Action Songs "Roly Poly" and "The Wheels on the Bus"

*Okay, so these pics are a few months old and have nothing to do with my post. But they're cute, okay?!  And it's MY blog. So there!

This week I had Noah all to myself since the other kids were on vacation. Since I have no daycare news to report about, I am hereby starting my compilation of songs that we enjoy singing, whether in music circle or at other times throughout the day. I expect that in time, this list will become quite extensive. Some of the songs that are on, or will be on this list may seem silly to include because they are so common. However, I want this to be an area of my blog that anyone, regardless of culture or language, can access and learn from. Better to include too much information than not enough. You-Tube videos are included any time that I can find good ones to match the songs we sing, but actions will be written too, for any of you who wish to print the songs. 

I will start of with a few of our favourite action songs. Only the words to the songs are in bold.

ROLY POLY (sung to the tune of Frere Jacques) 





Roly Poly, Roly Poly (Make hands into fists and roll over each other in a circular motion)
Up, Up, Up
Up, Up, Up (Stretch arms in front, raise a little with each word)
Roly Roly Poly, Roly Roly Poly (same as first Roly Poly)
Down, Down, Down
Down, Down, Down (Stretch arms in front, lower a little with each word)

Roly Poly, Roly Poly
Out, Out, Out
Out, Out, Out (Hands in clapping position, move hands outward, a little more with each word)
Roly Roly Poly, Roly Roly Poly
In, In, In
In, In, In (Bring hands in, a little more with each word)

Roly Poly, Roly Poly
Fast Fast Fast!
Fast Fast Fast! (Keep arms in the rolling position but move them very fast)
Roly Roly Poly, Roly Roly Poly
Slow, Slow, Slow
Slow, Slow, Slow (Move arms in rolling position very slowly, but also sing the word slowly - like "Sssslllloooow, Slllloooow, Slllloooow")

Roly Poly, Roly Poly
LOUD, LOUD, LOUD
LOUD, LOUD, LOUD (Cup hands around mouth and sing loudly!)
Roly Roly Poly, Roly Roly Poly
Soft, Soft, Soft
Soft, Soft, Soft (Bring index finger in front of mouth and whisper the words)

This song, as with a lot of children's songs, rhymes, stories and board books, deals with opposities. You can use any opposites that fit what you may need to teach, and make appropriate actions to go along. (I have heard people use Happy and Sad, and Big and Small, for instance.)


THE WHEELS ON THE BUS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2PZJ01W4pI
The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round (Make fists with hands and roll hands one over the other in circlular motion)
All through the town (no action)

The doors on the bus go open and shut
Open and shut, open and shut
The doors on the bus go open and shut (With hands in clapping position, move them apart for "open" and together for "shut")
All through the town (no action)

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish (Arms bent with hands in front, move them to one side with each word)
All through the town (no action)

The driver on the bus says "Move on Back!"
"Move on Back!" "Move on Back!"
The driver on the bus says "Move on Back!" (With hand in thumbs up position, swing your thumb behind your shoulder, stopping at "Back")
All through the town (no action)

The people on the bus go up and down,
Up and down, up and down
The people on the bus go up and down (Each time you say "up", sit up taller. Each time you say "down", slump down.)
All through the town

The babies on the bus go "Waah, waah, waah!"
"Waah, waah, waah!" "Waah, waah, waah!"
The babies on the bus go "Waah, waah, waah!" (Close hands in fists and move them back and forth in front of eyes, as if crying.)
All through the town

The mommies on the bus go "Shh, Shh, Shh"
"Shh, Shh, Shh", "Shh, Shh, Shh"
The mommies on the bus go "Shh, Shh, Shh" (Index finger in front of mouth)
All through the town

The daddies on the bus say "I love you"
"I love you", "I love you"
The daddies on the bus say "I love you" (Point to self for "I", cross hands over chest for "love", point outward for "you")
All through the town