Music and Movement

Music and movement is a combination of songs and dance. It introduces children to different types of instruments and songs. It also gives children the opportunity to be active to music. Children should be introduced to music and movement at an early age. It is the responsibility of the childcare provider to provide space and time for music and movement daily!

The following information will help you prepare for music and movement activities:

Playing Music

• Show children that you enjoy the music.
• You should have regular musical experiences for all ages.
• Play music with rhythm.
• Play background music that reflects the mood.
• You shouldn’t have loud, background music that interferes with ongoing activities.
• Let children lead music activities.
• Music can change the energy of the children when it is played.
• Personalize music by adding children’s names in the songs.
• Have an interactive role when doing music activities.

Listening

• Should be a quiet area away from busy activities.
• Can be placed in the story area with earphones for listening to books on tape.
• Encourage children to double up in the listening area.
• Make the area inviting and comfortable.
• Infants enjoy listening to quiet soothing sounds.
• Play music during free play for children to listen to.

Listening Activities:

• Play nature tapes with birdcalls on them. Invite the children to try to hear the differences in the sounds of the calls.
• Pop! - Use a jack-in-the-box to play music and surprise children.
• Quiet Music- Play soft, quiet music during rest or down time.
• Shake a rattle next to a baby’s ear to get him/her to turn their head toward the sound.
• Watch and Listen- Place a musical crib toy or mobile in an infant’s crib for quiet time.
• Listen to Wind Chimes- Hang wind chimes outside or near a fan and let children listen to its music.
• Music with Diapering- Place a radio in the diapering area for babies to listen to.
• Provide music that has sounds of vehicles.
• Greg and Steve Records have great songs for children to listen and be active to.
• Give children spray bottles of water. Use bottles that have adjustments for the intensity of spray. Invite the children to spray bottles on a cookie sheet and listen for the differences in sounds of water as it hits the tray. Challenge them to create a tune.
• Make a tape of the children singing a song and place it in the listening center for children to listen to.
• On a nice day, encourage children to lay on their backs outside and look for shapes in the clouds. Play soft music while children lay still.
• Musical Hide and Seek- Hide a musical toy out of sight and see if the children can find it.
• Find a song sung by two different people. Play both versions for the children to listen to. They can then vote for their favorite version.

Singing

• Group singing is important because it makes everyone feel like they’re part of the group. Even shy children feel more at ease when singing with a group.

• Sing simple songs with lots of repetition, funny sounds, or silly lyrics.
• Explore sounds.
• Singing helps children learn new words and language skills. Singing builds listening skills.
• Singing helps make routines smoother and more enjoyable.
• Act out songs.
• Tape children’s voices when singing.
• Sing the same songs a different way such as, loud or soft.
• Sing directions such as clean up, line up, etc…
• Don’t worry about carrying a tune. Children don’t care!
• It’s okay to sing holiday songs during different seasons.
• Encourage children to make up songs.
• Sing or hum while diapering, feeding, rocking, etc…
• Infants respond to lullabies when sung to.
• Sing with children informally daily.
• Make cooing sounds with a songlike quality.

Songs Children Love to Sing:

Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on his farm he had some cows, E-I-E-I-O
With a moo-moo here and a moo-moo there,
Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo-moo.
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

Continue with other animal sounds:

Sheep…baa-baa
Pigs…oink-oink
Ducks…quack-quack
Chickens…chick-chick

ABC Song
ABCDEFG
HIJKLMNOP
QRS
TUV
WX
Y and Z
Now I know my ABC’s, next time won’t you sing with me.

Jingle Bells

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh, Hey!

Repeat

The Raindrop Song

If all the rain drops were lemon drops and gum drops,
Oh 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 snowflakes were candy bars and milk shakes,
Oh what a snow that would be.
Standing outside with my mouth open wide,
Ah! Ah! Ah-Ah! Ah! Ah-Ah! Ah! Ah-Ah!

Rain Rain Go Away

Rain rain go away, come again another day.
Rain rain go away, little children want to play.

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little lamb, little, lamb, little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow.
Everywhere that Mary went, Mary went, Mary went,
Everywhere that Mary went, that lamb was sure to go.

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!

Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
Name stole the cookie from the cookie jar. Who me?
Yes you! Couldn’t be. Then who?

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream.

Shoo Fly

Shoo fly don’t bother me, shoo fly don’t bother me, shoo fly don’t bother me.
Because I belong to somebody!

The More We Get Together

The more we get together, together, together, the more we get together,
The happier we’ll be.
Cause your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends.
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.

Good Morning To You - Sung to “Happy Birthday To You”

Good morning to you.
Good morning to you.
We’re all in our places
With bright, shining faces.
Good morning to you.

Where Is Baby? - Sing this song and insert the baby’s name.

Where is baby? Where is baby?
Here I am; Here I am;
How are you today sir? Very well I thank you.
Fly away; Fly away!

Are You Sleeping - Sing this song when children are playing Night! Night!

Are you sleeping, Are you sleeping, Brother John, Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing,
Ding, ding, dong! Ding, ding, dong! (Ring a bell or let the babies ring a bell)

Routine Care Songs - Sing this song throughout the day during routine times. Sung to the tune of “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush”.

This is the way we change your diaper, go outside, etc….

Fuzzy Wuzzy

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.
Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?

Five Little Ducks

Five little ducks went out to play,
Over the hill and far away.
Mama duck called with a quack, quack, quack.
And four little ducks came swimming back.

Continue until…

One little duck went out to play,
Over the hill and far away.
Mama duck called with a quack, quack, quack.
And all five ducks came swimming back.

Rock-a-Bye

Rock-a-bye baby on a treetop,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.
When the bow breaks, the cradle will fall.
And down will come baby, cradle and all.

Dance and Movement

• Have a variety of dance props available to assist with movement.
• Have a radio playing for dancing.
• Create space for children to move freely.
• Dance with children.
• Encourage marching bands with bells or pots/lids.
• Children can shake beanbags with music.
• Children can pretend to be ballet dancers, tightrope walkers, rodeo riders, etc…
• Take movement activities outside to allow for more space.
• Allow for movement activities that improve coordination and balance. Children can walk backwards on a line, race to music, etc…
• Encourage participation.
• Older children enjoy aerobic dance and learning new dance steps.
• Dance with babies while holding them.
• Hold hands with children and move.
• Use fast and slow music to encourage movement.
• Sit infants in your lap facing you and sway them to the music.
• Praise movement and musical talents.
• Encourage children to clap for themselves and others.
• Encourage children to imitate animal moves and walks.
• Encourage children to move like the weather.
• Be cautious to prevent serious spills and tumbles.
• Interact with children be describing what they should do and demonstrate how to do things.
• It is not necessary to have a permanent dance and movement area. You may decide to occasionally set up the area. Continue to make music and movement available even if you do not have a designated area.

Songs That Involve Movement:

Hokey – Pokey

You put your arm, leg, head, whole self, etc… in
You put your arm, leg, head, whole self, etc… out
You put your arm, leg, head, whole self, etc… in
And you shake it all about
You do the hokey pokey
And you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!

This can also be used with animal names.
Ex: We put the cat in, etc….

Jack Be Nimble -Place a stick in the middle of the room. Children form a line and jump over it as they hear their name.

Lane be nimble, Lane be quick,
Lane jump over the candlestick.

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (As you sing point to body parts)

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes;
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes;
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose;
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes!

Hair, elbows, hips and thighs, hips and thighs;
Hair, elbows, hips and thighs, hips and thighs;
Brows and cheeks and tongue and chin
Hair, elbows, hips and thighs, hips and thighs!

Wheels On the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round (move hands in a circular motion).
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town (extend arms up and out).

Additional Verses:

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish (sway hands back and forth).
The baby on the bus goes, “Wha, Wha, Wha” (rub eyes).
The people on the bus go up and down (stand up, sit down).
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep (pretend to beep horn).
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink (drop change in).
The driver on the bus says, “Move on back” (hitchhiking movement).

Mister Sun

Oh Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun (hands in air)
Please shine down on me. (point to yourself)
Oh Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun (hands in air)
Hiding behind a tree. (duck down)
These little children are asking you, (point to children)
To please come out so we can play with you. (hands in air)
Oh Mister Sun, Sun, Mister Golden Sun (hands in air)
Please shine down on me. (Point to yourself)

Shake My Sillies Out

I’m gonna shake, shake, shake my sillies out, (shake body)
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out, (shake body)
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out, (shake body)
And wiggle my waggles away!

Continue….

I’m gonna jump my jiggles out!

I’m gonna stretch my stretchies out!

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, then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

Continue….

Stomp your feet!

Shout Hurray!

Yankee Doodle

Yankee Doodle went to town a-riding on a pony (march in place while singing)
Stuck a feather in his hat and called it “macaroni” (extend arms out and draw back while singing)
Yankee Doodle keep it up, Yankee Doodle dandy (run in place)
Mind the music and the step and with the girls be handy. (continue to run in place)

This Old Man

This old man, he can shake. Shake, shake, shake while baking a cake.
This old man, he can jump, ... on a great big stump.
This old man, he can skip, … be careful, don’t trip.
This old man, he can slide, … while trying to hide.
This old man, he can run, … and have some fun.
This old man, he can sway, … and sway all day.

Skip To My Lou

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou. Skip, skip, skip to my Lou. Skip, skip, skip to my Lou. Skip to my Lou my darling.

Variations:

Jump Float

Hop Tip-Toe

Fly Walk

Skate Swim

Ring Around The Rosey (Children hold hands in a circle and walk around. When the last line is sung, the children all sit down.)

Ring around the Rosey. Pocket full of Posies. Ashes, Ashes. We all fall down.

Farmer and The Dell - Children join hands in a circle. One child stands in the center (farmer). All children walk around in a circle while the farmer chooses who joins him in the center. The wife, child, etc… do the same as their part is sung. At the end, the children in the center crowd around the cheese clapping and singing the final verse.

The farmer and the dell, The farmer and the dell, Heigh-ho the Derry-o, The farmer and the dell.
The farmer takes a wife, The farmer takes a wife, Heigh-ho the Derry-o, The farmer takes a wife.
The wife takes a child, etc…
The child takes a nurse, etc…
The nurse takes a dog, etc…
The dog takes a cat, etc…
The cat takes a rat, etc…
The rat takes the cheese, etc…
The cheese stands alone, etc…

The Ants Go Marching
The ants go marching one by one, Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, Hurrah, Hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, The little one stops to suck his thumb. And they all go marching down, to the ground, to get out of the rain. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Two…tie her shoe…
Three…climb a tree…
Four… shut the door…
Five… take a dive…

Ten In the Bed
There were ten in the bed and the little one said, “Move over, Move over”. So they all rolled over and one fell off. There were nine in the bed, etc…

Do Your Ears Hang Low (Use your hands to make ears and do the actions)
Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them over your shoulder, like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hand low?

Monkey’s Jumping On the Bed
Ten little monkeys jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“NO MORE MONKEY’S JUMPING ON THE BED!”

Nine little monkeys jumping on the bed, etc….

A Tisket, A Tasket - (Children can skip or swing a basket in their hand. )
A tisket, a tasket,
A green and yellow basket.
I wrote a letter to my love,
And on the way I lost it.
I lost it, I lost it.
And on the way I lost it.
A little boy picked it up,
And put it in his pocket.

Johnny Works with One Hammer

Johnny works with one hammer, one hammer, one hammer (move one hand) Johnny works with one hammer, Then he works with two.
Johnny works with two hammers, two hammers, two hammers (move two hands) Johnny works with two hammers, Then he works with three.
Johnny works with three hammers, three hammers, three hammers (move two hands and one foot) Johnny works with three hammers, Then he works with four.
Johnny works with four hammers, four hammers, four hammers (move two hands and two feet) Johnny works with four hammers, Then he works with five.
Johnny works with five hammers, five hammers, five hammers (move two hands, two feet, and head) Johnny works with five hammers, then he goes to sleep! (Pretend to sleep)

Movement Activities:

• Encourage friends to lock elbows and march a high stepping “friendship” march to music.
• Provide black scarves. Play stormy classical music. Suggest that the children pretend to be thunderclouds in a stormy sky.
• Hula Dance- Play hula music as children try to spin a hula-hoop around their waist.
• Invite the children to dance or move to a favorite song. When you stop the music, they stop moving and “freeze” in that position. Start the music again to get the children moving and dancing again.
• Blow bubbles to the sound of music.
• Clear an uncarpeted area in the room. Invite children to take their shoes off and ice skate (sock skate) to classical music.
• Make a pair of tap shoes by using tape to attach a large metal washer to the bottom of each shoe. Play jazz music and let the children tap away.
• Musical chairs- Play music while the children walk around a row of chairs. When the music stops, children must find a chair to sit in. Take a chair away to spice things up.
• Play "twist" dance music and pretend to be milk shakes shaking. Serve milk shakes for snack.

Musical Games and Finger Plays

• Teach children finger plays regularly.
• Encourage children to do finger plays on their own.
• Play musical games such as Farmer and the Dell, Wheels on the Bus, Pat a Cake, Hockey Pokey, Bunny Hop, etc…
• Imitate Sounds such as a telephone, a train, bells, snoring, etc…
• Allow children to lead musical games.
• Teach Finger Plays with a songlike tune: Itsy Bitsy Spider, Where Is Thumbkin, etc…

Finger Plays:

Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider went up the waterspout. (Move fingers in an upward motion while touching them together)
Down came the rain, (twinkle fingers downward)
And washed the spider out. (Move hand outwards)
Up came the sun, (Put hands above your head)
And dried up all the rain. (Move hands down slowly)
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again. (Move fingers in an upward motion while touching them together)

Pat a Cake
Pat a cake, Pat a cake, Baker’s man. (clap hands)
Bake me a cake as fast as you can. (clap hands)
Roll it, (roll hands) and pat it, (clap hands)
And mark it with a “B” (Make a “B” with your finger)
Then throw it in the oven for baby and me. (Gently touch baby’s cheeks with both hands)

Where Is Thumbkin
Where is thumbkin, where is thumbkin? (Show one thumb)
Here I am, here I am. (Show the other thumb)
How are you today sir? (Bend one thumb) Very fine, thank you. (Bend other thumb)
Run away, Run away. (Hide one hand at a time behind your back)

Where is pointer?
Where is tall man?
Where is ring finger?
Where is pinky?

Little Bunny Foo Foo
Little bunny foo foo hopping through the forest. (Bounce two fingers up and down)
Scooping up the field mice (scoop air with your hand) and bopping them on the head. (Hit head gently)
Down came the good fairy and she said, “Little bunny foo foo, I don’t want to see you scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head. I’ll give you three chances, if you don’t behave, I’ll turn you into a goon.”

The next day… Continue song giving two chances, then one. On the last chance, Say “Poof” (open hands toward children) “Now you’re a goon.”

Three Little Monkeys
Three little monkeys sitting in a tree. (Hold up three fingers and bounce them)
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me, can’t catch me!” (Point and shake index finger)
Along came Mr. Alligator, Quiet as can be- (Place hands on top of one another to make an alligator snout)
SNAP! (Open hands and shut them quickly)

Two little monkeys sitting in a tree, etc….
Continue until no monkeys are left.

Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, (one fist on top of the other)
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, (fists fall down)
All the kings horses and all the kings men, (walk fingers)
Couldn’t put Humpty together again. (Shake hand and waggle pointer finger)

Jack and Jill
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water, (climb fists hand over hand)
Jack fell down and broke his crown, (one fist drops down)
And Jill came tumbling after. (other fist drops down)

Baby Bumblebee
I’m bringing home a baby bumble bee, (cup hands like you are holding a bee and sway them from side to side)
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee.
Ouch, It stung me! (look at hands)

I’m smashing up my baby bumblebee, (clap hands)
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m smashing up my baby bumblebee.
Yuck, What a mess! (look at hands)

I’m wiping off my bumblebee, (rub hands on legs)
Won’t my mommy be so proud of me?
I’m wiping off my baby bumblebee,
There, all clean!

Playing Instruments

• Provide beans, jars, or oatmeal tin boxes to create musical instruments.
• Introduce unfamiliar instruments.
• Allow time to practice playing instruments.
• Allow free play with musical instruments.
• Teach children how to use instruments.
• Have musical instruments accessible for independent use by children.

Instrumental Activities:

• Turn an empty container (coffee cans with lids or oatmeal boxes) upside down and beat on the bottom to make a drum. To make a drumstick, you can tape masking tape or duck tape around the end of a dowel rod.
• Maraca- Place several bottle tops in a paper towel roll. Secure the ends with cardboard cut to size.
• Flowerpot bells- Choose a piece of dowel that will fit in the bottom of each flowerpot. Knot a different length of cord around each piece and thread the string through the hole of in the bottom of the flowerpot from the inside to the outside. Tie the cord around the dowel rod inside the pot. Hang them all from a broomstick. Have the children strike the pots with a stick to make sounds.
• Use wrist and ankle rattles with younger babies, and give older babies rattles to shake.
• Make a kazoo by securing a piece of wax paper over one end of an empty toilet paper tube with a rubber band. Put tape over the band to keep it in place. Have children decorate their tube and play it like a kazoo.
• Musical Balls- Cut ping pong balls in half and put jingle bells inside of each. Tape the sides of the ball bake together.
• Tie bells to a piece of elastic and place the elastic on the baby’s wrists and ankles.
• Shoebox Guitar- Stretch rubber bands around empty shoeboxes. Use rubber bands of different lengths and widths to get a variety of tones and pitches.
• Put items such as jingle bells, paper clips, gravel, etc… in a clean empty milk carton. Close the top of the carton and staple shut. Use as shakers.
• Bottle Rattles- Make rattles to use with music out of plastic baby bottles.
• Provide plastic combs and Popsicle sticks. Challenge children to make the chirping sounds of a grasshopper singing by running the stick along the teeth of the comb.
• Give children an empty ½ liter bottle to blow into. Show them how adding a small amount of water alters the sound. Is anyone able to create a tune?
• Provide boxes with lids and jingle bells. Encourage children to make a musical instrument by placing the bells inside the box and shaking them.
• Sand Blocks- Attach a wooden knob with a screw to one side of each 3X5 block. Cut sandpaper so that it will cover one side of a 3X5 piece of block. Tack or staple the sandpaper to the sides of the block. Children play the blocks by rubbing them together.
• Tambourine- Nail 2 or 3 metal bottle tops per nail to a piece of board. Make the hole in the bottle top large enough so that it can slide freely on the nail. Shake the board to create music. Putting bottle caps in between two paper plates and securing them with hot glue can also make a tambourine.
• Provide cardboard boxes (drums) and wooden spoons (drumsticks). Encourage children to play their drums.
• Give the children musical instruments. Encourage them to create a musical beat that matches the pace of various animals. (ants, elephants, etc…)
• Create a birthday band. Give the children instruments and invite them to create some music to go with the song, “Happy Birthday To You”.
• When playing instrument music, talk about the different sounds they make such as, “boom, honk, etc…”

Literacy Music Activities: