnies asleep in the grass as the morning passes and lunchtime arrives.

The song has been used in nurseries and children’s groups for many years, especially in the mornings as a “wake-up” activity. The children curl up asleep like bunnies and on cue, they spring up and start hopping around, using their hands as bunny ears and wiggling their noses as they move.

Sleeping Bunnies can also be used as a way of introducing the time to children, as some of the verses reference the time of the day and provide a simple rhyming structure that they can learn to recite back to you.

Sleeping Bunnies Lyrics

See the bunnies sleeping till it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
They’re so still, are they ill?
Wake up little bunnies!
Hop little bunnies, 3x hop
Hop, hop, hop, 3x hop
Hop little bunnies, 3x hop
Hop, hop, hop…

See the bunnies sleeping till it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
They’re so still, are they ill?
Wake up little bunnies!
Skip little bunnies, 3x skip
Skip, skip, skip ,3x skip
Skip little bunnies, 3x skip
Skip, skip, skip…

See the bunnies sleeping till it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
They’re so still, are they ill?
Wake up little bunnies!
Jump little bunnies, 3x jump
Jump, jump, jump , 3x jump
Jump little bunnies, 3x jump
Jump, jump, jump…
Hop little bunnies, 3x hop
Hop, hop, hop, 3x hop
Hop little bunnies, 3x hop
hop, hop, hop…

Playmate, Come Out And Play With Me

All Nursery Rhymes — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:05:19 +0000

Oh, Playmate, Come Out And Play With Me also known as Say, Say, Oh, Playmate is a song that dates back to the early 20th century, probably written sometime between 1904 and 1906 by Charles Leslie Johnson when he published a song titled Lola. Somewhere along the way, a songwriter and singer known as Saxie Dowell paired an old Victorian rhythm with Leslie’s song to create the masterpiece that we now know today as Say, Say, Oh, Playmate.

Over the years, there have been some musicians and producers who have since tried to spice the music up to create different renditions of the song but the tune and the lyrics are the same most of the time.

As with other songs from that time such as Miss Mary Mack, Oh, Playmate is also popular as a clapping game is also often paired with the song where the children could touch their hands back and forth with their partners while they sang the lyrics of the song. Towards the end, one child tells the other they cannot join them to play for one reason or another. However, they remind them that they will remain friends, even though they cannot come out to play immediately.

Playmate, Come Out And Play With Me

Hey, hey, oh playmate,
Come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree

Slide down my rain barrel
Into my cellar door
And we’ll be jolly friends
Forever more, more, more.

So sorry, playmate
I cannot play with you
My dolly’s got the flu
Boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo

Ain’t got no rain barrel
Ain’t got no cellar door
But we’ll be jolly friends
Forever more, more, more.

If All The Raindrops

All Nursery Rhymes — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 07:50:22 +0000

If A

If All The Raindrops is a song that first appeared in the eighth season, twelfth episode of Barney Goes To School, on the 15^th August 1990. Initially the song was shorter, but the producers of the show later added a third stanza which is a reprise of the first paragraph. If All The Raindrops has a whimsical feel keeping in mind that sweets and lemon drops couldn’t possibly fall from the sky. However, pretend play is integral to a child’s psyche and development. This rhyme taps into the parts of the brain responsible for imagination making the child dream of a world where it rains tasty treats!

Few modern kids songs are this new, it is very rare that a song this recent is passed down orally by kids and parents, thus If All The Raindrops is part of a select few songs that include The Rubber Duckie Song from Sesame Street among others.

As the children sing this lovely song, they will often take actions in sync with the words. For instance, they can sprinkle their fingers to symbolize the rain and falling snowflakes.

They will hold their arms up and out to accompany the line “Oh what a world it could be!”. It depicts bewilderment and astonishment at having gumdrops and candy bars falling out of the sky. The children also lift their hands and make big circles to symbolize the sunbeams warming the ground.

If All The Raindrops

If all the raindrops
Were lemon drops and gumdrops
So what a rain that would be

Standing outside with my mouth open wide
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

If all the raindrops
Were lemon drops and gumdrops
Oh, what a rain that would be

I can get working
Oh, look at that
He, hope he gets everybody
Oh, come on

If all the snowflakes
Were candy bars and milkshakes
Oh, what a snow that would be

Standing outside with my mouth open wide
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

If all the snowflakes
Were candy bars and milkshakes
Oh, what a snow that would be

Yum, this is more milky
Yeah

If all the raindrops
Were lemon drops and gumdrops
Oh, what a rain that would be
Everybody

Standing outside with my mouth open wide
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah

If all the raindrops
Were lemon drops and gumdrops
Oh, what a rain that would be

I’d be outside all day, me too

Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar

All Nursery Rhymes — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 21:30:53 +0000

Who Stole The Cookie From The Cookie Jar also known as Who Took The Cookie From The Cookie Jar is a traditional American nursery rhyme that is great for both singing aloud as a group and playing a game.

There are some suggestions that it started out as an English song, using the word “biscuit” but was changed to cookie when it crossed the Atlantic to American school children. However, those rumors haven’t been proven either way.

The song lyrics are simple and repetitive but are perfect for playing a round-robin game. One person is nominated to be “it” during the first rendition of the song and when accused will say “Who, me?” The song continues with the next person playing the same role, and so on, until everyone has had a go at being accused.

Spoiler alert: you never do find out who took the cookies!

Who Took The Cookie From The Cookie Jar Lyrics

Who took the cookie from the cookie jar?
Number one took the cookie from the cookie jar!
Who me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be!
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar?

Number two took the cookie from the cookie jar!
Who me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be!
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar?

Number three took the cookie from the cookie jar!
Who me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be!
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar?

Number four took the cookie from the cookie jar!
Who me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be!
Then who took the cookie from the cookie jar?

Number five took the cookie from the cookie jar!
And I ate it all up!
Ha, ha!

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum In a Dish

All Nursery Rhymes — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 11:37:11 +0000

This simple counting-out rhyme originally from the United States is now popular all over the English speaking world. It is a fun game to play in kindergarten or preschool alike but older kids may enjoy it as well.

How to Play Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum in a Dish

All the kids in the group will put two fists out while one designated player will move inside the circle tapping the fists of the other kids in the group while singing the song. When the song reaches the verse “How many pieces do you wish”, the player whose hand was tapped will say a number, generally not bigger than 10 (larger groups of kids may say a number greater than 10).

After this the countdown begins. The kid in the middle of the circle will count clockwise the fists in the circle to the number indicated by the previous player and that fist will be “out”. When both fists of a player are “out” the player is out completely. The game continues until one fist is left.

Alternatively if the number is lower, you won’t count fists but players.

“Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum In a Dish” Lyrics

Bubble gum, bubble gum, in a dish,
How many pieces do you wish?
Five.
One, two, three, four, five.
And you must go out.

Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck

All Nursery Rhymes — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 11:02:34 +0000

Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck is a fun action song that can be played with kids of all ages. Each verse is accompanied by a certain movement such as hands placed on an imaginary steering wheel during the first verse, bell ringing during “ding ding ding”, leaning motions during turning, climbing imaginary ladders, and spraying a hose in the end. The tempo of the song can also be changed as kids can progressively move faster and faster until the last lines when they will slowly move back by leaning left and right.

“Hurry, Hurry, Drive the Fire Truck” Lyrics

Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck
Hurry, hurry, drive the fire truck
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Hurry, hurry, turn the corner
Hurry, hurry, turn the corner
Hurry, hurry, turn the corner
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Hurry, hurry, climb the ladder
Hurry, hurry, climb the ladder
Hurry, hurry, climb the ladder
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Hurry, hurry, squirt the water
Hurry, hurry, squirt the water
Hurry, hurry, squirt the water
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Slowly, slowly, back to the station
Slowly, slowly, back to the station
Slowly, slowly, back to the station
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!