Movement in the Classroom: 90 Music Games, Action Songs, Folk Dances

This is one of my best sellers! Tons of fun for the music (or any) classroom. It is a collection of singing games for children, folk dances, action songs, and rhythm songs for K-5th and can be used in the music classroom, PE, the regular classroom, before and after school activities and recess. I have also used many of these singing games with special needs kids. These music games are a fun way for music teachers to transfer to the next generation our folk song heritage. This is a resource you can use every day of your teaching career.

I LOVE to have kids in music class up and moving. This book will give you lots of great active music games/dances/songs. I use it everyday in most of my classes. My kiddos come in every day and excitedly ask, "What music game are we going to play today?"

I love using folk dances in the classroom and my kiddos love it, too--even the 5th graders. There are 20 (so far) folk dances in this collection. All of them have been tried and tested and are the ones my students love to do.

NOW 90 songs! (and still growing) -- I keep adding more songs to this product that you can re-download later, so check back occasionally! My goal is to have 100 songs eventually.

In 1987 "120 Singing Games and Dances for Elementary Schools" by Lois Choksy was published. It was a classic resource for elementary music teachers but is difficult to get your own copy now. This collection I have put together is my answer to that need. It has lots of different songs/games and also more instructions on how to use. I hope this volume will be a great resource for elementary music teachers everywhere.

I have researched, experimented and adapted these games for use in a classroom of 20-25 kids. These have all been tested many times with K-5th grade children. I have also included a few links I've found on youtube for demos of some of the games and for music for some of them. (I'm a visual learner and I like to SEE it demonstrated.) For the dances, you may want to use the links for the music. I'm conflicted about recordings on the other songs. I love to hear the children sing, and they tend to be silent if a recording is playing. So, grab your autoharp and play and sing with them!

This collection is from 25 years of experience and is THE BOOK I wish I had found when I began teaching elementary music. Tell your music teachers friends about it!

Some of the games have traditional actions, others I have created or adapted. All of them I have researched and experimented with to find what works with a classroom of kids. Some games include different directions for different grade levels.

For those who've already purchased this collection, see a list of recent updates below the list of songs, and re-download it.

Action Songs

1. An Austrian Went Yodeling (2nd-4th)

2. Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands (K-1st)

3. Deep and Wide (K-2nd)

4. Do Your Ears Hang Low? (K-1st)

5. Father Abraham (K-2nd)

6. Form Banana (1st-2nd)

7. Grandma’s Glasses (K-1st)

8. Head and Shoulders (K-1st)

9. Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush (K-1st)

10. Hickory, Dickory Dock (K-1st)

11. Hokey Cokey (K-2nd)

12. If You’re Happy and You Know It (K-2nd)

13. I’m a Little Teapot (K-1st)

14. John Brown's Baby (2nd-3rd)

15. Johnny Works with One Hammer (K-1 )

16. Looby Loo (K-1st, with scarves or ribbons)

17. My Aunt Came Back (1st-2nd grade)

18. My Bonnie (2nd-3rd grade) st

19. My Hat it has Three Corners (K-1 )

20. One Finger, One Thumb (K-1st)

21. Ring Around the Rosy (K-1st)

22. Sally Go Round the Sun (D-1st)

23. Teddy Bear (K-1st)

24. Tony Chestnut (1st-2nd)

25. Two Little Blackbirds (K-1st)

Singing Games

26. A-Hunting We Will Go (K-2

27. A-rig-a-jig-jig (1st -3rd)

28. A Tisket, a Tasket (K-1st)

29. The Big Ship Sails Down the Alley Alley-O (2nd-3rd)

30. B-I-N-G-O (K-2nd)

31. BINGO #2 (K-3rd, more of a folk dance)

32. Charlie Over the Ocean (K-1)

33. Down by the Station (K-1)

34. Draw a Bucket of Water (1st-3rd)

35. The Elephant Song (K-1st)

36. Farmer in the Dell (K-1st, a kid favorite!)

37. Five Green and Speckled Frogs (K-1st)

38. For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow (2nd-5th)

39. Four Corners (K-5th)

40. The Gallant Ship (K-1)

41. Go In and Out the Window (K-1)

42. Great Big House in New Orleans (1 -3)

43. Hey, Betty Martin (K-1st)

44. London Bridge (K-1st, a kid favorite!)

45. Muffin Man (K-1st)

46. Pass the Magic Broomstick (2 -3)

47. Paw Paw Patch (1st, 2nd)

48. Polly Wolly Doodle (1st-3rd)

49. Row, Row, Row Your Boat (K-1st)

50. Sally Down the Alley (2nd-5th, a kid favorite!)

51. Shoe Fly (K, 1st, 2nd)

52. Skip to My Lou (K-1st, a kid favorite!)

53. Ten in a Bed (K-1st)

54. The Thread Follows the Needle (1st-2nd)

55. Tideo (2nd-3rd)

56. Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree (1st-2nd)

Rhythm/Theory Games

57. B-A Bay (2nd-4th)

58. Beat Hopscotch (2nd-3rd)

59. Concentration Game (3rd-5th)

60. Lines and Spaces (2nd-4th)

61. Long-legged Sailor (2nd-3rd)

62. Miss Mary Mack (2nd-3rd)

63. Music Baseball (2nd-4th, but mainly 3rd)

64. Note Hot Potato (3rd-5th)

65. Note Trains (1st-2nd)

66. One Potato (1st-2nd)

67. Pass the Beat Around the Room (2nd -5th)

68. Peas Porridge Hot (1st-3rd)

69. We Got Rhythm (3rd-5th)

70. Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? (K-5th, a kid favorite for every grade!)

Folk Dances

71. Buffalo Gals (square dance, 2nd-4th)

72. Camptown Races (3rd-5th)

73. Circle Dance (Waltz, 3rd-5th)

74. The Dancers (1st-2nd)

75. The Grand Old Duke of York (3rd–5th)

76. Heel-Toe Polka (3rd-5th, a kid favorite!)

77. Irish Washerwoman (1st-3rd, a kid favorite!)

78. Jac y Do (Welsh folk dance, 2nd-5th, a kid favorite!)

79. La Raspa (Mexican Hat Dance (1st-3rd)

80. Les Saluts (French Canadian folk dance, 3-5)

81. The More We Get Together (K-2nd)

82. Oh Susanna (3rd-5th, a kid favorite!)

83. Old Brass Wagon – (2nd-4th, square dance)

84. Over the River and Thru the Woods (K-2nd)

85. Pop Goes the Weasel (K, 1st)

86. Put Your Little Foot (K, 1st)

87. She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mtn (2nd- 5th)

88. Shoemaker’s Dance (K-2nd)

89. Star Polka (4th-5th, so fun!)

90. Tis a Gift to be Simple (4th-5th)

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After 26 years of experience teaching music I am adding resources to my store that I hope will help make your job easier!