3 Great Movement Rhymes

Movement songs are great.  Songs that have movement may help the children learn the words, develop a sense of pulse/beat and other musical elements.  There are many movement songs but I have chosen 3 that both the children and I enjoy.

1 Grand Old Duke of York

The children love marching to this song and it is particularly good for emphasising the pulse with the strong marching within it.  Also once the children know it well, I encourage them to explore pitch with their body: when we say up (which is a higher sound) they lift their arms in the air and on the down (which is on a lower sound) they put their hands down.

Here are the words if you don’t know them:

Oh the Grand old duke of York

He had ten thousand men

He marched them up to the top of the hill

And he marched them down again.

And when they were up they were up

And when they were down they were down

And when they were only halfway up

They were neither up nor down

2 Here we go round the mulberry bush

Again, this song can be used to emphasise the pulse. It also lends itself to use with any action words which makes it great to link into themes or the children’s interests.

Here are the words if you don't know it:

Here we go round the mulberry bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.

Here we go round the mulberry bush

On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we wash our face,

Wash our face, wash our face,

This is the way we wash our face,

On a cold and frosty morning.

How could your change it?

Different:

• types of weather, time of day...
• routines: get dressed, clean teeth…
• activities: wash the car/dog…; build a wall;

Anything could be added to the rhyme

3 If you’re happy and you know it

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

(clap, clap)

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

(clap, clap)

If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it;

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

(clap, clap)

This song can incorporate different forms of body percussion: tapping, stamping, clicking. Also, a simple rhythmic pattern with the body percussion on: clap, clap.

These and many more are available in my online resource Early Years Music Ideas:  https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/early-years-music-ideas-2-to-5 

Happy Music Making!