Three Wintery Action Songs & Dances: The Freeze & more

Looking ahead to January, it's time to enjoy some action songs to burn off all those Christmas sweets & cooped up energy!

Last year I found two wonderful seasonal activity songs from Bananas in Pajamas: "Bumping and a Jumping" CD, which is out of print but you can find it used on Amazon, Ebay, CD Universe or perhaps your library.
The kids really enjoyed these last year, so I am looking forward to using them again.

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1518759/a/bumping+%26+a-jumping.htm

"Walking in the Snow" is a perfect circle movement song, we just move around the circle as the song directs: walking, marching, skipping, running (not too fast!) sliding, slipping, and finally falling & sitting in the snow. Just silly enough.

"Skating" is a descriptive song in a waltz rhythm that I like to use for scarf dancing time. Lyrics like "Swishing, twirling and turning" help give some direction, but generally I use this is a free style creative movement piece. Here is a short sample of this song on track 4.

And of course, we must do "The Freeze". I like Wee Sing's recording. Everyone loves this dance.

The Freeze Game

Wee Sing  Wee Sing Games, Games, Games

December Action songs: Hava Nagila and the Reindeer Hokey Pokey

December Action Songs give us much needed breaks from rehearsing our program.

 Hava Nagila Dance -- of sorts ---

What Child Is This?/Hava Nagila  Jingle Cats Meowy Christmas
Seriously, I love the Jingle Cats. It's a silly CD, but a terribly creative one, and that makes me happy. Anybody can arrange Christmas music for traditional instruments. It takes an extra bit of genius to make it work with cats & dogs.

I use the second half of this track, so it starts right on the introduction to the Hava Nagila portion. Three year olds are generally not ready to dance the Hora, so we just do a fun, easy dance.

First 8 counts: holding hands, we walk to the right
Second 8 counts:  holding hands, we walk to the left
3rd -- We "scoop" our hands low as we move to the center & then stand up tall on 4 counts, then move backwards "scooping" low, and stand tall again.
4th -- repeat going in & out of the circle
on the "uru achim" we stomp our feet
last section of the song -- I am never sure how to choreograph! Yesterday we tried a modified skipping to the right & then to the left. I would love to do a step -kick, but it proved way too difficult last year.

(to teach this I sing the melody of the Hava Nagila using words like
"To the right, we're walking to the right, we're walking to the right, and now we'll go the other way--"
"To the left, we're walking to the left, we're walking to the left, and now listen to what I say"
"Scoop to the middle, stand up tall, Scoop to the back and stand up tall"  etc....

The Reindeer Hokey Pokey

Accom. the Hokey Pokey

Bill Evenhouse  The Folksinger Sings Songs for Children and Learners of English

This album offers many accompaniment tracks. I use this instrumental recording of the Hokey Pokey because it does not go too fast. The range is quite low for my voice -- I often speak/sing here & there to give my voice a break. It has a really long intro -- or no intro depending on how you look at it!

Because it's an accompaniment track, you could use it to make up all manner of Hokey Pokeys!
Here's how we use it:

You put your red nose in
Put your red nose out
Put your red nose in, and shake it all about
Do the Reindeer Hokey Pokey (at this we put our hands on top of our head like antlers)
And turn yourself about
That's what it's all about! (clapping)

Other verses:

Front hooves (both hands)
Back hoof (one foot)
Other hoof (other foot)
Antlers (hands on top of head)
Little Tail (hands held together behind back, wiggle for a little tail)
Whole Self

December's Welcome Song: Christmas is Coming, the Goose is Getting Fat!

Today we enjoyed our penny toss game, a welcome song/game I made up for December, using a very familiar carol.

Every child is handed five pennies, and while we pass them out, I instruct the kids to count the pennies very carefully to make sure they have 5. They love this.

I set the rules: where a penny lands, it stays! No one is allowed to touch a penny once it has been tossed. (Oh this is hard, but following directions is such an important skill to learn)

Each child has a turn to gently toss their 5 pennies one at a time toward the center of the circle while I sing:

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
(use child's name) put a penny in the old man's hat
If you haven't got a penny, a half-penny will do,
If you haven't got a half-penny, God Bless You!

I used to bring some hats to place in the center of the circle, and that was fun, but we now have a beautiful carpet for circle time that has a brilliant sun in the middle. It makes a perfect target.

The object is not to score points by hitting the target -- the kids are praised for taking a turn & following directions. Their motor skills are all over the map at this age! Some will improve their ability to do this as we play this again, but everybody can have fun.

Creeping Bugs & Race Car Spider -- Easy Motion Songs

Sunshine Moms & Dads, here are some of the songs we learned earlier this year.

For this one, the kids sat with their legs flat out in front, and we placed our hands on our toes for a great stretch! Then as we sing the song, both hands "creep" up to our noses & down again.

Creeping, creeping, little flea.
Up my leg and past my knee.
To my tummy, on he goes.
Past my chin and to my nose.
Now he's creeping down my chin,
To my tummy once again.
Down my leg and past my knee.
To my toe that little flea.....
(pause to build up some excitement)
GOTCHA!

Here's a youtube - slightly different, but you get the idea 

Of COURSE we do the Eency Weency Spider, but with variations...
We also use an easier hand posture than the one I grew up using.
Hook your thumbs together, now wiggle your eight fingers. Easy.

after the Eency Weency Spider, there's the
GREAT BIG SPIDER (we sing in a GREAT BIG VOICE)
and then the teeny baby spider (we sing in a teeny baby voice)

a few years ago one boy (Jackson) asked for a

 Race Car Spider. Why not?
 We sing:

The Race Car Spider went up the waterspout -- VRROOOM!!!
(hold "spider" hands  down until the vroom, and then they shoot up all at once)
Down came the rain VRROOOM!!!  and washed the spider out
Out came the sun & dried up all the rain, and the
Race Car Spider went up the spout again VRROOOM!!!

You could make a game of creating all kinds of spiders. Would you share your ideas with me?

 We have also enjoyed "I'm a Little Teapot" and "Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes" this year.

Our Christmas Songs for 2012

Every year I search high & low for a special Christmas song to go with the theme for the year. Some years it's a real challenge!
I also teach a few "core" songs every year, because they are expected, and for the most part are songs the kids already know. Sunshine Moms & Dads, it would be great if you can help them with these at home. Every year we have just a few lessons to learn all the songs we sing for the Christmas party, because I won't start before Halloween!

Every year:

• Jingle Bells -- we ring the bells on the chorus, but not the verse. (just one verse)
• Away in a Manger -- one verse with hand motions
• Up on the Housetop -- one verse with whole body motions
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas -- with other verses like "let's all do a little clapping and spread Christmas cheer"
• Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer -- with Teacher Teri's cute hand motions

Two special songs for this year:

Old Toy Trains sung by Terry Kelly

Old Toy Trains
Because we have a western theme this year, but I totally failed at finding an easy cowboy Christmas song, I went for a Country Western song that is sweet & simple. If you want to help your child learn this song, please download the same version we are using in school. This artist sings "boys and girls" in place of the traditional phrase "little boy", so the girls don't get left out.
He also sings it in a perfect range & gentle tempo, and has such a warm voice. 
For the instrumental bit, we chug-a-chug like trains.

Simple hand motions I made up:

Old toy trains, little toy tracks (children move a hand like they are pushing a toy train)
Little toy drums (pretend they are playing drum)
Coming from a sack (lift both hands like taking something from a sack)
Carried by a man, dressed in white & red (one thumb hitched over shoulder like carrying a sack)
Boys & girls, don't you think it's time you were in bed (folded hands on shoulder - the "sleep" motion)

Close your eyes (hands over eyes)
Listen to the skies (one hand sweeps air, look up at hand)
All is calm, all is well (lower both hands, palms down)
Soon you'll hear Kris Kringle and the jingle bells (mime ringing jingle bells)

Must Be Santa
Because it is easy & cute, and I just can't do the Hippopotamus song every year. We sing the first three verses only. Here's a link to a you tube with nice illustrations.

Native American Music, and What to do when the kids make oatmeal container drums

Last week Teacher Terri asked me to find some way to use the oatmeal box drums the kids were making in class as part of their Native American Indian unit.

Gladly!

Here's what we did today.

We warmed up with a fun dance game idea (Uhe Basho Sho) I found in Wee Sing  Around the World, but used the
 Holding Hands Song from
"Dancing Spirit: Native American Songs & Dances"
also available on Itunes.

It's a perfect recording for this game, and sounds a lot like the song on the Wee Sing CD, only it's several minutes longer.
Basically, have the kids line up & hold hands. Place some "trees" around the room. I used five chairs. 

As the music plays, step rhythmically & slowly, leading the line around the obstacles in a crazy path. After a few turns, release the hand of the child next in line and tell them they are the leader. Go join the child at the end of the line. Encourage them to take unexpected turns & keep it fun. They will get the hang of it, but it really helps to have a couple adult helpers to coach them. In my class, each child lead for about 20-30 seconds.

Drum Time

First, anytime I give the kids instruments, I warm them up with a simple piggyback song. I can't remember where I found this, but it's wonderful.

tune: "The More We Get Together"

It's time to play our instruments, instruments, instruments, 
It's time to play our instruments in music class.

Play them HIGH (pause & play them up in the air)
Play them LOW (pause, play low)
Play them FAST (etc)
Play them SLOW

It's time to play our instruments in music class, and STOP!!!

At the STOP everyone MUST put their instrument on the floor and put their hands on their lap. It is a fun game which we practice the first time they get instruments, and keeps instrument time manageable.

Because the drums were too big to lift up high, I substituted the "high & low" with "like this" and swished my palm over the top, and then "with your fingers" and we made rain sounds.

Then we had a blast using this song:

 My Favourite Drum from Kids Music Company

Link goes to their website where you can preview this song. You can also purchase this on Itunes from their "Swing With Me" CD.

At first the kids play however they like, then it directs them to play softly or loudly, and at the end of each verse they:

drum and drum and STOP!! (Pause)
drum and drum and STOP!! (Pause)
drum and drum and drum and then I STOP!! (Pause)

This was great fun, like the Freeze Game for drums.

Finally we used:

Social Dance James Peshlakai From the Album Songs of the Navajo

This is an amazing album. (MP3 downloads from Amazon or Itunes)

For this song, I had the kids scoot back from the circle to leave room for dancers, and told them I would be taking each one by turn for a little dance around the room. They could drum to the music while others were dancing.

I watched some youtubes of social dances, and chose to use a simple variation of this idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIHOZDk3M-0

While the kids drummed the basic beat, I took one child at at time around the circle, both hands joined (criss cross if possible) facing forward. I used a kind of bounce step to the rhythm, but did not expect the kids to do exactly as I did. When we returned to their spot in the circle, I turned us in a 360, still with our hands locked together, and then released them to sit & drum, and extended my hands to the next child. They understood this very easily.

When everyone had a turn, I asked them to put their drums up on the table and choose a dance partner. We all danced as a group a couple more times around the circle to the music. If they could not figure out the two hands idea, it was fine for them to simply hold hands as usual.

Welcome Songs / Games : Peek-a-boo, Charlie Over the Water

I usually change the welcome song every four weeks or so. I call these welcome games, because the child being greeted gets to perform a fun activity.

"Peek-a-boo"  works great at the very beginning of the year. (By the end of the year they might feel too grown up for this game)

I brought a scarf & demonstrated for the kids by putting it over my head & singing:
The melody I use is in solfege \ down slash means go down the scale, / up slash = go up

Kathy is hiding, hiding, hiding.
 do do re mi do, re \ sol /mi do
Kathy is hiding. Where can she be?
do do re mi do, re \ sol / do

(I take the scarf off my head)

Peek - a - boo! I see you!
 / sol sol mi,      fa fa re
Peek - a - boo! I see you! 
 mi mi do,         re \ sol / do

Then I passed the scarf to a child, and they knew right away what to do. 

This week we learned "Charlie Over the Water"

As usual, I started with a traditional song and changed it to something I could use. It makes no sense whatsoever, but the kids don't seem to care.

To play this fun welcome game, I bring a little beanie toy that has no sharp projections. A simple bean bag would work also.

On "Charlie catch", I gently toss the toy underhand to the child. On "throw it back" they do their best to throw it back to me. They all get praised for their turns. It's too much to expect them to all be able to throw & catch perfectly, but they are learning to follow directions & take turns, so they deserve a "good job!" for this.

Of course, I use the name of the child being welcomed in place of "[Charlie]".

[Charlie] over the water,      [Charlie] over the sea
  do do     do do do do \ sol,   /  do do     do ti do  re

[Charlie] catch the beanbag -- and throw it back to me!
 /fa fa      \ re     re   ti  sol         sol    sol   sol  la    ti  do

6 Picture Books for Preschool Music Class, Storytime Part Two

Here are the books I have used so far this year.

Going to Sleep on the Farm

I made up a simple lullaby melody, and sing the sweet rhyming text. The kids like to volunteer what they know about how animals sleep. I ask them if they would like to sleep like the animals in the story: in the hay, standing up, in a nest, or in a pig pile! 

The Boy With a Drum

"There Once Was a Boy with a Little Toy Drum, rat a tat, tat a tat, rum a tum tum"...

This enchanting story just begs for a drum to help with the telling. I use my Bodhran as a hand drum; my adult helper holds the book & turns the pages.
I ask the children to repeat some of the phrases in tempo, or just make animal sounds: "cluck cluck cluck" in rhythm -- but the drum never stops! At the end of the story, I kept the drum going, and we marched around the circle, making the various animal sounds from the story.
You might have to search for this wonderful book, but it is well worth it!

I am Porkchop  
by Ray Nelson, Kyle Holveck (Illustrator), Aaron Peeples (Illustrator), Julie Mohr-Hansen

Yet another book I picked up at a garage sale, and now realize it is out of print. If you can find a copy, this one is hilarious. Porkchop and his piggy friends have a band, and the farm animals sing along. The text is minimal, the illustrations are over-the-top crazy! The ducks are dressed up like jazz back up singers, the cows look like crooners in tuxedos, the dog is an Elvis impersonator, and the cat -- is Brunhilde -- complete with horned helmet and, um, costume.

I encourage participation by having the kids help me make the sounds of the instruments, or "sing" like the animals in the pictures.

The Owl who Became the Moon

I discovered the key to telling this story is to practically whisper the beautiful text, dramatically -- almost like a ghost story. I read the title first, and asked the children if an Owl Could Become the Moon, and when they said "No!", I told them we would find out in the story. This seemed to get them curious.
The pictures are dazzling, and the kids get very excited to point out the animals. The high train trestle fascinates them as well. They help me with all the sounds throughout the book: the train whistles: choooo choooo, the owl calls: whoooo, whoooo.

I Know a Wee Piggy

 Based on the song "I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly", the piggy is too little to win a ribbon in the pig show, so he runs through the fair, wallowing in things to turn himself into a work of art -- to win a ribbon in the art competition! The story concept was hard for the kids to grasp, but they enjoyed identifying the colors and where they came from: pink was cotton candy, green was freshly cut grass, white was milk, etc... I sang the text, but we spent a lot of time discussing each wonderfully illustrated page.

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

This one helps the kids start listening to the world around them. On every page, I had the kids ask the animals what they hear, (with the repetitious chant in the text) and on every page, they made the animal sounds suggested.  At the very end, there are magical illustrations of children in animal costumes. This makes it one of my favorites to use just before Halloween.

The Harvest Game

When I was little, I always wanted my Mom to play "Fruit Basket Upset" when we had parties. Here is a spin-off from that classic game.

I created little cards with pictures of fruits & vegetables, and "laminated" them with packaging tape. I usually use 2 of each kind, but have 3 -- just in case I get a larger group.

I have the children stand around the circle and hand each one a card. Then I sing: (tune I use is like "Bumping up & Down in My Little Red Wagon" -- or "Hurry Hurry Drive the Firetruck")
Where oh where can I find some apples?
Where oh where can I find some apples?
If you're an apple --- jump up and down! (pause while the kids with the apple card jump)
And sit down in my basket!

At that the "apples" sit down in the middle of the circle & stay there. I used to sing "jump into my basket", but some of the kids were a little too energetic doing this and I feared someone was going to get hurt!

Then I will pick a different fruit or vegetable and sing that verse with their motion. Here are the motions I use, but you might think of something better.

• apples -- jump
• grapes -- stomp their feet
• corn --- flap your arms 
• carrots -- spin around
• pumpkins -- jump and turn
• peas  -- run around the circle (just once -- must be the last one to avoid collisions!)

Now all the kids are sitting in the center of the circle. I have them hold their cards up in the air to make it easy for me to collect the cards, and they return to standing around the circle. We will play this one more time, and they must get a different card than the one they had before.

Favorite October Music part three: Knock Knock & I'm a Pumpkin

Knock Knock

There are many versions of this out there. I modified it to be a counting fingerplay.

I created an illustration for this song with
one child in a fairy costume 
two pirates,
three princesses
four kids in superhero costumes
five ghosts (children in costumes -- not scary)


Knock, knock, 
Sounds like more, 
Trick-or-treaters at my door!
(slap palm with fist to "knock" in rhythm with the words)

Open the door and what do I see?
(Spread hands out to "open door")

One little fairy is smiling at me!
(hold up one finger)

Go through all the verses, and at the end, the ghosts say BOO!


I'm a Pumpkin

Here's another that is everywhere on the net!

I really like the Wee Sing version:

I'm a pumpkin large and round,
 (arms out wide)
Sitting on the cold cold ground,
 (pat floor)
Now it's time to leave this place
 (hitch thumb over shoulder)
Take me home and carve a face
 (circle face with finger)

Make some eyes -- clap -- clap
 (point to eyes -- clap -- clap)
And a mouth -- clap -- clap
  (point to mouth-- clap -- clap)
And a nose -- clap -- clap
  (point to nose-- clap -- clap)


I'm a jack-o-lantern now,
Not a pumpkin on the ground.
 (shake finger for "no")
Put a candle in for light,
 (hold finger out for a candle)
I will glow throughout the night.
 (other hand waves behind finger for "glow")

Halloween -- clap -- clap
Halloween -- clap -- clap 
Halloween -- clap -- clap  

shhhhhhhh!
(finger to lips)
(whisper)

Halloween -- clap -- clap 
Halloween -- clap -- clap  
Halloween -- clap -- clap

Favorite October music part two: action songs!

These two come from the Wee Sing for Halloween CD.

click here to find mp3 downloads of these songs

First is "Spooky Loo", a cute Halloween version of Looby Loo.

It's too early in the year to worry about right hand & left hand, etc.. we just put in one hand, and then try to use "the other hand" on the next verse.

When we are walking around the circle, I encourage the kids to make up a spooky walk. They are so creative!

This is easier than the hokey pokey, so it's good for even the youngest children.

Next favorite is "Fly Little Bats" an action song that encourages children to act out flying bats, creeping spiders, stomping monsters, crawling cats --- but that is where I stop the song. The following actions would be great fun (dancing skeletons, floating ghosts) but I have found some children are frightened by skeletons & ghosts, so I just don't go there. They don't seem to mind the monsters.

Favorite October Music part one, The Wide-Eyed Owl

Yesterday, one of the boys in my class was so glad his Mom was there to learn how to sing "The Wide Eyed Owl" with us. "I've been trying to teach you that!" he exclaimed. 

I tried to find an example of this on the internet, and realized that I think have combined an old song about owls that my mother used to sing for me as a child -- with a fingerplay poem.

Here is a link to the page I probably found the fingerplay on originally: atozkidsstuff.com/owls

I am also posting a little video so you can hear the tune.

The Wide Eyed Owl 
 

There's a wide-eyed owl, (circle fingers around eyes)

with a pointed nose, (make a pointy beak with fingers over your nose)

with two pointed ears, (with index fingers on head)

and claws for toes. (make hands into claws)

He lives in a tree. (arms in big circle over head)

And looks down on you (one hand over brow, looking around the room)

flaps his wings, and cries,  (flap elbows)

"Whoooooo." (cup hands over mouth, allow voice to slide down a fifth to "do")

Just for fun, here is the song my mom used to sing (this is where the melody came from)

The wise old owl is a curious fellow he has

Ears like a cat and his eyes are yellow!

He lives on mice and grasshoppers too,

And late at night he cries: whoooooooo!

Polly Put the Kettle On, as a teaching game

This is the first game we play, and the kids always love it!

First I sing the song, Polly Put the Kettle On, and show them where I have taped a card to a low bench or table with the word: off
Then on the other end of the room I have taped a card to a low bench or table with the word: on

Then, placing a simple tea kettle (nothing that can be broken, preferably nothing with sharp edges in case someone trips) on the "off" table, I briefly describe how to carry the kettle "without spilling a drop!", and how putting it "on" means it could be very hot on the stove. We can even discuss stove top safety.

Then sing the first verse while a child carries the kettle from the "off" table and places it on the "on" table. Use their name instead of Polly:

Michael put the kettle on,
Michael put the kettle on,
Michael put the kettle on, we'll all have tea.

Praise them for walking (never running!) and carrying the kettle so steadily! They take their seat in the circle, and the next child is asked to take it off:

Mary take it off again,
Mary take it off again,
Mary take it off again, they've all gone away.

Go around the circle so everyone gets a turn.

THEN, one of the Mom helpers is asked to pretend to pour us all a cup of tea. We cup our hands, and when we receive our tea, we MUST say "Thank You!"

This year, I also added the rule that NOBODY gets to drink their tea until the Mom helper sits down again. Even pretend tea parties can use good manners. :)

Of course "I'm a little teapot" is a natural companion song!

Music Story Time

After a few good action songs, it's good to settle down for Story Time.

We'll use a quick Transition song:

(Here's the one I use at the beginning of the year)

Put Your fingers in the air, in the air,
Put Your fingers in the air, in the air,
Put Your fingers in the air, now put them in your hair!
Put Your fingers in the air, in the air,

Put your fingers in your lap,
Now give a little clap,
Put your fingers in your lap & leave them there.

We will often have a quick educational activity after this. For now, we are singing  the Alphabet Song, and then I am taking a song idea from Barbara Milne (maybe later we will sing along with her nice recording -- her pace is perfect)

Only for now we have a different set of words to go with our farming theme, with a big emphasis on healthy fruits & vegetables. We've been covering two letters a week; so far we are up to the letter F.
"Farmer, Farmer, ffff --ffff---ffff"

Letter Sounds (apple apple aaa)

Barbara Milne | Format: MP3 MusicFrom the Album Sounds Like Fun by Barbara Milne 

Then, we have a musical story.
Here's my favorite one to start the year. It demands participation, and is just silly enough. We love this book.

If You're Happy and You Know It! [Hardcover]

Jan Ormerod (Author), Lindsey Gardiner (Author)

Action Songs!

Sunshine Pre School kids love to get up and move!

Here's how we transition from sitting & singing to our action songs.

(tune: London Bridge)

Now it's time to clap your hands
clap your hands, clap your hands,
Now it's time to clap your hands, in music class.

We will do this 3-4 times with different movements, (touch your toes, arch your back, stretch up high, blow in the wind) and by the end we should be standing around the circle.

Then it's time for:

(tune: Frere Jacques)

Walking, walking, walking walking
Hop, hop hop!
Hop, hop hop!
Running, running, running, 
Running, running, running,
Now we stop!
Now we stop!

Sometimes we might add variations to this, but it's a good warm up for the action activity  that follows.

Here are the first two Action Songs we learned this year.

"Let's All Clap Together"

Let's All Clap Together

Julia Plaut | Format: MP3 MusicFrom the Album Happy Mouse Presents: 5 Little Monkeys 16 Action Songs for young children played with Classical instruments

This one is excellent for learning to follow directions with some easy motions. It's very repetitive, (would be perfect for even younger children) so I just use the first few motions, and then we go on to another tune.

"Moving in a Circle"

Moving in a Circle (early elvis)

Eric Litwin | Format: MP3 MusicFrom the Album Smile at Your Neighbor

This is so much FUN! I encourage the kids to come up with their own silly walk, and they are just amazing. By the time we are done with this one (which ends with a lot of twirling) we are ready to sit for awhile. Whew!

Can You Say Your Name For Me?

I regard the "Welcome Song" as a valuable part of every pre-school music class.

• The child gets that guaranteed few seconds of my full attention and receives the greeting.
• All the other children in the class are reminded of each others names. Even though they are together so much, they often do not learn their classmate's names!

I change the welcome song every few weeks, but this is the one I love to start with.

(There are many variations of this one on the web)

Higgledy Wiggledy Bumble Bee (or Higglety Pigglety)

Higgledy Wiggledy Bumble Bee
Can you say your name for me?
(Child answers -- or if not, you say it for them softly)
Let's all say it!
(Child's name)
Let's clap and say it!
(Child's name)
Let's whisper and say it
(Child's name)

You can make up an easy tune. The kids enjoy singing this for each other, and it is GREAT practice for them to get comfortable saying their names in a group.

Here's a kindergarten teacher / wordpress author with a great page of name activities:
sheteaches.wordpress.com/2010/08/15/whats-in-a-name/

Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep

On the first day of pre-school, we sang "Baa Baa Black Sheep", and then explored a few other colors, using my magnet board.

The magnet board is a piece of scrap lumber painted with many coats of magnetic paint, and then covered with a simple farm scene in acrylic paint.

The sheep is a paper cut-out, with magnets AND washers (not aluminum of course!) on the back side. Laminating will make it last longer. Mine are done with clear packing tape.

The washers are there to give the colored "wool" magnets something to attach to.

My Mom helpers made sure each child had a turn to change the sheep's "wool", and we sang for them. Baa, Baa Yellow sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.

Welcome to Pre-School!

Howdy Partner!

We have a Western theme this year, and Teacher Teri has the playroom set up with a good old country fair.

I always use very easy songs and activities on the first day of music class. It's important to show the kids what we do in music class and give them some idea of what to expect every Wednesday.

Here's what we do:

Sing in a circle
We will always start with a song or activity that helps us all learn each other's names.
Then we will sing one or two songs we know, and often learn a new one.

Get Up and Move!
We'll always start with the same two action songs to help us transition, but after that we will use various recorded pieces that call on us to listen and follow directions.

Storytime
Might include some reading readiness songs or other  "thinking" kinds of activities. Some of the stories are about music, and some are books we can sing or drum to or participate in making sound effects. Afterwards we might explore using rhythm sticks or clapping to a rhythm.

Expressive Movement or Dance
We might be Bears Going Over the Mountain, Snowflakes Falling with Fluttering Scarves, or Dinosaurs Jumping over a Jump rope. Or we could be learning to Square Dance or do the Hat Dance!
 
Games and Songs
If there is any time left, we might play a game (accompanied by singing directions of course) or sing something silly, like the Five Little Speckled Frogs or Wheels on the Bus.