it’s a great day
Hi there, how are you
I hope that you feel as good as I do
There's something in the air
It makes me happy now
Got no trouble, got no care
Cause, seeing you- it's a great day
Being with you- it's a great day
Walking with you- it's a great day
Talking with you- it's a great day
I've got a song in my heart
Wants to fly like a bird
High up in a blue sky
You've got a story to tell
I want to hear it now
And get to know you well
[Chorus]
Hi there....
[1st verse]
wherever the children sing
Wherever the children sing…..
Music magic fills the air
It’s a peaceful world right there
It’s the sweetest loving sound
There’s a joy goes ‘round and ‘round, here I go now…
I’ll take a bus, take a boat, I’ll take a train
Take a motorcycle or an aeroplane
Take a car, take a cab, I don’t care
I’ll take a hot air balloon, just get me there
Wherever the children sing…..
It’s a bright and sunny day
All my troubles drift away
I never worry, never despair
I’ll find a way to get me there, here I go now.…
[chorus]
Wherever the children sing…..
I feel the laughter in my heart
A brand new journey’s about to start
There’s a fire, there’s a glow
There’s a truth for all to know, here I go now.…
[chorus part 1]
Take a rickshaw, a buggy, or canoe
I’ll ride a donkey, or a bicycle built for two
Roller blades or a skate board, a wheel chair
I’ll even walk a hundred miles
Just to get there …. To get there
Music in the air…....it’s a peaceful affair
I’ll be there
activities
1)learn to sing the chorus of the song and make up some hand actions to go with the words. Discuss the joy of singing and how it brings people together.
2)Collect and share all of your favourite songs to sing
3)Paint pictures of all the different types of modes of transportation that are listed in the song. Can you come up with more?
penguin shuffle
mmmmmmm
Penguins line up one by one
The penguin shuffle has begun
All dressed up in black and white
It’s a penguin party. What a sight!
Flap your wings by your side
Wiggle, waddle, turn and glide
Wiggle, waddle on the spot
Feeling very hot
Now in a circle, round and round
Slipping, sliding on the ground
Dancing in the snow
Do the ‘tippy toe’ mmmmmmm
Penguins line up two by two
Wave to me, I’ll wave to you
Shuffle, shuffle, flippity flop
Let’s do a little penguin hop
[1st chorus]
Penguins line up three by three
On the shoreline by the sea
Penguins going for a swim
Get ready now, we’ll jump right in!
Swimming, swimming round and round
Make a happy splashing sound
Back up to the shore we go
Standing in a row
Dry your wings, shake them loose
Like a duck, like a goose
Shake your head, shake your tail
Like a partridge or a quail
Tuck your head under your wing
Listen to this song I sing
Close your eyes real tight
Cause now it’s time to say good night
activities
1)Pretend you are a penguin and follow the actions in the song
2)Collect pictures of the Antarctic and learn about the world of penguins
3)Paint a mural of penguins in their environment
look who’s in my family
Look who’s in my family
Everybody is there taking care of me
No matter how big, no matter how small
My family loves me, that is all
Mommy likes to brush my hair
Daddy tosses me in the air
My brother he’s a lot of fun
My sister’s always on the run
Grandma lets me jump on her bed
Grandpa lets me climb on his head
Aunts and uncles, cousins too
They all love me, yes they do
My teacher, my nanny, the parent volunteer
The school bus driver, and the caretaker here
My neighbour, my sitter, the crossing guard
They all care for me and they work so hard
The school secretary, my guardian
The doctor, the nurse, the librarian
The supervisor in our big schoolyard
They all care for me and they work so hard
activities
1)Learn to sing the song.
2)Discuss the idea of the extended family and learning to care for others and be aware who in your community is taking care of you.Who are the people who take care of you?
school bus driver
I’m a school bus driver, don’t you know
I take the little children where they have to go
Pick ‘em up, drop ‘em off
Pick ‘em up, drop ‘em off
Moving along
Moving along beep beep beep beep
I’m a school bus driver going down the road
With a precious cargo, with a precious load
All the little children sitting in the back
I hear their little voices going, “yakety yak”
Sitting in the back going, “yakety yak”
I’m a school bus driver and I can’t be late
Kids count on me, cause we’ve got a date
Gotta take the little children from A to B
And take good care for their safety, their safety
I drive this yellow bus from place to place
Every stop I see a familiar face
Get on board! Now find a seat
We’re gonna ‘mosey’ along down the street
School bus driver, school bus driver
activities
1)Paint a picture of a school bus or create a mural of a school bus traveling to school and picking up children from different stops along the way.
2)Learn the words to the song and create a play about driving in a school bus. Make some imaginary stops along the way.
3)Discuss what the school bus driver has to look out for when taking children on board. What are his/her responsibilities? Discuss the meaning of ‘responsibility’.
dancing around the fire
Children enchanted by the burning light
Dancing around the fire
Join in the circle and hold on tight
We’re dancing around the fire
Long, long ago, when first man walked the earth
And treasured the gift of fire
Warming the body and warming the heart
Lifting the spirit much higher
And day by day the sun brightens our way
We are learning for more understanding
Learning to see beyond ourselves
The circle of light expanding
Fireworks blossom and burst in the night
Wonder and joy and elation
One little flame of the candle light
Holding a strange fascination
This little guiding light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
activities
Learn to sing the song. Celebrate the joy of learning. Create a circle dance to perform at your school assembly.
lugar bonito (pretty place)
On the road of life I travel
Looking forward never back
Looking to the dreams before me
Leaving old dreams in my track
Lugar bonito, bonito
It’s a pretty place I’ve seen
Lugar bonito, bonito
Where this love is taking me
Earth is barren where I come from
But it’s green to where I go
How I’ll get there I’m not certain
When I get there I will know
Long and lonely, hard and dusty
Is this road I walk upon
But the journey’s end gets nearer
Hear the calling of the song
activities
1)learn to sing the chorus of the song
2)‘lugar bonito’ means ‘pretty place’ in Spanish. Can you think of a pretty place that you can talk about and share with your class mates?
3)Create a time-line and show different stops where something special happened in your life, such as: learned to tie your shoes, learned to spell you name, etc.
pots & pans
When I was just a boy
I loved to make some noise
Mama’s kitchen pots and pans
Were my favourite toys
Pots and pans
Pots and pans
I loved to play my drums
On the pots and pans
She’d rummage through the cupboard
And put them on the floor
And said that I could play with them
After she closed the door
I loved the clang and clatter
I loved the bouncy beat
And I could feel the rhythm
From my head down to my feet
Now take a rhythm stick
And you can play along
Tap a happy rhythm
To this happy little song
Listen to the beat
You can tap it on the floor
Everybody ready, now
One, two, one two three four!
activities
1)learn to sing the chorus of the song
2)using rhythm sticks, play along with this bouncy song – especially in the part where Jack sings ‘you can play along…’
3)make up and explore some rhythms using different kinds of found objects
veggie dip doo wah
Veggie dip – doo wah - Veggie dip – doo wah
Veggie dip – doo wah - Veggie dip - doo wah
Veggie dip – doo wah - Veggie dip - doo wah
Veggie dip – doo wah, doo wah
Broccoli & zucchini
Cauliflower & rapine
Celery, red beets & string beans
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Yam, yam, sweat potato
Artichoke, fresh tomato
Cucumber, Swiss chard, avocado
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Lima beans & kohlrabi
Sauerkraut & green parsley
Paprika, Brussels sprouts & plantain
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Leafy lettuce and a parsnip
Dandelion and a turnip
Bok choy, sweet corn on the cob
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Crunchy carrot, green spinach
Belgian endive and a cabbage
Bell peppers, egg plant and a radish
Peas, peas, peas, peas
Asparagus and an onion
Butternut squash and an olive
Little lentils, soy beans and fresh kale
Peas, peas, peas, peas
activities
1)learn to sing the chorus of the song
2)can you paint or draw pictures of all the vegetables listed in the song?
3)What other vegetables can you think of?
home-made cooking
My my my! How I love that apple pie
Mommy makes a special treat
And bakes us something good to eat
My my my, how I love that apple pie m m m
Oh oh oh! I love spaghettio
Granny's got a recipe all the way from Italy
Mommy makes a special treat
And bakes us something good to eat
Oh oh oh! I love spaghettio m m m
Home-made cooking, home-made cooking
How we love home-made cooking
Mmm, so delicious!
Nothing like home-cooked dishes
Whoop, whoop-i-doo! My daddy's cooking too
Daddy makes an Irish stew
Taste so good for me and you
Granny's got a recipe all the way from Italy
Mommy makes a special treat
And bakes us something good to eat
Whoop, whoop-i-doo! My daddy's cooking too m m m
Ee-yay, ee-yay, ee-yay-oh
Hey hey hey! It's pizza day today
My sister makes it oh so nice
Tangy, cheesy, lots of spice
Daddy makes an Irish stew
Taste so good for me and you
Granny's got a recipe all the way from Italy
Mommy makes a special treat
And bakes us something good to eat
Hey hey hey! It's pizza day today m m m
activities
1)learn to sing the chorus of the song
2)share some simple recipes that children can use that can be considered home made cooking
3)discuss and explore the importance of good nutrition
mediterranean sea
(love reaches everywhere)
Once long ago on the coast of Sicily
A magical feeling came over me
As I tossed a skipping stone
Into the Mediterranean Sea
Driftwood and paddle, an oar, a broken mast
In my imagination I hear echoes of the past
How many souls have sailed
On the Mediterranean Sea?
And all of the lands with shores of white sands
Hear all the children playing
Laughter so fair, comfort and care
Love reaches everywhere
Painters and potters and poets with their rhymes
The traces and glimpses of life in ancient times
Connecting you and me to the Mediterranean Sea
All of the lands with shores of white sands
Mothers with babes gently swaying
Like waves on the sea, mist in the air
Love reaches everywhere
[1st verse]
All of the lands with shores of white sands
Fathers are dancing and singing
Songs from the past, stories that last
Love reaches everywhere
activities
1)on a world map find the Mediterranean Sea and locate and identify all the countries bordering on it
discuss the concept of how people around the world may speak different languages, and appear to be different from each other in many ways but list how we are all the same. What does ‘love reaches everywhere’ mean to you?
pet song
If I had a little puppy dog
A yappy happy little puppy dog
I would take him on a daily walk
All around the block grrrwoooof!
If I had a little pussy cat
A furry purry little pussy cat
I would tickle underneath her chin
She would purr and grin meouw!
And every day you know I'd treat it nice
Everyday I'd feed it once or twice
I would take good care, you bet
Of my real live pet
If I had a little parakeet
A talkie squawky little parakeet
I would study and admire him
Sitting on his limb polly want a cracker?
If I had a little guinea pig
A lazy crazy little guinea pig
I would let him sit on my lap
For a little nap squeek, squeek!
But if I had a little crocodile
A happy snappy little crocodile
I would take him to the local zoo
Betcha you would too!
activities
1)discuss all the things one needs to do when taking care of a pet
2)what other kinds of pets can you think of? Collect pictures of all different kinds of animals as pets.
3) Bring a pet into the classroom
lady bug
Ladybug, ladybug, been away so song
The winter is over, the snow is gone
The flowers are growing, leaves in the trees
Ladybug, come back please
Ladybug, ladybug, where did you go?
In your little red coat, I missed you so
When you sit on my shoulder, just to say ‘hello’
Ladybug, don’t you go
Ladybug flying in the sky
Let the four winds carry you, away up high
To far away places, just remember then
To fly back home again
Ladybug, ladybug, resting on my arm
I heard somebody say
You’re a good luck charm
You’re a busy little beetle, you make me smile
Ladybug, stay a while
activities
1) learn about lady bugs. Collect pictures.
make a lady bug costume and create a ‘lady bug play’
butterfly
A very small caterpillar crawled
On the branches of a tree
With tiny little feet
It was looking for green leaves to eat
The caterpillar grew and grew
Bigger everyday
And when it had enough to eat
It began to search for a place to stay
To sleep and hide away
Sunlight in the day
And by the light of the moon
The little caterpillar
Spun a soft white cocoon
A tiny sleeping bag
It snuggled deep inside
Sleeping and dreaming
Then one day a wondrous thing happened
The caterpillar woke up from its long sleep
And struggled very hard to break out
Of the shell of the cocoon
But it didn’t look like a caterpillar at all
Do you know what came out? - “butterfly”
Yes, It changed into a butterfly
And spread its wings and flew away
“Beautiful butterfly!”
bedtime bolero
(a song for parents)
Every night when we put the children to bed
I’m singing the ‘Bedtime Bolero’ in my head
It’s a time that grown-ups with children sometimes dread
Kids, they want to stay up late
With discussion and debate
Even though it’s way past eight
They can’t stop, they hesitate
There’s so much they want to play
Just can’t wait another day
So little time, so much to do
Just one more game of ‘peek a-boo’
It’s a contest of wills, a test of parenting skills
It’s a TV reality show with all of the frills
And it feels like a carnival time down in Brazil
Now it’s time to take a bath
Don’t forget to brush your teeth
And you need to wash your hair
Wash behind your ears right there
Into your ‘jammies’, there you go
Off to bed now, don’t be slow
I’ll read a story, let’s begin
I’ll fluff your pillow, tuck you in
Every night it’s a drama, a comic event
It’s a Broadway production in a three-ringed circus tent
I’m the juggler, contortion artist all twisted and bent
Sing another lullaby
No more tears now, don’t you cry
Here’s your teddy from the shelf
Can you tuck him in yourself?
Now it’s time to go to sleep
Don’t want to hear another peep
Close your eyes and dream away
Tomorrow is another day
Go to sleep…..Good night
(more activities to come.....)
all music & lyrics written by jack grunsky p WOOD ROOSTER MUSIC, SOCAN
except where noted
cut & paste lyrics into your word file to print out