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Center for
Lifelong Music Making
Singing Games


Why participate in singing games?

They're fun and they boost vitality, develop the ability to keep a steady beat (a skill the brain needs for reading achievement), and foster social-emotional learning through group behaviors such as choosing partners, taking turns, and cooperating with others.

 

VIDEOS OF SINGING GAMES

Aiken Drum; little ones singingacting it out
Al Citron
Alabama Gal (starts at 1:43 minutes); (another version)
All Around the Mulberry Bush
Apple on a Stick; children 


Banana Song 
Billy or Cross Town
Bim Bum 
Boom, Chicka Boom; (another)

Bow, Wow, Wow 
Bump Up Tomato
(another version); (another version with teachers) 

Circle 'Round the Zero; with adults
Cup Passing Game; (another version); (another version done with I've Been to Harlem); 
game directions;
Cut the Cake

Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
Down, Down, Baby; Down, Down, Baby
(30 sec into tape); dad with baby
Draw Me a Bucket of Water -African American from Georgia South Sea Islands; (another); (another
); (Anglo version from UK)
Dum, Dum Dada

The Farmer in the Dell

Fiddle-i-Fee or Bought Me a Cat
Five Little Monkeyschild alone
Four White Horses; improvising movements 
Frog in the Meadow


Gilly, Gilly, Gilly Good Morning, another version, another
Great Big House
Green Sally Up

Handclapping games
Head and Shoulders, Baby, (another version); (another)
Here Comes a Bluebird

Here We Are Together 
Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush

I Let Her Go Goteachers playing
If You're Happy And You Know It
I've Been to Harlem

Jingle Bells
John Kanaka; French men's version

Little Bird; pictures of birds
Little Sally Walker; another; another
Lucy Locket

Miss Mary Mack; variation; classroom

Obo-shi-notten-totten; Swiss children variation 
Oats, Peas, Beans; as a mixer with a whole school
Ob-wi-sini-san; Ghanaian passing game; Kuraya Kuraya
Old Brass Wagon (choir); whole school

Paw Paw Patch

Pizza, Pizza, Daddy-O (at end of tape); variation
Punchinella

Ride that Pony
variation; variation
Rig-a-jig-jig
Rockin' Robin

Sevens Game; another
'Simmons
Skip to My Lou
Sleigh Bell Passing Game

There Was an Old Lady
This a Way, Valerie and variations: Zoodio, Step Back, Sally, Step Back, Sally
Tideo; (another version); dance.

We Are Dancing in the Forest

Wheels on the Bus; animated
When I First Came to this Land; with photos.
Who Fed the Chickens?
Who Stole My Chickens and my Hens?; 3 motions
Who Stole the Cookie? and Who Stole the Cookie to learn English

Ziggy Zah
 with shoes; another version with sticks, another version with spoons


RESOURCES

ALEXANDER STREET
Database of music from America's history, including songs by and about American Indians, miners, immigrants, slaves, children, pioneers, and cowboys


AMERICAN FOLK SONG COLLECTION
http://kodaly.hnu.edu/
Holy Names University
Over 300 songs and games with recordings

CHILDREN'S MUSIC NETWORK
http://www.cmnonline.org/index.htm
An organization dedicated to children's music making.  Songs galore!

DANY ROSEVEAR'S VIDEOS and WEBSITE

EDUCATIONAL AND FUN SONGS TO SING WITH YOUR KIDS IN THE CAR

EDUCATIONAL CYBER PLAYGROUND

http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/NCFR/NCFR.html
National Children's Folksong Repository


MAMA LISA'S WORLD
http://www.mamalisa.com/index.html
Songs and rhymes from around the world

NIEHS KIDS' PAGES
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/music.htm 
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Sing-Along songs for health and well-being

POPULAR SONGS IN AMERICAN HISTORY
http://www.contemplator.com/america/
Recordings of folk song melodies with the lyrics

READ, SING, PLAY FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
Song with finger plays, bounces, tickles, and more
https://klmpeace.wordpress.com/rhymes-for-baby-and-toddler-storytimes/

SCOUT SONGS
http://www.scoutsongs.com/categories/patriotic-songs.html
Recordings with lyrics


SING UP SONG BANK
http://www.singup.org/songbank/song-bank/
England's respository of songs, materials, lesson plans, and other aids for classroom teachers

SONGS TO SING IN THE CAR WITH KIDS
https://www.titlemax.com/songs-to-sing-in-the-car-for-kids/

TEACHER'S GUIDE
http://www.theteachersguide.com/ChildrensSongs.htm
Free worksheets, Smartboard templates, lesson plans

VINCENT BATES' ADULT STUDENTS