"Songs help children hear words broken down into syllables because there is a different note for each syllable. This promotes an important early literacy skill called phonological awareness, the ability to hear the small sounds that make up words. This skill helps children sound out words when they begin to read.” (School Library Journal; “Storytime Lessons,” March 1, 2006.)
CHILDREN ARE VERY FORGIVING WHEN IT COMES TO SINGING. They love learning new songs, and sing familiar songs with enthusiasm.
IDEAS FOR USING SONGS IN STORYTIME
Substitute new words to familiar tunes---
If you're happy and you know it...becomes:
If you want to be a mouse, nibble cheese...
If you want to be a train, go choo-choo...
If you want to be a dinosaur, give a roar...
see also: http://www.nancymusic.com/index.htm
(key to lyric/tune sources can be found below this song list)
+ 1 Elephant Went Out to Play K (elephants, action, play)
+ 5 Green and Speckled Frogs R-S (frogs, counting)
+ 5 Little Ducks K-N (ducks, counting)
6 Little Ducks (ducks, counting)
40 Years On An Iceberg (cold, polar bears)
+ “A” You’re Adorable N (alphabet)
A-Hug, A-Hug, A-Hug (love)
A-Tisket, A-Tasket B-N (letters, love)
Aiken Drum *I* (moon)
Airplane Song (airplanes)
Alice the Camel K-R-SS (camels, horses, silly)
Alligator, Alligator, Long and Lean (alligators, crocodiles)
Alligator Pie (alligator)
All Through the Night K-N (sleep, child, peace)
Alphabet Song (alphabet)
Alphabet Soup (Tom Chapin) *I* (alphabet, soup)
Animal Crackers *I* (animals, soup)
Animal Fair B-K (fairs, monkeys, elephants)
Ants Go Marching B-K-N-R-SS (ants, counting)
Apple Pickers Reel (Hanks) *I* (apples)
Apples and Bananas (food, apples, bananas, silly)
Autumn Leaves/Snowflakes are Falling Down (leaves/snow, action)
B-A Bay K (alphabet, silly)
Baby Bumblebee B-K (bees, action)
Baby Put Your Pants On (babies, dressing)
Baby Shark *I* (sharks, camp, silly)
Bathtime (bathing)
Bear Went Over the Mountain B-K-N (bear, action)
The Bell on the Cow Goes… (cows, action)
Bicycle Built for Two K-N (bikes, love)
Big Rock Candy Mountain (candy, imagination)
+ BINGO K-N-R-SS (dogs, letter recognition, clapping)
Black Socks (clothing, washing)
Boom, Chicka-boom (silly)
Bought Me a Cat (animals)
Brave, Brave Mouse *I* (mice, bravery)
Bread and Butter (food, noise, senses)
Bubble, Bubble, POP! (bubbles, fish)
A Bushel and a Peck N (love, action)
Car-Car (Peter, Paul & Mary) *I* (cars, sounds)
A Cat Had a Birthday *I* (cats, birthdays, sounds)
Christmas Is Coming, the Geese... K (Christmas)
The Clown Song (circus, clowns)
Consider Yourself N (family, friends)
Cool Cat (cats, silly)
Corner Grocery Store (Raffi) L (shopping, rhyme, silly)
Da Moose (moose, silly)
Dickery Dean (washing)
Did You Ever Go A-Fishin’? (fish, summer, silly)
Did You Feed My Cow? (Jenkins) S (cow, silly)
Do Re Mi N (music)
Dr. Knickerbocker (doctors, counting, movement)
Don't Wash My Blanket (blanket, security)
Don’t Say No, Don’t Say Can’t (Disney) (attitude, self-confidence)
Down By the Station K-S (trains, action)
Down By the Bay K-R-S (rhyme)
+ Down on Grandpa’s Farm S (barnyard animals, sounds)
The Dreidle Song B-S (dreidles, Hanukkah, action)
Elevator Song (city life, elevators)
MG ---Mother Goose
B --- www.bussongs.com
K --- www.kididdles.com
L --- www.lyricsandsongs.com
N --- www.niehs.nih.gov/music.htm
R --- www.rainbowsongs.com
S --- www.songsforteaching.com
SS --- www.scoutsongs.com
*I* --- various sites on the internet