Category Archives: Silly Songs

What Are You Singing For Groundhog’s Day?

Daria_GroundhogCover_Web

I just love groundhog’s day!  Maybe it’s because groundhogs are so cute and cuddley. Or I was born somewhat near the permanent residence of Punxatawney Phil, official groundhog predictor of Spring. Or because groundhogs  have adorable nicknames such as whistle pigs and woodchucks.

So, for so many reasons I couldn’t just crawl back into my hole for 6 more weeks of winter and I jumped at the chance to write and record a silly Groundhog’s Day song.

groundhog pop-up hereThe simple song is based around the tongue-twister “How much wood could a woodchuck chuck… if a woodchuck could chuck wood?” I also wondered how much ground a groundhog could grind and how much sap a sapsucker could suck. And, yes, even though the lyrics are in song form, the tongue twisters still are a challenge to sing or say.

You can find the song lyric freebie below, plus a link to a sweet Springtime activity that includes pop-up puppets. It’s a fun way of having your own groundhog’s day anytime and anywhere.

And the best thing? You can laugh yourself silly while you predict an early Spring!

Links and Resources

Groundhog’s Day Song – Free Lyric Sheet – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhogs-Day-Song-Lyric-Sheet-2357681

Groundhog’s Day Song From Itunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-groundhog-song-how-much/id385842751

Groundhog’s Day MYO Pop-Up Puppet Activity from TPT – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhogs-Day-Song-and-Pop-Up-Groundhog-Puppet-Activity-484374

little groundhogs

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Posted in Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Ecology/Nature, Family Fun, Holiday Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun, Musical Crafts, Silly Songs

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Grandparents Day Music Give-Away!

grandmother toya at the senior centerThis year National Grandparents Day is September 10th.  If you were wondering, in the USA it’s always celebrated the second Sunday in September.

And around the world, there are similar annual holidays and celebrations to honor grandparents   But; honestly, any time of year is a great time to appreciate the role of that special someone or group of grands in your child’s life.

One easy and fun way to bring generations together and make lasting memories is through sharing music, especially the simple or special songs that meant a lot to grandma or granddad. In our family, our Greek Xiaxia shared a version of patty-cake in Greek that the kids remember and sing to this day. Their other grandmother loved to tell them about the silly songs she sang at school like Grandchildrens Delight Cover“Three Little Fishies” and “Jadda, Jadda Jing Jing Jing!”. Because these songs mean so much to old and young alike, I created a CD of songs that were hand-picked by my fans and audiences in response to the question: “What songs would you most like your grandkids to hear”.

The result (and it’s a give-away below) was a CD called Grandchildren’s Delight and it includes songs like You Are My Sunshine, Grand Old Flag, This Little Light of Mine, Oh Susannah, Playmate and so many more. So please, enter to win below but also remember how music can bring old and young together.

I bet there’s a special song you recall from your childhood or memory that’s just waiting to be sung to your little one!

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Favorite Songs from Your Family Or Childhood

Yes, I am still asking folks about favorite songs from their childhood or their parent’s era. Either from the USA or anywhere around the world! Do you have a special song from jump rope, summer camp or a holiday you loved?   If so, let me know. I’d love to share it with my readers and my audiences.

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Posted in Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Holiday Songs, Silly Songs

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Sing A Silly Song For Groundhog’s Day

phil is too cuteDo you love doing tongue-twisters and silly songs with your child?  Then this new song is a perfect choice for celebrating Groundhog’s Day.

Sing this song and you may discover not only how much wood could a woodchuck chuck and how much ground can a groundhog grind as well as – how much sap a sapsucker can suck!  I dare you to sing it and now collapse in giggles!

But, before you do, here are some groundhog and groundhogs day FAQ’s.

When is Groundhog’s Day?     February 2nd.

Where is the official groundhog prediction?  The official celebration is in Punxatawney, Pennsylvania where our good pal; Punxatawney Phil, gets up early and gives us his prediction of when winter will end.

Where does Phil see his shadow? The special celebration of Groundhog’s day happens on a spot called Gobbler’s Knob, right in the center of the town of Punxatawney.

What does it mean if he sees his shadow?  If the groundhog sees his shadow, 6 more weeks of winter are predicted. Not seeing a shadow means an earlier Spring (hooray!)

Is Groundhog’s Day an American holiday?  Yes, but it comes from a German custom and there are many different types of ways that animals are predictors of the weather around the world. This is a great topic to research!

What are Groundhog Lodges?  In Pennsylvania Dutch tradition there gatherings where there is food, entertainment and skits or plays at this time of year.  All who attend must speak only in Pennsylvania Dutch dialect or they are fined a nickel, a dime or a quarter for speaking English!

Are there great books about groundhogs and groundhog’s day?  Yes!  Check out our list below and “Go To Sleep, Groundhog” is a funny, cute and truly adorable pick for any home or classroom library!

Daria_GroundhogCover_WebGroundhog’s Day Song – Free Lyric Sheet https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhogs-Day-Song-Lyric-Sheet-2357681

Groundhog’s Day Song and Pop-up Puppet Activity

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhogs-Day-Song-and-Pop-Up-Groundhog-Puppet-Activity-484374

Add This Song To Your Favorite Playlist

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/4kfEtW5B0FT5JvYN5hF8td

AppleMusic – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-groundhog-song-how-much/id385842751

Great Books About Groundhog’s Day

Go To Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox/Paul Meisel (Illustrator)
Screen shot 2017-02-01 at 4.54.38 PMA groundhog can’t seem to fall asleep when it’s time to hibernate and has a tough time getting up when his own special holiday comes.

Ten Grouchy Groundhogs By Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook
A cute counting book for young children with some good groundhog facts sprinkled in!

Groundhog Gets a Say By Pamela Curtis Swallow/Denise Brunkus (Illustrator)
A groundhog thinks his holiday should last more then one day. His animal friends help make his case for the world to know more about groundhogs.
Groundhog Day! By Gail Gibbons
Wonderful fun and great facts about groundhogs and the Groundhog’s Day celebration.

The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun By Wendie C. Old/Paige Billin-Frye (Illustrator)
A sampler of groundhog facts and a good description of the special day in Punxatawny, PA.

Groundhog Weather School By Joan Holub/Kristin Sorra (Illustrator)
A groundhog is encouraged to open a weather school everyone gets to learn more about hibernation, groundhogs and the holiday.

A happy Groundhog’s Day to all!

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Posted in Annoying Songs, Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Ecology/Nature, Family Fun, Holiday Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun, Multicultural Music, Silly Songs

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Win The “Kids Around The World” Mama Lisa Songbook!

mama-lisa-songbookHave you read out enthusiastic review of our new favorite kid’s international songbook?

Well, we’re excited to say that – thanks to Mama Lisa’s World -  we are giving away 2 digital copies of this amazing encyclopedia of 100 songs from diverse world cultures.  That’s 352 awesome pages of songs, song descriptions, translations, sheet music and even details of how certain songs are used as games and activities.

Of course, we’d love for you to read the whole review here: http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/family-fun-2/a-trip-around-the-world-in-song/  but feel free to jump to the give-away and enter to win below.

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Posted in Babies and Music, Celtic Music, Chinese (Mandarin), Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Hawaiian Music, Kids Songs In German, Multicultural Music, Silly Songs

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A Trip Around The World In Song!

mama-lisa-book-coverThis is my new favorite international kids song songbook!

To be honest, I’ve been a huge fan of the website – Mama Lisa’s World – for years, so I was thrilled to be able to review this new compilation songbook. It has 100 songs from global cultures – including indigenous cultures – along with descriptions, sheet music, translations and notes on where to find MIDI and recorded version for listening. This book simply could not be more complete – or more fun!

Many of the songs that Lisa has selected are not just great songs, they are also games and offer wonderful ways to combine music, language and movement. Because translations come with each song, you can also easily start learning  simple words and phrases in other languages as well.

Where does this songbook go? It opens in Africa with welcome songs, circle dances and call-and-response tunes. Next, the songbook goes to Asia, with songs of friendship, love and play. After that, you can find favorites from Australia and the islands of Oceania. In the songs selected from Europe, you’ll meet familiar characters like the Sandman and Little Red Riding Hood. Of course, there are mama-lisa-book-pagealso songs from North America, including an Iroquois lullaby as well as English and French Canadian songs. The book closes with songs from Central and South America, including music with roots in Hispanic, Afro-Hispanic and Indigenous cultures.

What more do you need to know? This is definitely a must-have songbook for anyone who loves children’s songs and world music! You can buy both digital copies or a full size physical copy at the links below.

Links And Resources

Digital Copy From Gumroad (352 Pages/5.64 MG/3.99) https://gumroad.com/l/GvQVT#

Kid Songs Around The World: A Mama Lisa Book (Physical Copy) From Amazon http://a.co/3mx1z0o

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Posted in African Music, Australian Music, Celtic Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Hispanic Music, Holiday Songs, Homeschool Musical Fun, Kids Songs In German, Native American Music, Silly Songs

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Que Llueva – A Favorite Rhyme From Ecuador

Children’s nursery rhymes are a wonderful way to bond with your child. They are perfect for sharing and encouraging a second language and also for parents who may feel shy about singing to their child.

We are excited to have this first guest post in our Children’s Rhymes From Around The World Series contributed by Linda Lopez-Stone. Her blog, Hispanic Mama, Empowering Through Heritage And Language, can be found at the links below.

que-llueva-image

My favorite time of the year in Ecuador is winter. This is the season when families visit the beach and kids spend more time playing outdoors since schools are closed. Because of the country’s location, winters in the coastal area of Ecuador are hot and rainy.

I remember how the rain felt as the perfect combination for those hot afternoons of outdoor play with the kids of the neighborhood. As soon as we started feeling the first drops of water, we would sing with joy: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!” (Let it rain! Let it rain!)

The rain was also very welcomed by the farmers. It meant that their cosechas (crops) were going to be lucrative. This was especially important for a country where a considerable portion of its economy was dependent on agriculture. I bet the farmers were also singing with excitement: “¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!”

Although I do not live in Ecuador anymore, I still get excited when I see the first signs of the rain. It symbolizes the joy of my childhood and reminds me of the hope of many people in Ecuador. The rain would always make me happy!

Que Llueva – Spanish Lyrics
¡ Que llueva! ¡ Que llueva!
El quetzal está en la cueva.
¡ Qué llueva! ¡ Qué llueva!
El quetzal está en la cueva.
Los pajaritos cantan
Las nubes se levantan.
Que sí, que no
Que caiga un chaparrón.

Let it Rain – English Lyrics
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave.
Let it rain! Let it rain!
The Quetzal is in the cave
The little birds are singing
The clouds rise up.
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour
Oh yes, oh no
Let there be a downpour

Here’s a version of Que Llueva that adds 5 extra verses. It starts with the quetzal bird in the cave and then adds verses with a condor, a turtle, a snake, a llama and a deer! The repetition is wonderful for learning the song and building vocabulary in Spanish.

- Linda López-Stone    Linda is a Latina millennial mom and a bilingual writer sharing stories about bicultural and bilingual life in Raleigh, NC. Discover her blog at: http://hispanicmama.com/

Links and Resources

Que Llueve – Sheet Music From Mama Lisa’s World (a slightly different version of the song) http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=557

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Posted in Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Hispanic Music, Multicultural Music, Silly Songs

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Silly Songs For Kids – Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Adorable girl hearingSinging or learning a silly song with your child is a great tension reliever, a fun way to play with language and creates great family memories.

I bet you know the first part of this classic silly kids song.  But, do you know all the verses?  How about these two?

Do your ears hang wide?
Do they flap from side to side?
Do they wave in the breeze
With the slightest little sneeze?
Can you soar above the nation?
With a feeling of elation?
Do your ears hang wide?

Do your ears fall off?
Does it happen when you cough?
Do they lie there on the ground?
Or bounce around at every sound?
Can you stick them in your pocket
Like a little Davey Crockett?
Do your ears fall off?

The lyric sheet below has the six most popular verses and – I warn you – they are not the easiest thing to sing. Try the words and the hand motions and see if you don’t end up laughing hysterically at how hard this simple little song can be!

What About The Hand Motions?

Naturally, lots of popular kids songs are also action rhymes.  These types of songs are prefect for learning coordination and motor skills – at any age!

I’ve seen quite a few sets of hand motions for this song.  The most popular set of boy scout hand motions are described here:   http://www.scoutorama.com/do-your-ears-hang-low-song

Go Ahead, You Can Sing It!

Some moms, dads and caregivers feel a bit ashamed about singing out loud.   They tell me they don’t have the best voices or can’t carry a tune in a bucket.  No worries.  Most people can manage to hear a tune and most kids will not behave like judges on American Idol… they just want to have fun with you!

And; by the way, the sweetest thing a child will ever hear if a loved one’s voice – so go ahead and belt it out!

A Cute Video Version

Versions of This Song To Avoid

After performing this song for years, I’ve been informed that there are profoundly colorful versions from the US military and one set of off-color lyrics sung by English rugby players.  If you’re looking this song up for your child, you may wish to avoid any of these.

Links and Resources

Find the complete lyrics sheet and printable PDF here:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Do-Your-Ears-Hang-Low-Lyric-Sheet-2566376

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Posted in Annoying Songs, Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Silly Songs

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Shake Them Skeleton Bones!

skeleton pngJust in time for Halloween, here’s a cute kid’s version of the African-American spiritual song, Dry Bones (or Dem Bones). It’s really fun for this time of year plus a great way to learn or quiz the bones in the human body.

And, don’t you just love when you can dance around, make music and learn something new all at the same time?

LYRICS TO THE SKELETON BONES SONG

Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Let’s shake them skelton bones

The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone
The foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone
The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone
Let’s shake them skeleton bones

The leg bone’s connected to the knee bone
The knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone
The thigh bone bone’s connected to the hip bone
Let’s shake them skeleton bones

The hip bone’s connected to the back bone
The back bone’s connected to the neck bone
The neck bone bone’s connected to the head bone
And… shake them skeleton bones

Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Them Bones, them skeleton dry bones
Let’s shake them skeleton bones

Then backwards…From the head bone to the toe bone

Who Wrote The Dry Bones Song?

Do you remember the actual Dry Bones or Dem Bones song? Here’s more about the actual song that’s being parodied here.

Who Wrote The Dry Bones Song?

https://makingmulticulturalmusic.wordpress.com/2015/10/25/the-story-behind-the-dry-bones-song/

Guitar Chords For “Dry Bones”

http://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/www.gospelmusic.org.uk/a-g/dry_bones.htm

The Dry Bones Song By The Delta Rhythm Boys http://multikidsmusicvids.com/?p=1535

Links and Resources

Craft a spooky Halloween rattle based on a real jawbone instrument! http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/classroom-music/shake-them-rattles-and-bones/

Two Great Interactive Halloween songs – In English and Spanish

http://www.tinytappingtoes.com/babies-and-music/halloween-musical-fun-in-english-and-spanish/

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Posted in Babies and Music, Classroom Music, Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Halloween, Homeschool Musical Fun, Silly Songs

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A Family-Friendly Version of La Cucaracha!

La Cucaracha 2 screensnapCheck out  DARIA’s version of this adorable song in both Spanish and English at the Spotify, Apple Music and Pandora links below to listen free! 

I recently received an e-mail from Sweden asking about the Mexican folksong, “La Cucaracha”.  The writer wondered how this song could be so familiar so far away from it’s Latin American roots. The answer is simple, some songs are just that catchy, simple and have a certain magic about them.  “La Cucarcha” seems to be one of those songs.

So, what is this popular little globe-trotting song all about?

Let’s start with the basics.  The Spanish word “cucaracha” means cockroach and there are multiple verses to the song, many of which are silly or nonsensical.  Although most frequently associated with Mexican culture, the song actually dates back to a Spanish “corrido” song.  And, no one really knows how old “La Cucaracha” is but at least one version appears in a songbook that dates back to 1492!

Is there a standard set of lyrics?  No!  If you check out the wikipedia page below you’ll see lots of verses including many with historical or cultural references.  And, naturally,  there are the clever or silly ones, as well:

cucaracha poster(Spanish) Cuando uno quiere a una
y esta una no lo quiere,
es lo mismo que si un calvo
en la calle encuentra un peine

(English) When a man loves a woman
but she doesn’t love him back
it’s like a bald man
finding a comb in the street.

A Kid-Friendly Version

Although this is a great little song, I never sang it in public because one of the verses referred to marijuana.  It just didn’t fit my definition of a family-friendly tune.  However, while performing a concert for a group of nuns in South American, one Sister sang me her own version of the song.  It was cute and sweet and left out the “offending” verse.

Her version totally inspired me to not only sing the song, but to add some silly English lyrics, preserving the “everyone adds their own touch” approach to adapting folksongs.  In my bilingual version, the little cockroach likes to play traditional Mexican instruments.  And with 6 legs, wouldn’t any cockroach make a fine percussionist?

Below is a free lyric sheet to this bilingual version, plus the popular Youtube video.  And if a little cockroach who plays both guiros and maracas inspires you, you can make your own version of  these instruments to play in class or at home.  Just check out the links below for the DIY instructions.

Here’s hoping this song makes you laugh and smile, learn a bit of Spanish and share a song with someone you love!

Links and Resources

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/57s2qPe2YT69GoenDQD1Kf
Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-have-a-dream/id49532398
Pandora: www.pandora.com/artist/daria-childrens/i-have-a-dream/la-cucaracha-spanish-english/TRlz4b72vkflZ4w

Free Lyric Sheet from TPT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/La-Cucaracha-Lyric-Sheet-Bilingual-Version-2863996

Wikipedia’s Full History of La Cucaracha
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Cucaracha

MYO Guiro from TeachersPayTeachers
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Latin-American-Guiro-1230266

MYO Maracas from TeachersPayTeachers
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Make-Your-Own-Maracas-1428029

La Cucaracha from Amazon mp3
http://amzn.com/B0013PIZ9O

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Posted in Annoying Songs, Early Learning With Music, Favorite Songs, Hispanic Music, Multicultural Music, Silly Songs

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Kids Road Trip Music – Oh No, Not That Song!

Screen shot 2014-07-11 at 3.21.28 PM

It’s true – there are songs that parents love to hate. And kids love to sing because they are annoying beyond belief. So consider this post part summer songfest and part warning. These songs are funny and cute but they are also infectious earworms and some of them go on and on and on… just like a bad car ride!

100 Bottle Of Pop On The Wall

Okay, I am old enough to remember singing this song as 100 bottles of beer on the wall with my older brother pretending he was drunker after each bottle was counted down. Later versions use bottles of pop (soda), milk, juice or perhaps you can find another liquid to insert in this never-ending song

The lyrics are really simple.

100 bottles of pop on the wall, 100 bottles of pop

You take one down

And pass it around

99 bottles of pop on the wall!

(And so forth until you can’t stand it any longer.)

Redeeming value of this song? You do learn to count backwards. And to develop patience!

Screen shot 2014-07-11 at 3.20.39 PMI Know A Song That Gets On Everybody’s Nerve

And, boy – does it! This short, repeating song is sung to the tune of “Glory Hallelujia”, but you’ll only say “Glory Hallelujia” once it’s over.

Here’s the lyrics:

I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves

I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves

I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves

And this is how it goes

(Back to the first line)

You can find a very annoying version of that song here:

http://www.dariamusic.com/sillysongs.php

The Song That Never Ends

Similar to “Everybody’s Nerves”, this infinite loop of a song has a bit more of a story and a few more words. I’m not sure it that makes it better – or worse!
This is the song that never ends,

yes it goes on and on my friend.

Some people started singing it, not knowing what it was,

and they’ll continue singing it forever just because…

(Back to the first line)

We’re also pretty sure we’ve located the most annoying video of this song ever – right here:

Aren’t There More Annoying Songs? 

You bet there are!

In a few days we’ll add the next few songs which rose to the top of our parent’s lists of annoying road trip songs – including “The Bear Went Over The Mountain” and “There’s A Hole In The Bottom Of The Sea”.

But do you have a particular favorite? Please comment below or drop me a line at dariamusic at yahoo dot com so I can add it here, too.  Thanks – and enjoy your next road trip, either with or without these classic kids songs!

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Posted in Annoying Songs, Babies and Music, Early Learning With Music, Family Fun, Favorite Songs, Silly Songs

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