Active Listening

Appreciate Natural Response

Children love music! Expose them to a wide variety of quality music. Encourage moving, laughing, drawing, being still and listening -- whatever it is children are naturally inclined to do. Understand that everyone’s attention span is unique, and focus changes from day to day, moment to moment. Younger children may listen to many repetitions of a song before trying to sing it (circa three years old).

Engage Imagination

Help children connect to the music on a deeper level. Model attentive listening, physical response, act out the story told by the music, add motions to go with the words. Children will enjoy associating particular actions, movements and expressions with particular songs, and they will make these movements their own and repeat them time and time again. (See “fun activities to go with songs” below, for suggested motions.)

Musicality

Singing
The best way for children to learn how to sing is by listening to the unaccompanied, live human voice. It is a good idea (and important) to learn the folk songs and sing them away from the CD! In-tune singing is best, but enthusiasm and feeling go a long way. Model your love for the music, your love for singing (you can do it!). If children sing with the CD that is okay, but for learning to sing, they must sing away from the CD. You too.
Steady beat
Being adept at feeling and demonstrating the beat of the music is integral to all good musicianship. Model and teach this skill to the children with tapping, patting, repetitive motions, bouncing, marching in place and walking to the beat. Once the younger children (3-5) - succeed at keeping the steady beat with hand motions, and as their motor skills develop, it is appropriate to go to marching in place, and eventually, walking to the beat.
Express the mood
Not all music is rhythmic. Sometimes swaying and moving in a kind of impressionistic style best represents what’s happening during the music. Be creative. Dance. Connecting with music on an emotional level and expression through movement will create deeper interest and meaning.
Demonstrate the Form
One way to instill a natural sense of the form in music, without trying to explain it intellectually (pointless and boring) is to use motions. If the music, say, has two distinct parts, each repeated several times, give each part a different motion (example: Part one, hammering motion. Part two, sawing motion). If a musical part is repeated, then repeat the motion or movement that goes with that part. (See Breezes are Blowing).

Lyrics and fun activities to go with songs:

Here are a few ideas to get you going; expand on these with your own ideas.

1. Naughty Pussycat

Naughty Pussycat, you are very fat
You have butter on your whiskers, naughty pussycat, scat!

Suggested activity (Away from CD)
Sing the song close to your child, tapping the beat lightly on his or her hand. On the final word, ‘scat!’, point to or poke your child in the tummy. Child runs a circle around you and then you catch the child and bring him/her back and sing again.

2. Fudge, Fudge

Fudge, fudge, call the judge, Momma’s got a baby.
Not a boy, not a girl, just a plain old baby!

Suggested Activity (With CD)
During the verse. stand and point in front of you, to the beat, emphatically! During the instrumental part, put a frown on your face and march in place, fists tight, shoulders moving up and down to the beat ominously!

3. Jog Jog Gee

(Based on Kids Make Music! Babies Make Music Too! www.musicrhapsody.com)

I want someone to buy me a pony, jig jog, jig jog jig jog gee.
Not too fat and not too bony, jig jog, jig jog jig jog gee
For I want to go for a ride, all across the country side
With a jig jog, jig jog, jig jog, jig jog, jig jog, jig jog, jig jog gee.

4. Breezes are Blowing

Breezes are blowing, blowing clouds of water
Breezes are blowing, blowing clouds of water
On my face raining, raining like the ocean,>
Breezes are blowing, blowing clouds of water.

Suggested Activity (With CD)
After the introduction where the folksong is sung, there are basically two parts to this music. The rain drops falling part and the wind blowing part. Decide which is which, and move accordingly. During the raindrops, I like to stand in place, and using one finger at a time, gently tap my arms, forehead, legs, belly (staccato strings); during the blowing part, (harps melody) move about the room with arms making soft swirling motions. Repeat the raindrops and blowing motions each time they return in the music. Be very focused as you model this ‘song story’. Children will take this seriously.

5. Lucy Locket

Lucy Locket lost her pocket, Kitty Fischer found it.
Not a penny was there in it, only ribbon ‘round it.

Suggested Activity (Away from CD)
Hide a ‘pocket’. Sing the song while the child is looking for it. Help the child find the ‘pocket’ by increasing the volume of your singing if the child is getting closer to it, and decreasing the volume if the child moves farther away. Start rather quietly, and be sure never to sing so loud that you start yelling or getting way out of tune!

6. Riding in the Buggy Miss Mary Jane

Riding in the buggy Miss Mary Jane, Miss Mary Jane, Miss Mary Jane,
Riding in the buggy Miss Mary Jane I’m a long way from home.
Who moans for me? Who moans for me?
Who moans for me, my darling, who moans for me?

Suggested Activity (Away from CD)
Use a stool or a low chair. Somebody is the driver of the buggy and somebody is Mary Jane, sitting behind the driver. The driver “Trots” the reigns to the beat of the music.

7. Somebody’s Knocking at My Door

(Based on Kids Make Music! Babies Make Music Too! www.musicrhapsody.com)

Somebody’s knocking at my door, somebody’s knocking at my door,
Oh, children, why don’t you answer?
Somebody’s knocking at my door.

Suggested Activity
(With CD): Anticipate the knocks in the music and knock along
(Away from CD): Make up other verses; who else is knocking at my door? Sing together.

8. Catfish

(Sorry, I know these lyrics are a little rough, but oftentimes the authentic folk songs tell it like is; or was.)

Catfish, catfish in the stream. Catfish, catfish where’ve you been?
Drag that catfish by the snout, turn that catfish inside out.
Yo ho! Banjo Sam.

Suggested Activity (Away from CD)
Find a nice motion to accompany this song as you sing: Pointing (in time) to a picture of a fish. Patting hands together as if preparing fish for cooking. Sit on the floor and tap your knees. Etc.

9. Five Little Hot Dogs

Five little hot dogs frying in a pan, the pan got hot and one went BAM!
Four little hot dogs frying in a pan, the pan got hot and one went BAM!
Three little hot dogs frying in a pan, the pan got hot and one went BAM!
Two little hot dogs frying in a pan, the pan got hot and one went BAM!
One little hot dog frying in a pan, the pan got hot and one went BAM!
No little hot dogs frying in a pan, the pan got hot and the pan went BAM!

Suggested Activity (With CD)
Clap on the word “Bam!” My little friend Noah stands and bounces while he listens to this song, and shouts out the word “Bam!” Every time it comes up in the song, with perfect timing!

10. King Kong Kitchie

Frog went a courtin’ and he did ride
King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Kimeo,
Sword and a pistol by his side,
King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Kimeo,
Kimo Kemo, Kimo Kee,
Way down yonder in a hollow tree,
An owl and a bat and a bumblebee,
King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Kimeo

11. Deedle Deedle Dumpling

(Mother Goose)

Deedle Deedle Dumpling, my son John
Went to bed with his stockings on!
One shoe off and one shoe on,
Deedle Deedle Dumpling, my son John.

Suggested Activity (Away from CD)
Fill a bag with unusual items. (Cell phone, toothbrush, apple, monkey toy). Sing this song to your child as if you are telling a story, and on each repeat, change the item that Deedle wears to bed, pulling that item out of the bag at the last minute. Before singing a new verse look into the bag with a disbelieving look on your face! Funny and suspenseful.

12. Spin, Spider, Spin

By Patty Zeitlin, arranged by Maggie McClellan

When I went out this morning, spin, spider spin.
Just as the day was dawning, spin, spider spin
I saw a tiny spider, his little web begin,
I saw him swing from a silver string, spin, spider, spin

La la la la la la la… spin spider spin. (etc.)

When I came home this evening, spin, spider spin.
Just as the sun was leaving, spin, spider spin.
I his pretty web all done,
I saw him swing from a silver string, before the setting sun.

La la la la la la la… spin spider spin. (etc.)

He’s not the kind that bites you,
He’s the kind that just delights you,
He’s a tiny harmless spider, the kind that catches flies,
So let him swing on a silver string, a pleasure to the eyes.

La la la la la la la… spin spider spin. (etc.)

13. Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Pumpkin, pumpkin, round and fat.
Turn into a Jack O’ Lantern just like that!

Suggested Activity (Away from CD)
Right after that last word of the rhyme, make a scary face! Repeat the rhyme over and over, making a new scary face each time.

14. Here Comes a Bluebird

Here comes a bluebird, through my window, hey diddle dum a day day day.
Take a little partner, hop in the garden, hey diddle dum a day day day.

15. Little Red Bird of the Lonely Moor

Little red bird of the lonely moor, lonely moor, lonely moor,
Little red bird of the lonely moor, oh where did you sleep last night?

Out on a gorse bush dark and wide, dark and wide, dark and wide,
Swift rain falling on every side, oh hard was my sleep last night.

Little red bird of the lonely moor …

Did I not sleep on the swaying briar, swaying briar, swaying briar,
Tossing about as the wind grows higher, oh little I slept last night.

Little red bird of the lonely moor …

Did I not sleep on the cold wave’s crest, cold wave’s crest, cold wave’s crest,
Where many a man has taken his rest, and oh my sleep was too tight

16. Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain, rocky mountain, rocky mountain high.
When you’re on that rocky mountain, hang your head and cry.
Do, do, do, do, do remember me,
Do, do, do, do, do remember me.

Sunny valley, sunny valley, sunny valley low,
When you’re in that sunny valley, sing it soft and slow.
Do, do, do, do, do remember me,
Do, do, do, do, do remember me.

Stormy ocean, stormy ocean, stormy ocean wide,
When you’re on that deep blue sea, there’s no place you can hide.
Do, do, do, do, do remember me,
Do, do, do, do, do remember me.

Suggested Activity (Away from CD)
Pretend you are on a train, and go up to the top of a high hill or a mountain. I like to chant the following rhyme and make engine motions as we struggle slowly up the hill:

Engine, engine, number nine, going down Chicago line,
If the train goes off the track, will I get my money back?
Yes, no, maybe so! Toot! Toot! Toot! Toot!

When you get to the top of the hill, sing the first verse of the song. Then, travel down the other side of the mountain, fast! (Repeat the Engine chant, faster this time….). At the bottom, slow down, take a rest and sing verse two of the song. If you feel up to an adventure, get on the boat and sail out to sea for the third verse!

17. Ten Jars of Apples

One Jar of apples, one Jar of apples,
Ten ten sing again, we will all have apples.
Two jars of apples, two jars of apples,
Ten ten sing again, we will all have apples.
Three jars of apples, three jars of apples… etc. (continue up to ten jars)

18. Zó-san (The Elephant)

Lyrics: Mado Michio, music: Dan Ikuma
Arranged by: Maggie McClellan

Zó-san, Zó-san o hana ga nagai no ne.
Soo yo! Kaasan mo nagai no yo!

[I learned this song from my mother, who learned it from the mother of one of her students. Here is the translation the mother provided: Elephant, Elephant, your nose is very long. Yes, said the elephant, my mother’s nose is long! Who do you like best? I like my mother best!]

Suggested Activity (With CD)
During the sung verse, enter the ‘elephant barn’ with heavy slow elephant steps (one step per three beats), swinging your trunk. During the instrumental parts, stand and take a shower (use your trunk), and eat some hay. Walk out towards the end of the song.

19. Starlight, Starbright

Starlight, starbright, first star I see tonight.
Wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.