Lil' BumbleBee Adventures: Music Time Songs

I wanted to post a list of different ways to use music simply for music time or circle time. You can use the same basic songs or tunes to sing slow or loud or to act as the animals, etc. Or to slightly change words to incorporate some of the educational aspects. My approach is minimalistic in that I want to be able to do as much of it as possible without extra tools, music players, etc. and to do have a lot of it from memory so I'm empowered to create from scratch and spur of the moment. I hope some helps.

How to Use Music

Singing Along (same time, echo, round, etc.)
Following Directions (same time, echo, round, etc.)
Rhythm (tempo, counting beats, etc.)
Specific Movement (Hand action, Body movement, etc.)
Free Expression/creation (dancing, imitation of nature, etc.)
Educational (Alphabet, Colors, Shapes, Numbers, Shapes)
Instruments and Tools: shakers, sticks, tambourines, drums, scarves, parachute, etc.
Transitions (to keep interest and to help move to another activity)
For reverence and spirituality (see post for Primary Children's Songbook and it's uses)

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Songs for toddlers should keep their interest by having movements. By using this basic list of familiar songs in different ways helps the kids connect with something familiar while learning something new and also simplifies the number of tunes we need to remember.

------Basic List------

Old MacDonald

The Eensy Weensy Spider (finger play)

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

5 Little Monkey's

Farmer in the Dell

5 in the Bed (finger play)

Row Row Row Your Boat/Pop Goes the Weasel

Mary Had a Little Lamb

BINGO

This is the Way We... (Follow leader movement)

If You're Happy And You Know It (follow leader movement)

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (whole body movement)

I'm A Little Teapot (whole body movement)

1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Indians (finger play)

5 Little Ducks Went Out One Day (finger play)

This Old Man
London Bridge is Falling Down (group movement)
Ring Around the Rosie (group movement)
Three Blind mice (don't like the words, but it's a nice simple tune)

Hickory Dickory Dock (movement...pretend you are clock with swinging tick rock arms)

The Grand Ole Duke of York

-----Other Songs/Fingerplays/Rhymes------
By Topic. If no tune is listed next to the title, then it is a rhyme without a specific tune

Animals
The __________ at the Zoo (tune: Farmer in the Dell)
Tiny Tim the Turtle (tune:?)

Swinging Monkeys (Tune: 5 Little Monkeys)
5 little Ants (Tune: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Horsey (Tune: This is the Way)
5 Little Ducks (Tune: One Little Duck…Feather on His Back)

One Little Bear
Caterpillar (Tune: I’m a Little Teapot)
The Goldfish
Butterfly Landed on You
Life of a Butterfly
Two Little Tweety Birds
Count the Eggs

Five Little Speckled Frogs
Here Comes the Fox

The Turkey (Tune: Pop Goes the Weasel)

Two Little Blackbirds (Tune: Baa Baa Black Sheep)

The Bird & the Tree (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)
Octopus

Here is a Bunny

Boa Constrictor

Baby Shark