Polar Bears and Penguins

Many of the teachers I work with are working on (or just completed) lesson plans about penguins or polar bears. I wrote a song about both last week and I thought I would share them. Enjoy.

A Big Old Polar Bear
(Tune: Polly Wolly Doodle)

 I’ve got big paws to crunch the snow
I’m a big old polar bear.
I’ve got thick fur, when the cold winds blow.
I’m a big old polar bear. 

I’m a bear. (Roar. Roar.) I’m a bear. (Roar. Roar.)
I’m a big old polar bear.
My fur looks white, to hide in plain sight.
I’m a big old polar bear.

 I did some research for this polar bear song. Here are a few facts we sing about that you can pass on to your kiddos:

• Polar bears have large paws (12 inches across) to help distribute their weight across snow and ice. 
• Polar bears have incredibly thick fur. They have a thin layer of blubber under their black skin, but it is actually their fur that keeps them warm and protects them from the frigid Arctic winds.
• Polar bears don't actually have white fur... it just looks white. Their fur is hollow! Their white appearance helps them sneak up on their dinner... seals!

Waddle, Waddle
(Tune: Clementine) 

Waddle. Waddle. Waddle. Waddle.
Waddle. Waddle. Belly-flop!
Sliding. Sliding. Sliding. Sliding.
Sliding. Sliding. Hop. Hop. Hop! 

Flap your wings and stomp your flippers.
Move your beaks up and down.
Flap your wings and stomp your flippers.
All the penguins wiggle ‘round!

Happy Singing! Stay warm!

Families and Opposites

 Little Beans Cafe and the East Bank Club parent-child music classes are in full swing. This week we are singing about friends and families. I like to take this opportunity to celebrate the differences in our families. Some children have brothers and sister, some have tons of cousins, some children have step-parents, some have pets. Each child has many people who love them and each family looks different. 

 Who is in Your Family?
(Tune: Bumping up and Down in my Little Red Wagon) 

A mommy is a person in a family.
A mommy is a person in a family.
A mommy is a person in a family.
Who is in your family?

 I change the song slightly for pets. They aren’t people, but they are still important.

A pet is a member of a family.
A pet is a member of a family.
A pet is a member of a family.
Who is in your family?

 Here is a link to Raffi's version of Bumping Up and Down in my Little Red Wagon. Hopefully, you can pick up the tune... and enjoy some awesomely 80's children!

My daycare classes have been talking about winter, cold-weather animals and opposites. Here is a fun song to work on the concept of opposites with your children. 

 Opposites
(Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know it) 

The opposite of big is small.
The opposite of big is small.
Opposites are fun.
Let’s do another one.
The opposite of big is small.

What opposites can your child come up with at home?  
Happy Singing!

A New Bug Song!

This week we are singing about bugs. You probably know a few bug songs already: The Itsy, Bitsy Spider, The Ants Go Marching, Baby Bumblebee, and Shoo Fly.

Here is a song about Butterflies! I like to sing this song with scarves and move with the song.

Flutter, Flutter
(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle)

Flutter, flutter butterfly.
Flying high up in the sky.
Soaring up. Soaring down.
Soaring 'round and 'round and 'round.
Flutter, flutter butterfly.
Flying high up in the sky!

Next week we are singing about Friends and Family! See you there!
Happy Singing!

Winter and Holiday Songs

The snow is here. It is time to bundle up and go out and play! It seems like we just wrapped up our Thanksgiving celebration and now we are moving on to other winter holidays.

 Here are some winter songs to help get everyone excited about the snow and holidays.

What You Celebrate
(Tune: Do You Know the Muffin Man) 

Oh, Tell me what you celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!
Tell me what you celebrate, in the wintertime. 

Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, Hanukkah, Hanukkah.
Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, in the wintertime.

Oh, Tell me what you celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!
Tell me what you celebrate, in the wintertime. 

New Years Eve and New Years Day, New Years Day, New Years Day.
New Years Eve and New Years Day, in the wintertime. 

Oh, Tell me what you celebrate, celebrate, celebrate!
Tell me what you celebrate, in the wintertime. 

Snow and lights and icicles, icicles, icicles.
Snow and lights and icicles, in the wintertime.

Brr… It’s Getting Cold!
(Tune: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes) 

Snowflakes are falling down, falling down.
Snowflakes are falling down, falling down.
Winter’s here and brrr it’s getting cold!
Snowflakes are falling down, falling down. 

My hat and gloves will keep me warm, keep me warm.
My hat and gloves will keep me warm, keep me warm.
Winter’s here and brrr it’s getting cold!
My hat and gloves will keep me warm, keep me warm. 

I build a snowman with my friends, with my friends.
I build a snowman with my friends, with my friends.
Winter’s here and brrr it’s getting cold!
I build a snowman with my friends, with my friends.

Snow is Falling
(Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle) 

Snow is falling to the ground,
Flurries swirl all around.
My toes are cold, my nose is chilly.
Playing in the snow is so silly.
Snow is falling to the ground,
Flurries swirl all around.

I Built a Little Snowman
(Tune: The Itsy Bitsy Spider) 

I built a little snowman when temperatures were low.
I built him out of three balls of icy cold snow.
When the sun came up, the snowman went away.
I guess I’ll have to build him again another day.

*I use my felt board snowman for this song. At the end of the song we talk about what parts of the snowman melts and what doesn't melt... and now your music is a science lesson!

Stay warm out there and Happy Holidays!