SONGS IN SPANISH

Songs can be a powerful bridge for learning a new language.

TODAY IS SUNDAY

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THE WEATHER SONG

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OPPOSITES

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FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS 

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COUCH POTATO POKEY

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COLOR FARM

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Cheers in Spanish

I’m so excited to share these cheer cards that Carla Ureno (El Paso ISD) created! It’s not easy to translate some of these things into Spanish, so Carla needs to KISS HER BRAIN!

P.S. And thanks to Teacher Toni for updating the graphics. She made them the perfect size to put on a ring.

SPANISH CHEERS

Click to download

PIZZA HUT

I have had complaints about this song because it is "commercial" and it "teaches children bad health habits." When I sing the song with children I use it as a “teachable moment” to talk about making good food choices. I say, “Boys and girls, this is a silly song, but I want to tell you the truth about fast food restaurants. It’s not good to eat that food all the time because it’s got a lot of fat, sodium, and chemicals in it. What are some good healthy foods that we can eat all the time?”

You know, you could probably find something wrong with every book, every song, every story, every rhyme…. The bottom line is that if you don’t like a song or if a parent complains, you don't need to use it.

Silly songs are meant to make children smile. In the crazy world we live in sometimes you just have to shut your door and SING LOUD!

Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut, (Arms out in a circle.)
Kentucky Fried Chicken (Flap arms like a chicken.)
And Pizza Hut.
Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And Pizza Hut.
MacDonald’s, MacDonald’s, (Hands together in front and then up and
Kentucky Fried Chicken over like an arch.)
And Pizza Hut.
MacDonald’s, MacDonald’s,
Kentucky Fried Chicken
And Pizza Hut.

Burger King and Taco Bell (Make crown with hands on “King,” and
shake head on “Bell.”)

Dairy Queen and Arby’s (Pretend to milk a cow on “Dairy Queen” and
twirl hand in the air like a lasso on “Arby’s”.)

Red Lobster and Wendy’s (Hands like pincers on “Lobster” and pretend
to make a hamburger patty for “Wendy’s.”)

More! For additional verses, let children suggest other restaurants and movements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6U7Ey8EAEU

DINOSAUR BOOGIE

Grrrr! Let's do the dinosaur boogie so the kids can growl, wiggle, and release all that energy. Jumping up and down is a great way to get oxygen going to the brain and as the children dance they will be developing motor skills and self-regulation.

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Dinosaur Boogie

Pterosaurs had wings and could fly. (Stretch out arms.)
He’d swoop in the swamp then up in the sky.
The ancestor of birds they say,
I wish it were here today.
Tyrannosaurus Rex, king of the swamp.
He growl and snarl, and then he’d go chomp. (Clap hands.)
He ate meat, he was a carnivore.
They’d all hide when he would roar.

Chorus:
Do the dinosaur boogie start - bounce around. (Bounce.)
Hands like claws, make a growling sound –Grrr! (Make hands like claws.)
Stomp, stomp, stomp the ground. (Stomp feet.)
Then wiggle and turn around. (Dance and turn around.)
Let’s do the dinosaur boogie…

Brontosaurus was the largest of all. (Point up high.)
He moved slowly so he would not fall.
He ate plants, he was an herbivore. (Pretend to pick a leaf and eat.)
He ate and ate and then ate some more.
Triceratops had three horns on his head. (Put 3 fingers up on head.)
I’d like to see one, but now they’re all dead.
Where, oh, where, did the dinosaurs go? (Hold up palms and shake head.)
I guess we’ll never know!
(Chorus)

Vocabulary

What does carnivore mean? Herbivore? Are you an omnivore?
Apatosaurus is another name for brontosaurus.

Art

Give children paper, paint, markers, and other art media to create original dinosaurs.

MOTHER GOONY BIRD

Here are some silly songs that can release wiggles and put a smile on your face.

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Mother Goony Bird

Mother Goony Bird had 7 chicks. (Hold up 7 fingers.)
And 7 chicks had Mother Goony Bird.
And they couldn’t swim – NO! (Extend left hand and shake head.)
And they couldn’t fly – NO! (Extend right hand and shake head.)
All they did was go like this – right arm. (Flap right arm.)

Add left arm…right foot…left foot… (Add other movements.)
Nod your head…turn around, sit down!

Activities: Choose children to be the chicks and Mother Goony bird and act out the song.

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Wiggle Willy

I know a little boy. (Dance from side to side to the beat.)
His name is Wiggle Willy.
He is so very nice, but oh, he is so wiggly!
And so go his fingers and his fingers go like so
And his fingers are always soooooo… (Wiggle fingers.)
And so go his arms…(Wiggle arms and fingers.)
Legs…(Wiggle legs, arms, and fingers.)
Head…(Wiggle head, legs, arms, and fingers.)
Tongue…(Move tongue back and forth along with the other body parts.)
Wiggle Willy!

Activities: Why is Willy so wiggly? What makes you wiggly? What can you do about it?

Have the children brainstorm how they can get rid of wiggles on the bus, in the car, sitting in their seat at school, etc.

GOING CRAZY

Don't go crazy - sing this song!

When I would be about to explode, I would sit down in a chair and start singing this song. At first my class really thought I was going crazy, but eventually they saw the humor and we would all end up laughing. It became a great attention grabber and a fun way for all of us to relax and smile.

Click to view video

I Am Slowly Going Crazy
(Tune: "Reuben, Reuben, I’ve Been Thinking")

I am slowly going crazy, (Cross right ankle on left knee. Place right
elbow on right knee and place chin on palm.)
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, switch. (Cross left ankle on right knee and place
chin on left palm.)
Crazy going slowly am I, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, switch.
Continue singing faster and faster.

*Brainstorm other things you can do when you feel like you’re going crazy!

*Make a class book of “Things That Drive Us Crazy!”

Note! It surprises me when I go to schools to do my free concerts that this is often one of the songs that the children request. Just a reminder how teachers and children can be silly together!

THE WHEELS ON THE BUS

Here's one of my favorite "oldies but goodies."  I think this song is even older than me!

The Wheels on the Bus
The wheels on the bus (Move hands in circular motion.)
Go round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus
Go round and round,
All around the town.

Wipers – swish, swish, swish… (Palms up and move back and forth.)
Horn – beep, beep, beep… (Pretend to beep horn.)
Lights – blink, blink, blink… (Open and close fists.)
Doors – open and shut… (Palms together, then spread apart.)
Driver on the bus…”Move on back”… (Stick up thumb.)
Children on the bus – bounce up and down…(Bounce up and down.) 

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The Letter Bus

The letters on the bus all make their sounds,
Make their sounds, make their sounds.
The letters on the bus all make their sounds
All around the town.
The A on the bus goes /a/ /a/ /a/
/a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/
The A on the bus goes /a/ /a/ /a/
All around the town.
*Continue singing different letters and making their sounds.

*Place magnetic letters in the outline of a bus as you sing the song.

*If you have a toy bus, write the letter on an index card and tape it to the bus as you sing. 

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Blank Rhymes

Your students can follow along and fill in the blanks.

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Humpty Narrated with Rhymes

No blanks.

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BINGO

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BINGO

There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-O.
B - I – N – G – O, 
B – I – N – G – O.
B – I – N – G – O.
And Bingo was his name-O.

Each verse omit a letter and clap.

Hint! Insert children's names and spell in the song.

*Write the letters “B-I-N-G-O” on the front of the plates as shown. Cut out hands and write numerals on the back. Choose five children to wear the letters as you sing “Bingo.” Explain that “Bingo” is a word that has five letters. After each verse you will turn over one letter and they should clap instead of saying the letter. Children will learn to go from left to right; they’ll learn that letters make words; they’ll learn number concepts.

Where Is BINGO?

I’ve been telling this story for over five decades, and it never fails to capture children’s attention. You can draw it on a white board, poster, or a sheet of paper. Of course, the children will say, “Do it again!”

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One day my dog Bingo disappeared. I went to the park to see if I could find him.

When I got there I accidentally stepped on a pile of bumblebees. They came out and swarmed all around me.

I wanted to get away from them so I jumped in a pond of water. But they were still there.

I ran to the top of a hill.

When I got to the top of the hill I saw two doors with two doorknobs. I knocked on the doors, but nobody was there.

I ran down one side of the hill.

And then I ran down the other side of the hill.

Has anybody seen my dog?

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KATALINA MATALINA

I met "Katalina Matalina" over 70 years ago when I was a Brownie. It's a silly song that the kids love, but there is also a timeless lesson with her heart of gold.

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Katalina Matalina

Chorus: Katalina Matalina Upsadina Walkadina
Hoca Poca Loca was her name.

Her head was shaped like a baseball bat. (Point to head.)
And right on top was a funny, old hat. (Chorus)

She had two hairs in her head. (Point to hair.)
One was alive and the other was dead. (Chorus)

She had two eyes in her head. (Point to eyes.)
One was purple and the other was red. (Chorus)

She had two teeth in her mouth. (Point to mouth.)
One pointed north and the other pointed south. (Chorus)

Her neck was as long as a ten foot pole. (Point to neck.)
And right in the middle was a big, black bow. (Chorus)

Her hips were like two ships in port. (Wiggle hips.)
One headed south and the other headed north. (Chorus)

Her feet were as flat as a bathroom mat. (Point to feet.)
How did they ever get like that? (Chorus)

But she had a heart, so I’m told. (Put hands over heart.)
That was made of purest gold. (Chorus)

Here's a link with patterns so you can make your own Katalina:

Click to download

Syllables
Clap out the syllables in Katalina’s name. Clap out the syllables in the children’s names in your classroom. Count how many claps in each person’s name. Compare and graph.

Rhymes
Can they identify the words that rhyme in the song?

Comprehension
Have children close their eyes as you sing the song and create a picture of Katalina in their heads. Give each child a sheet of paper to draw her interpretation of Katalina. Display on a bulletin board or make a class book.

Diversity
Talk about what it means to have a heart of gold. Cut out 4 hearts and decorate with gold glitter. Punch holes in the hearts and tie on string to make necklaces. Each day when you see a child being a kind friend, let them wear Katalaina Matalina's heart of gold.

GOING ON A BEAR HUNT

For children, GOING ON A BEAR HUNT is just plain fun. But, as educators, we know they are also developing oral language, physical skills, comprehension, sequence, social skills, and their imaginations.

Cool Bear Hunt
Chorus: We’re going on a bear hunt. (Slap thighs.)
We’re going to catch a big one, (Spread hands far apart.)
With big green eyes, (Make circles by your eyes.)
And a fuzzy little tail. (Put hands on back and wiggle.)

Look over there. (Point index fingers.)
It’s a candy factory.
Can’t go over it. (Raise your arms up.)
Can’t go under it. (Put your hands down by the floor.)
Can’t go around it. (Make arms in a circle.)
Guess we’ll go through it. (Pretend to stuff candy in your mouth.)
Yum, yum, yum, yummmm. (Pat your tummy.)

Chorus:
Look over there.
It’s a peanut butter river… (Pretend to swim with arms.)

Look over there. (Wiggle all over.)
It’s a Jell-o swamp…

Look over there.
It’s a cave…
It’s cold in here. (Shiver.)
I see two big green eyes,
And a fuzzy little tail.
It’s a bear!
Go through the Jell-o swamp. (Wiggle.)
Swim across the peanut butter river. (Swim arms.)
Go through the candy factory. (Pretend to eat candy.)
Run home. (Run in place.)
Open the door. Shut the door. (Pretend to open and shut a door.)
We went on a bear hunt,
And we weren’t afraid! (Put thumbs in chest as if boasting.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6OVwsnuX-Y

*Challenge children to make a story map to go with this song.


Here’s a backpack the children can make to go along with the COOL BEAR HUNT.

1st Fold a lunch bag in half lengthwise.


2nd Cut up in an arch shape toward the middle crease.3rd Open and fold down the front and sides of the arch. Trim off. Fold down the remaining section.
4th Cut off a strip from the top scrap. Cut in half. Loop around ends to make straps for the back. Glue to the back.

5th Give children pictures of a flashlight, crackers, and thermos to go in their backpacks or let them draw their own items.
6th Let children write or tell follow up stories to the bear hunt. What happened after you got home and shut the door???

TOOTY TA

What's the point of doing the "Tooty Ta"?

oral language

auditory memory

phonological awareness

eye-hand coordination

following directions

sequence

pattern

repetition

crossing the midline

friendship

Teachers being REAL and connecting with their students in a FUN way!

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A neighbor said, “I heard your songs are good for children with autism. Do you work with children with autism?” I kept my cool as I responded, “I sing with ALL children. Music is a universal language that helps us love each other.” (I borrowed that “music helps us love each other” from Pete Seeger, but it’s true.)

Where am I going with this? I have a friend with a little granddaughter who has some physical issues and has to wear a brace on her leg. I remind her grandmother to just love her and pretend like there is nothing wrong. In my years as an educator I have seen children with no arms and legs “Tooty Ta” with me. I have had children with no arms write and draw with their toes. I have seen children in wheelchairs picked first to be on a kick ball team. I have had all the boys want to marry my little bald Lauren who had gone through chemotherapy. Why? Because if you don’t tell children they are different they won’t act different. It’s as simple as that!

I've even had teachers on mission trips to countries where children don't speak English send me photos of children enjoying "Tooty Ta."

Tooty Ta
Tooty ta, tooty ta, tooty ta ta. (Children repeat.)
Tooty ta, tooty ta, tooty ta ta.
Thumbs up.
Tooty ta….
Thumbs up…Elbows back.
Tooty ta…
Thumbs up…Elbows back…feet apart.
Song continues as you add knees together, eyes shut, tongue out, turn around.

*Substitute initial consonants or digraphs you want to reinforce in the song. For example, if you substituted /b/ for /t/ it would be “Booty ba, booty ba, booty ba ba…”

BANANA DANCE/ AKA AVOCADO GUACAMOLE

All I can say is I LOVE GUACAMOLE! Who would have thought that a silly camp song would turn into a YouTube hit with teenagers? I realize that they are making fun of me, but if I make them smile and give them a happy memory of their own childhoods then it's all good!

Click to view

Form the banana, form, form 

the banana. (Bring your right arm up)
Form the banana, form, form the banana. (Bring your left arm up.)
Peel the banana, peel, peel the banana. (Bring your right arm down.)
Peel the banana, peel, peel the banana. (Bring your left arm down.)
Go bananas, go, go bananas. (Jump around and act crazy!)
Go bananas, go, go bananas.

Form the corn, form, form the corn. (Bring your right arm up.)
Form the corn, form, form the corn. (Bring your left arm up.)
Shuck the corn, shuck, shuck the corn. (Bring your right arm down.)
Shuck the corn, shuck, shuck the corn. (Bring your left arm down.)
Pop the corn, pop, pop the corn. (Jump on the word “pop.”)
Pop the corn, pop, pop the corn.

Form the mango…
Do the tango! (Dance with a partner.)

Form the orange…
Squeeze the orange! (Hug a partner.)

Form the tomato…
“Th” the ketchup! (Thumb down and pretend to shake a ketchup bottle.)

Form the carrot…
Feed the bunny! (Fingers over head like ears.)

Form the avocado…
Guacamole! (Shake your head and arms so your cheeks wiggle.)


WANT MORE?
Marc Lewis created his own version called "Go Bananas"!

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The "Banana Dance" was so popular that we made variations for Halloween and Christmas.

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Click to view

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ALLIGATOR

I don't know why kids love this song, but they just do. 

Alligator (Echo Chant – Children repeat each line.)
Chorus:
Alligator. (Extend arms and open and close like a mouth.)
Alligator.
Alligator.
Can be your friend, can be your friend,
Can be your friend, too! (Point finger.)

The alligator is my friend, (Point to self.)
And he can be your friend, too. (Point to a friend.)
If only you could understand, (Hold up palms.)
Don’t wear him as a shoe!
(Chorus)
The alligator is my friend. (Point to self.)
He likes to dance and flirt. (Shuffle feet and fluff hair.)
If only you could understand, (Hold up palms.)
Don’t wear him as a skirt.
(Chorus)
The alligator is my friend. (Point to self.)
He likes to sing and dance. (Snap fingers and dance.)
If only you could understand, (Hold palms up.)
Don’t wear him as your pants. (Point to pants or legs.)
(Chorus)

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Alphagator Story

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I love letters! How many of you boys and girls love letters? When you learn letters and their sounds you can put them together and make words, and then you can read! Well, once there was an Alphagator and he absolutely adored the letters of the alphabet! He’d eat letters and dream sweet dreams all night long.

On Monday he ate the letters A B C D E F,
But the pointy part of the “A” kept poking his tummy,
And he couldn’t sleep a wink all night long.

On Tuesday he ate the letters G H I J K,
But “H” and “I” made a word and said over and over, “Hi! Hi! Hi!”
And he couldn’t sleep a wink all night long.

On Wednesday he ate the letters L M N O P,
But “O” kept rolling back and forth in his tummy,
And he couldn’t sleep a wink all night long.

On Thursday he ate the letters Q R S T U V,
But “S” kept playing snake in his tummy and going, “Ssssssss!”
And he couldn’t sleep a wink all night long.

On Friday he ate the letters W X Y Z.
Then he closed his eyes and dreamed sweet “Zzzzzzz’s” all night long.
See you later Alphagator!

Directions: Use the link to download the alligator pattern. Cut it out of the front of a file folder. Insert 10 sheets of green paper and print the underlined letters in his stomach so they are displayed as the Alphagator eats them. Glue a copy of the story to the back of the file folder so you can read it as you remove one sheet at a time.

Click to download printable pattern

TODAY IS SUNDAY

This is an old camp song that's good for helping children learn the days of the week. And, yes, going forwards and backwards is actually good for the brain.

Today Is Sunday
Today is Sunday. (Put hands in arm pits and flap
Sunday – chicken. like a chicken.)
All you lucky children,
Well, that’s O.K.

Monday – peanut butter (Extend left hand and spread peanut butter with right hand.)

Tuesday – snap beans (Snap fingers.)

Wednesday – soup (Pretend to slurp soup.)

Thursday – ice cream (Pretend to lick a cone.)

Friday – hotdogs (Slap hands together.)

Saturday - pizza (Extend palm in air as if carrying a pizza.)

Click to view

Here's a link so you can download a free book to go with the song:

Click to download

Write the days of the week on seven paper plates as shown. Let children draw the foods in the song. Pass these out to seven children and let them stand in front of the room and hold up their plate at the appropriate time in the song.

Calendar Time
Every morning you can sing this song and insert specials for the day.

Today is day of the week.
Day of the week music (P.E., art, etc.)
All you lucky children, well, that's O.K."


My Favorite Foods
Fold two sheets of paper in half and staple to make a book. The children can write a different day on each page and then draw their favorite foods. (The teacher who shared this idea years ago said one little boy who was a picky eater drew macaroni and cheese on every page!)

PEANUT BUTTER

Here's one of my silliest songs that your kids will LOVE! 

(Who wouldn't smile singing about peanut butter on their "underwear"?)

https://bit.ly/drjeanPB

Peanut Butter (Tune: "Allouette")
Peanut butter, we like peanut butter. (Clap hands and march to the beat.)
Peanut butter, that’s what we like best.
Do you like it on your head? (Point to head.)
Yes, we like it on our head.
On your head?
On our head.
Ohhhhhh. (Hands on cheeks and move head from side to side.)

Do you like it on your shirt… (Point to shirt.)

Do you like it on your pants… (Point to pants.)

Do you like it on your socks… (Point to socks.)

Do you like it on your shoes… (Point to shoes.)

On your underwear? (Cover your eyes.)

*Is someone in your room allergic to peanuts? Let them explain what an allergy is and why they can't eat peanut butter. Let them choose another food to insert in the song, such as "macaroni" or "watermelon."

*Tie in with standards by focusing on the questions and statements.

*Cut a sheet of paper in half and then fold in half to make a book. Run off the attached worksheet and let the children put the pictures in the book in sequential order.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljUnlKSkhSUnlyalU/view?usp=sharing

MY MOTHER IS A BAKER

Would you like to know some of my favorite songs and how to use them as a springboard for learning in the coming school year?

First of all!!!  These are just silly songs!  Don't take the lyrics too seriously because the children don't.  They just have fun slurping, whining, and tickling in this song.

My Mother Is a Baker
My mother is a baker, a baker, a baker.
My mother is a baker.
She always goes like this,
“Yum! Yum!”

Father – Trashman -“Pee yew!”

Sister – Singer - “La ta de da…”

Brother –Cowboy - “Yahoo!”

Doggie – Licker – “Slurp! Slurp!”

Kitty – Scratcher – “Hssssss!”

Baby – Whiner - “WAH!”

Grandpa – Engineer – “Toot! Toot!”

Grandma – Tickler 

Click to view

CAREER EDUCATION
It's never too early to have children start thinking about careers and what they might want to do one day. In early childhood play encourages children to explore and pretend different roles and occupations.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
What type of things would you like to do in a job?


GUEST SPEAKERS
Invite parents and members of your community to come and speak in your class about their careers.


WHAT'S YOUR BAG?
Give each child a brown paper bag and ask them to interview their parents about their jobs. What do they like best about their job? How did they train for their job? Put a tool, picture, or other object that represents what they do in the bag and share it with classmates.

WHEN I GROW UP!
Have a special day where children dress for the job they'd like to have one day. Ask them why they chose that job, how they will prepare for it, and so forth.

THE WORLD KEEPS CHANGING, BUT CHILDREN ARE THE SAME!

How we treat children is what they will become! 

A friend who taught with me over 50 years ago visited recently and said, “I remember how you would take the most pitiful little child and write on their hand: YOU ARE AMAZING AND WONDERFUL! Or, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! Or, YOU ARE SPECIAL!" She said, “Why did you do that?” My response was, for once in their lives, I wanted them to feel that way. I wanted them to know that someone believed in them. (Now they’d probably throw me in jail for writing on a child’s hand, but you get the point.)




THROWBACK

Pats for Parents

Cut hands out of construction paper. Write positive comments for students and tape them on their backs.


I Am Statements
“I am” statements are another way to encourage positive behavior. (These can be based on your school’s goals or let the children suggest statements.) Write these on a language experience chart and then begin the day by sticking up your thumbs and repeating them.

I am respectful.

I am trustworthy.

I am responsible.

I am fair.

I am caring.

I use good manners.

I use kind words.

I can do it! 

IF YOU LOVE THE LORD!

We sang this song at Bible school this week and the kids loved it.  Alex May created this video for you to use.

https://bit.ly/drJClapHands