Music
Words of the Songs
To listen to the recordings, click on the Title of the songs.
Playsongs for Trotting and Dancing
To market to market
To buy a big pig
Home a-gain home a-gain
Jiggerty jig
To market to market
To buy a big hog
Home a-gain home a-gain
Jiggerty jog
This song is just right for a 'trot to market' (around the room). Adding to the fun as you 'go to' market in one direction and change direction for 'coming home' from market. OR during the early weeks, gently tap Baby's feet and hands together to the distinct beat as you sing with him in you lap (or during floor playtime or nappy change).
For something different in the rhythm and for extra fun ... why not hip hop to market
We're off to the country for a ride on our pony
Jig Jog Jig Jog Jig-a-jog gee
It's not too bumpy and it's not too stony
Jig Jog Jig Jog Jig-a-jog gee
Off we go as we wave good-bye
Far out in the countryside ...
With ... a ... Jig Jog Jig Jog Jig Jog Jig Jog
Jig Jog Jig Jog Jig-a-jog gee!
Not only is this song for dancing, it could also be used for giving Baby a knee jog depending on Baby's development. Make sure you pause on the words, as heard in the recording ... this builds on Baby's sense of anticipation and fun.
We'll do the Baby Bop
We'll do the Baby Bop
Dance around as though we'll never stop
The Baby Bop, the Baby Bop
Dance, dance, dance and now we'll stop!
We'll do the Baby Bop
We'll do the Baby Bop
Wriggle and jiggle as though we'll never stop
The Baby Bop, the Baby Bop
Wriggle and jiggle and now we'll stop!
With Baby in your arms, off you go and do the Baby Bop ... dance around and wriggle and jiggle!
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall … bomp
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
He began to wobble and had a great fall … bomp
Along came his friends who counted to ten
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Then glued Humpty together again
Hooray for Humpty and his friends.
As well as having some singing fun to Humpty Dumpty, this version can be used as a knee jogging song. With Baby on your knee, jog along … then when Humpty has a great fall, bring your leg down to the floor with a ‘bomp’.
Cheeky cheeky Baby oh
Let's dance on our little toes ...
Up up up we go
As we dance on our little toes
Then around, around and around we go
Cheeky cheeky Baby oh
Cheeky cheeky Baby oh
Let's dance on our little toes ...
Down down to touch the ground
Cheeky cheeky Baby oh
Then around, around and around we go
Cheeky cheeky Baby oh
(Repeat) ...
Cheeky cheeky Baby oh
If you introduce this song to Baby in the early weeks during nappy change or floor play, your actions will be simple. As a suggestion you could bring Baby's toes up to your nose and tap them for 'dancing on the toes'. Then, gently raising Baby's little legs or arms up, up, up and bringing them down, down, down and making circular motions for around and around. As Baby develops and is self-supporting, your dance actions may become more vigorous e.g. lifting Baby up and bringing her down and then dancing around together.
We'll put our left foot in
We'll put our left foot out
We'll put our left foot in
And we'll kick it all about
We'll do the Hokey Cokey and we'll turn around
That what its all about
(Chorus) Oh Hokey Hokey Cokey
Oh Hokey Hokey Cokey
Oh Hokey Hokey Cokey
That's what its all about
(2nd verse) We'll put our right foot in ...
(3rd verse) We'll put our both feet in and dance about ...
You could introduce this song during floor play or nappy change by using simple actions with Baby's little feet (or hands) e.g. by bringing both little feet up together and then using the left and right for gentle actions. On the words 'turn around' you could make circling motions with Baby's legs. As Baby develops you will dance about with him on your hip ...
Playsongs for Clapping and Tapping
Wriggle your Fingers, Wriggle your Toes
Wriggle your fingers, Wriggle your toes
Clap your hands as we say 'hello'
Oh what fun we will have today
As we song along the way
(Now let's find the nose)
Wriggle your fingers, now touch your nose
Clap your hands as we say 'hello'
Oh what fun we will have today
As we sing along the way
(Now let's find the ears)
Wriggle your fingers, and touch your ears
Clap your hands as we give a cheer
Oh what fun we will have today
As we sing along the way
Hip-Hip-Hooray!
This is great little song as a playtime starter. Just follow the words for the actions. As Baby develops, so too will his physical coordination to perform his own actions to this song.
You are my Baby
My Baby Oh
Let's clap those hands as we go go go
Today is the day for having some fun
So here comes a tickle on your tummy tum tum
Oh Yeah!
(Repeat) ...
So here comes a tickle on your tummy tum tum
Oh Yeah!
Let's have a tickle now ...
So tickle tickle on your tummy oh
Around and around these fingers go
Tickle tickle on your tummy oh
And this is where the yummy food goes
Now tickle tickle on your little nose oh
Around and around these fingers go
Tickle tickle on this little nose oh
As this is where my kisses go
(Repeat)
These are clever tapping feet
Tapping tapping tap
Watch them as they go up high ...
Pointing to the sky
Now bring them down to touch the ground
Clever little tapping feet!
These are clever clapping hands
Clapping clapping clap
Watch them as they wave around
Making circles up and down
Clever little clapping hands
The words give you the cue for the actions ... it can be introduced during the nappy change routine or when Baby is ready for floor play.
For something different in the rhythm and tempo ... and for extra fun
Tap and Clap Jive (recorded to the music Gelato)
These are clever tapping feet
Tap tap tapping tap
Watch them as they go up high pointing to the sky
Now bring them down to touch the ground
Down down down down down
Tapping tapping little feet
And a bop bop bop bop bop
These are clever clapping hands
Clap clap clapping clap
Watch them as they wave around
A round a round a round a round a round
Round and round with circles up and down
Clever little clapping hands
Clap, clap clap, clapping hands
Clever little clapping hands
Clever little clapping hands, Clever little clapping hands!
Playsongs about animals
Old MacDonald had a Farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a cow
E-I-E-I-O
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there
Here a moo there a moo
Everywhere a moo moo
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
(2nd verse - he had a horse)
(3rd verse - he had a dog)
(4th verse - he had so many other animals he lost count!)
This traditional playsong is about having fun with the repetition of words and sounds and is an 'all time favourite' with children into the early childhood years. It is also a fun way for Baby to begin identifying animals and imitating their sounds/noises as part of speech development.
Goldie is our Happy Puppy
She is white and fluffy
Her tail is long and wags away
As she loves to play all day
She can roly-poly on her back
With her four paws swaying this way and that
But when she barks with a Woof Woof Woof
We know it's time for her dinner
At the end of the day Goldie's tired from play
She goes to bed to rest her head
All ready for more tomorrow
Loved pets are equally part of families. This song was written about our beautiful golden retriever and tells only part of her 'story'. You may enjoy making up a song about your pet/s. Sadly, our loved girl died not long after this song was recorded. She lived her life cycle, thirteen and a half years and brought us intense joy every day. On a funny note, I sang to her throughout the day!
Two little fish in a fishy pond
Swim with the tails swishing on and on
'Whoops' said a little fish
My day is done
Now were left with one
Ho Hum ... now there's one
One little fish in a fishy pond
Swims with his/its tail swishing on and on
'Whoops' said the little fish
My day is done
Now were left with none
Ho Hum ... now there's none
This song lends itself to either a playsong or a bath-time song using toy fish. And, why not add to the song using ducks ... 2 little ducks in a ducky pond ... or any other pond animal. Also, as Baby is developing the concept of Object Permanence (as discussed in Development and Learning → Cognitive Development) the song can be a fun way of playing hide-and-seek with toys. Glump Glump can be used in a similar way.
Glump-a-da-glump-a
Sing 2 green frogs,
In the sun sitting on the log
Glump-a-da-glump-a
Up one jumps
With a hip, hop, plop
And a ... glump, glump
Glump-a-da-glump-a
Sings 1 green frog,
In the sun sitting on the log
Glump-a-da-glump-a
Up it jumps
With a hip, hop, plop
And a ... glump, glump
Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the waterspout
Down came the rain and washed poor Itsy out
Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain
So …. (pause)
Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the spout again …
Teeny Weeny Spider climbed up the waterspout
Down came the rain and washed poor Teeny out
Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain
So … (pause)
Teeny Weeny Spider climbed up the spout again
Depending on your country of origin there are differing versions of the words to this traditional nursery rhyme/playsong. It can be used in varying ways. For example, as a tickly type song … by creeping your fingers slowly ‘up the waterspout’ on Baby’s tummy/legs and then back down quickly as the rain comes down. You could then put your hands over your eyes and open them with a surprise (as in peek-a-boo) for ‘out came the sunshine’. Then repeat the creeping of your fingers. There is also the action of placing your thumb and index finger together as you ‘climb’ the waterspout. With your guidance, as Baby develops into the toddler stage he will have fun making his own actions to the song.
Playsong for Bath-time
Oh I am having a bath with a splasherty splash
Watch the water as I kick about
Splasherty splash, splasherty splash
Until it's time for me to get out
Now there are bubbles in the water, bubbles in my hair
Some on my tummy, Oh they're everywhere
Splasherty splash, splasherty splash
Until it's time for me to get out