A CAPELLA MOVEMENTS

Aroostasha
(This is a great build-on movement to do with school aged children.  I remember I used to do this one back when I was in girl scout camp – I forgot about it until I saw one of my colleagues using it with a class)

CHORUS:
Aroostasha, Aroostasha, a sha, sha, sha
Aroostasha, Aroostasha, a sha, sha, sha

Thumbs up! (Do action, and have audience repeat the line back as they do it)
CHORUS
Thumbs up!
Arms out!
CHORUS
Thumbs up!
Arms out!
Feet apart!
CHORUS

Keep building until you are doing a lot of ridiculous movements all together.  My pattern of actions for this is usually: Thumbs up, Arms Out, Feet Apart, Knees Bent, Bottoms Out, Head Tilt, Tongue Out.

Because this is better seen than read, check out this video.  I’ll try to get one of me up here sometime.

Catch a Wee Mouse
Round about, round about (circle palm with finger)
Catch a wee mouse
Up a bit, up a bit (walk fingers up arm)
In the wee house! (tickle under arm or chin)

Chicken in the Barnyard
Chicken in the barnyard (circle your finger around baby’s hand or tummy)
Staying out of trouble
Along comes a turkey (move your fingers up baby’s arm or chest)
Gobble, gobble, gobble! (tickle under arm or chin)

Counting Song
(To tune of: Ten Little Indians)
One little, two little, three little whatevers
Four little, five little, six little whatevers
Seven little, eight little, nine little whatevers
Ten little whatevers together.

(Substitute whatever you are counting for whatevers.)

Grand Old Duke of York
Oh the Grand Old Duke of York (bounce baby on lap)
He had ten thousand men
He marched them up to the top of the hill (lift baby up)
And he marched them down again. (bring baby back down to lap)
And when they’re up, they’re up. (lift baby up)
And when they’re down, they’re down. (bring baby down)
And when they’re only halfway up (lift baby up halfway)
Their neither up  (lift baby up all the way)
nor down. (bring baby back down to lap.)

The Grandfather Clock
The grandfather clock goes
tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. (Sway or bounce slowly)
The kitchen clock goes
tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. (Sway or bounce a little faster)
And mommy’s little watch goes
tick-tick-tick-tick-tick. (Sway or bounce quickly or tickle instead)
Stop!

Grandma’s Spectacles
These are Grandma’s spectacles (make circles with hands, and place over eyes)
And this is Grandma’s hat (put hands over head to make a hat)
And this is the way she folds her hands (fold hands together)
And places them in her lap (put hands in lap)

Hi, My Name is Jo
Hi, my name is Jo
and I work in a button factory.
One day, my boss came up to me and said,
“Are you busy Jo?”
I said, “No!”
He said push that button with your right hand… (push right hand out like pushing a button, continue doing that while you add other verses)

Hi, my name is Jo
and I work in a button factory.
One day, my boss came up to me and said,
“Are you busy Jo?”
I said, “No!”
He said push that button with your right hand… (push left hand out like pushing a button, still having your right hand going, and continue doing that while you add other verses)

Other Verses:
Your right foot…
Your left foot…
Your bottom…
Your head…
Your tongue…
etc.

Icky Bicky Soda Cracker
Icky Bicky Soda Cracker (bounce baby gently on knees)
Icky Bicky Boo
Icky Bicky Soda Cracker
Up Goes You! (lift baby into air)

Icky Bicky Soda Cracker (bounce baby gently on knees)
Icky Bicky Boo
Icky Bicky Soda Cracker
I love you! (bring baby in for a cuddle)

If You’re Happy and You Know It – PS Version
(This is a variation I learned from one of my supervisors.)

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,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet.
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet.
If you’re happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet.
Clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it, shout “hooray!”
If you’re happy and you know it, shout “hooray!”
If you’re happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, shout “hooray!”
Clap your hands.
Stamp your feet.

Whispered:
If you’re happy and you know it, blow a kiss.
If you’re happy and you know it, blow a kiss.
If you’re happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, blow a kiss.
Clap your hands.
Stamp your feet.
Shout hooray! (Loudly) (HOORAY!)

I’m a Little Cuckoo Clock
Tick tock, tick tock (with baby on lap, sway knees from side to side)
I’m a little cuckoo clock. (continue to sway baby)
Tick tock, tick tock (with baby on lap, sway knees from side to side)
Now I’m striking one o’clock.
Cuckoo! (Lift baby up into air)

Tick tock, tick tock (with baby on lap, sway knees from side to side)
I’m a little cuckoo clock. (continue to sway baby)
Tick tock, tick tock (with baby on lap, sway knees from side to side)
Now I’m striking two o’clock.
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! (Lift baby up into air)

Continue with as many cuckoo!s as you would like

In the Toaster
Put you in the toaster (Place child on lap)
It’s getting very hot (Bounce gently)
Tick, tock, tick, tock. (Sway side to side)
Up you pop! (Lift child in air)

Itsy Bitsy Spider
The itsy bitsy spider
climbed up the water spout. (with pinky against opposite hand’s thumb move “spider” up)
Down came the rain (wiggle fingers down)
and washed the spider out. (make a motion like baseball SAFE)
Up came the sun (make a larger circle with arms, fingertips meeting, above head)
and dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider (with pinky against opposite hand’s thumb move “spider” up)
Went up the spout again.

Ladies Ride
(Start with a gentle bounce for the first verse, and get faster and more bouncy with each additional verse.)
This is the way the ladies ride,
Trit, trot, trit, trot.
This is the way the ladies ride,
so early in the morning.

This is the way the gentlemen ride,
Clip, clop, clip, clop.
This is the way the gentlemen ride
so early in the morning.

This is the way the farmer rides
Clippity, cloppity, clippity, cloppity.
This is the way the farmer rides
So early in the morning.

This is the way the cowboy rides
Giddy up!  Giddy up!
This is the way the cowboy rides
So early in the morning.

My Wiggles
I wiggle my fingers (wiggle fingers)
I wiggle my toes (wiggle toes)
I wiggle my shoulders (wiggle shoulders)
I wiggle my nose. (wiggle nose)
And now that my wiggles are all out of me
I can sit still – as still as can be.

Alternate ending 1:     …
And now that my wiggles are all out of me
I can sit still for our next story.

Alternate ending 2:
…
And now that my wiggles are all out of me
I can sit still to watch our movie.

Now it’s Time to Say Hello / Goodbye
(to tune of “Mary had a Little Lamb”)
Now it’s time to say hello,
say hello, say hello.
Now it’s time to say hello
and start our storytime.

Now it’s time to say goodbye,
say goodbye, say goodbye.
Now it’s time to say goodbye
I’ll see you all next week.

taken from jbrary

Open Shut Them
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Give a little clap, clap, clap. (Clap hands on “clap”)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Open, shut them. (Spread fingers wide, then close into fists)
Place them in your lap, lap, lap (Pat lap with hands on “lap”)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up stomach to chin)
Creep them, crawl them (creep fingers up stomach to chin)
Right up to your chin, chin, chin (tap chin with hands on “chin”)
Open up your little mouth (open mouth wide and pretend to put fingers in)
But do not let them in! (Hide hands behind your back quickly)

Peek-a-Boo
Peek-a-Boo, peek-a-boo (cover eyes with hands, then remove)
I see you, I see you (point at child)
I see your tiny nose (touch nose)
I see your little toes (touch toes)
Peek-a-boo, peek-a-boo. (cover eyes with hands, then remove)

Ride a Little Pony Bounce
Ride a little pony. (bounce child on your knees)
Going to town.
Better watch out
Or you might fall – DOWN! (move knees apart and let child “fall” down)

Roly Poly
Roly poly, roly poly, UP UP UP (raise baby up in the air)
Roly poly, roly poly, DOWN DOWN DOWN (lower baby)
Roly poly, roly poly, OUT OUT OUT (move baby out towards your knees on lap)
Roly poly, roly poly, IN IN IN (bring baby in along your legs towards chest for a hug)

Round and Round the Garden
Round and round the garden (circle around baby’s tummy with finger)
goes the teddy bear.
A-one step, a-two step (creep fingers up baby’s chest)
A-tickly under there. (tickle under baby’s chin.)

Slowly, Slowly Very Slowly
Slowly, slowly, very slowly (say slowly, and trace finger up baby’s arm)
goes the garden snail.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly
up the garden rail.

Quickly, quickly, very quickly (say quickly and tickle baby all over)
goes the little mouse.
Quickly, quickly, very quickly
all around the house.

Storytime’s Over
Hands up high! (Put your hands in air)
Give a big sigh (sigh and bring hands down)
Storytime’s Over
So wave bye-bye (wave)

These Are Baby’s Fingers
These are baby’s fingers
These are baby’s toes
This is baby’s belly button
Round and Round it goes (gently circle round baby’s belly button with finger)

Tickle the Clouds
Tickle the clouds (lift arms up, wiggle fingers)
Tickle your toes (bend down and tickle toes)
Turn around
And tickle your nose (tickle your nose with fingers)
Reach down low (say with low voice and reach low)
Reach up high (say with high voice and reach arms high)
Storytime’s over
Let’s wave bye bye! (wave goodbye)

Tiny Little Babies
(to tune of Shortnen’ Bread)
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ bouncin’
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ yeah!

Tiny little babies love bouncin’ bouncin’
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ yeah!

Sooo.. bounce to the left, bounce to the right
Now hug that baby nice and tight!

Tiny little babies love bouncin’ bouncin’
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ yeah!

To Market To Market
To market, to market, to buy a fat pig
Home again, home again, jiggity-jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog
Home again, home again, jiggity-jog.
To market, to market to buy a plum bun
Home again, home again market is done.

Two Little Feet
Two little feet go stamp, stamp, stamp
Two little hands go clap, clap, clap
One little body stands up straight
One little body turns around
One little body sits quietly down.

Taken from Preschool Rainbow

We Work With One Hammer
We work with one hammer (make a fist with one hand, bang arm up and down like hammer)
one hammer, one hammer.
We work with one hammer,
Then we work with two.

We work with two hammers… (add other fist and arm)
We work with three hammers… (add one foot stomping)
We work with four hammers… (add other foot stomping)
We work with five hammers… (add head nodding)
We work with six hammers, (stick out tongue)
six hammers, six hammers.
We work with six hammers,
Then it’s time to rest! (sit down)

Welcome Song
(to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)
Welcome, welcome everyone!
Now we’re here let’s have some fun.
First we clap our hands just so  (clap hands)
Then we bend and touch our toes.  (touch toes)
Welcome, welcome everyone!
Now we’re here let’s have some fun.