Songs & Rhymes

Action songs

22 entries found

Five Little Firemen

Five little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 3 4 5 lets go.
Jump on the engine with a SHOUT,
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

Four little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 3 4 shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

Three little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 3 shhh shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

Two little firemen standing in a row,
1 2 shhh shhh shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

One little firemen standing in a row,
1 shhh shhh shhh shhh lets go.
Jump on the engine with a Shout
As quick as a wink the fire is out.

Choose five children to be the firemen.
Shout the SHOUTand fingers to lips to whisper shhh


Five Little Peas

Five little peas in a pea-pod pressed,
One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest.
They grew and they grew ...and did not stop,
Until one day the pod went ...POP!

Line one - Clench all the fingers on one hand.
Line two - Slowly open out the fingers.
Line three - Stretch fingers wide apart.
Line four - -When it says POP! clap loudly


Grandma's Spectacles

Here are Grandma's spectacles,
And here is Grandma's hat,
And here is the way she folds her hands,
And puts them in her lap.

Here are Grandpa's spectacles,
And here is Grandpa's hat,
And here's the way he folds his arms,
And takes a little nap.

Alternative ending to Grandma's verse
Grandma claps her hands like this,
and folds them in her lap.

To show Grandma and Grandpa's spectacles put thumb and forefinger together on each hand and bring them up to your eyes.
With your hands make the shape of a hat on top of your head.
For Grandma put one hand on top of the other to 'fold her hands' and then place them on your lap.
For grandpa, just fold your arms and tilt head forward, eyes closed.


Hands Upon Your Head

Hands upon your head,
Hands upon your head.
Up and down and up and down,
Hands upon your head.

Hands upon your face,
Hands upon your face.
Up and down and up and down,
Hands upon on your face.

Hands upon your ears. . .

Hands upon your chin. . .etc

Sung to the tune of Jelly on the plate.


Heads and Shoulders

Heads and shoulders,
knees and toes, knees and toes.
Heads and shoulders,
knees and toes, knees and toes.
And eyes and ears, and mouth and nose.
Heads and shoulders,
knees and toes, knees and toes.

A simple action song where children just touch the parts of the body that are mentioned as they sing the song. Once the children are confident the song can gradually get faster.


Here is the beehive

Here is the beehive
But where are the bees?
Hidden away
Where nobody sees.
Look and you'll see them
Come out of the hive,
One, Two, Three, Four, Five,
Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.


I'm going to Kentucky

I'm going to Kentucky,
I'm going to the Fair.
To see a senorita,
With flowers in her hair.
Shake it baby, shake it,
Shake it all around.
Shake it like a milk shake
And pour it in a can.
Rumble to the bottom,
Rumble to the top.
Twirl around and twirl around,
Until I holler STOP!

Walk quickly on the spot or around in a circle for the first four lines.
'Shake it' by standing and wiggling your hips before shaking your hands and arms like you were holding and shaking a bottle before pouring the milkshake in to a can.
Rumble by rolling your arms round each other in front of you down to the ground and then up in the air.
Finish by twirling around before shouting STOP.


If You're 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,
and you really want to show it.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you're happy and you know it, stamp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it, stamp your feet.
If you're happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it.
If you're happy and you know it, stamp your feet.

If you're happy and you know it, nod your head.
If you're happy and you know it, nod your head.
If you're happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it.
If you're happy and you know it, nod your head

If you're happy and you know it, shout 'WE ARE'.
If you're happy and you know it, shout 'WE ARE'.
If you're happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it.
If you're happy and you know it, shout 'WE ARE'.

If you're happy and you know it, do all four.
Clap your hands, stamp your feet, nod your head and shout 'WE ARE'.
If you're happy and you know it, do all four.
Clap your hands, stamp your feet, nod your head and shout 'WE ARE'.
If you're happy and you know it,
and you really want to show it.
If you're happy and you know it, do all four.

Clap your hands, stamp your feet, nod your head and shout 'WE ARE'.


Knock at the Door

Knock at the door,
See a face,
Smell an odor,
Hear a voice,
Eat your dinner,
Pull your chin, or
Ke chih, ke chih.

Traditional Chinese nursery rhyme.
Tickle the child's neck with the last two expressions.


Little Rabbit

Sleep little rabbit, sleep 'til noon,
We will wake you with a merry tune.
Oh so still
Are you ill?
Are you ill? NO
Get up then
Hop little rabbit hop hop hop,
Hop little rabbit hop hop hop,
Hop little rabbit hop hop hop.
Hop little rabbit STOP

Children act out the song by pretending to be asleep and then quietly waking before hopping around.


Miss Polly had a Dolly

Miss Polly had a dolly, who was sick, sick, sick.
So she called for the doctor to be quick, quick, quick.
The doctor came with his bag and his hat,
And he knocked on the door, with a rat-a-tat-tat.

He looked at the dolly and he shook his head,
And he said, " Miss Polly put her straight to bed".
He wrote on a paper for a pill, pill, pill.
That will make it better yes it will, will, will.

An alternative ending is:
I'll be back in the morning with my bill, bill, bill.

For the first line fold your arms and rock them as if you were holding the dolly. Then put one hand to your ear and use the other to dial.
Pat your head to show your hat and then pretend to knock on the door.

Shake you head and then point your finger to show sending dolly to bed. Write with a finger on the palm of your hand for the pill and then nod again to show that dolly will get better.


Oats and Beans and Barley Grow

Oats and beans and barley grow,
Oats and beans and barley grow.
Do you or I or anyone know
How oats and beans and barley grow?

First the farmer sows his seed,
Then he stands and takes his ease,
Stamps his feet and claps his hands
And turns around to view the lands.

Oats and beans and barley grow,
Oats and beans and barley grow.
Do you or I or anyone know
How oats and beans and barley grow?


Oh Jemima

Oh Jemima, look at your Uncle Jim,
He's in the duck pond learning how to swim.
First he's doing the breaststroke,
Now he's doing the side,
Now he's under the water,
Swimming against the tide.


Oranges and Lemons

'Oranges and lemons', say the bells of St Clements.

'You owe me five farthings', say the bells of St Martins:

'When will you pay me', say the bells of Old Bailey.

'When I grow rich', say the bells of Shoreditch,

'When will that be?' say the bells of Stepney.

'I do not know', says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed;

Here comes a chopper to chop off you head.

Chop! chop! chop! chop! Chop!


Tall Shops in the Town

Tall shops in the town,
Lifts going up and down.
Doors going in and out,
People walking all about.

Lift both arms up high for the tall shops, then
with out stretched arms move them up and down, to show the lifts moving. Curve arms around in front and move them in and out for the doors, then wiggle hands round to show the people moving.


Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Turn around.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Touch the ground.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Tie your shoe.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,
Goodbye to you.


The Farmer's in his Den

The farmer's in his den, the farmer's in his den.
Ee-i, ee-i, the farmer's in his den.

The farmer wants a wife, the farmers wants a wife.
Ee-i, ee-i, the farmer wants a wife.

The wife wants a child, the wife wants a child.
Ee-i, ee-i, the wife wants a child.

The child wants a nurse, the child wants a nurse.
Ee-i, ee-i, the child wants a nurse.

The nurse wants a dog, the nurse wants a dog.
Ee-i, ee-i, the nurse wants a dog.

The dog wants a bone, the dog wants a bone.
Ee-i, ee-i, the dog wants a bone.

We all pat the bone, we all pat the bone.
Ee-i, ee-i, we all pat the bone.

The children form a circle holding hands. One child is chosen as the farmer, this child goes into the centre of the circle.
The circle of children then walk round the farmer singing the first two lines of the song. They then stop while the farmer chooses another child, this time to be the wife. The wife then joins the farmer in the centre of the circle. The other children continue the song, circling and stopping when a new child is chosen to be the child, nurse, dog and finally the bone.
The song ends with everyone gathering around the child chosen to be the bone, who they all pat gently.
The farmer can of course be a girl, in which case the farmer wants a husband


The Hokey Cokey

You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out;
You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

Chorus (after each verse):
Oh-oh the Hokey-Cokey
Oh-oh the Hokey-Cokey
Oh-oh the Hokey-Cokey
That?s what it?s all about.

You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out;
You put your left foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your right hand in,
You put your right hand out;
You put your right hand in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your left hand in,
You put your left hand out;
You put your left hand in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your right side in,
You put your right side out;
You put your right side in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your left side in,
You put your left side out;
You put your left side in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your nose in,
You put your nose out;
You put your nose in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your tail in,
You put your tail out;
You put your tail in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your head in,
You put your head out;
You put your head in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!

You put your whole self in,
You put your whole self out;
You put your whole self in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey-Cokey,
And you turn yourself around
That's what it's all about!


This Is The Way We Cross The Road

Green cross code

This is the way we cross the road,
We cross the road, we cross the road.
This is the way we cross the road,
We stop ,we look we listen.

We stand at the kerb and we look both ways,
Look both ways, look both ways.
We stand ant the kerb and we look both ways,
Before we cross the road.

If the road is clear we cross the road,
Cross the road, cross the road.
If the road is clear we cross the road,
We follow the green cross code.

Sung to the tune of 'Here we go round the Mulberry bush'.


Two Fat Gentlemen

Two fat gentlemen met in the lane,
Bowed most politely, bowed once again.
How do you do? How do you do?
How do you do again?

Two thin ladies met in the lane,
Bowed most politely, bowed once again.
How do you do? How do you do?
How do you do again?

Two tall policemen met in the lane,
Bowed most politely, bowed once again.
How do you do? How do you do?
How do you do again?

Two little schoolboys met in a lane,
Bowed most politely, bowed once again.
How do you do? How do you do?
How do you do again?

Two little babies met in a lane,
Bowed most politely, bowed once again.
How do you do? How do you do?
How do you again?

This is a simple rhyme that uses your thumbs and all your fingers.
Two fat gentlemen - thumbs
Two thin ladies - forefingers
Two tall policemen - middle fingers
Two little school boys - ring fingers
Two liitle babies - little fingers

Start with your thumbs held up, facing each other so that they can bend towards each other to bow.
Bow, twice and then alternately when you say 'How do you do?' and then together again for the last line.
Repeat using other fingers.


Two Little Dickie-Birds sitting on a Wall

Two little dickie-birds sitting on a wall,
One named Peter, one named Paul.
Fly away Peter, fly away Paul,
Come back Peter, come back Paul.

Stick a small piece of paper onto each forefinger to represent the two birds.
Place the two fingers out in front.
Wiggle one finger for each bird.
For the birds to fly away raise each hand in turn but return it to starting position but with the middle finger out, so the pieces of paper look like they have gone. Then when you call the birds back repeat the hand movements but bring back the forefingers instead of the middle fingers and the pieces of paper will reappear.


Wind the Bobbin Up

Wind the bobbin up, wind the bobbin up.
Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap.
Wind the bobbin up, wind the bobbin up.
Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap.
Point to the ceiling, point to the floor.
Point the the window and point to the door.
Clap your hands together,
1 2 3
Put your hands upon your knees.



Wind it back again, wind it back again.
Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap.
Wind it back again, wind it back again.
Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap.
Point to the ceiling, point to the floor.
Point the the window and point to the door.
Clap your hands together,
1 2 3
Put your hands upon your knees

This song can be sung standing up or sitting down.