Fun, Educational Songs

A fun learning activity for children that provides a break from the classroom confinements is singing. There are many varieties of children’s songs that include the use of fine motor skills and memory. You can even be original with the songs and create your own hand gestures with the children. Many of these songs are fun and educational without the students even knowing.

The first song I recommend is about the great Chicago fire of 1871. The fire was said to have originated from the Leary barn and a cow is recognized as the cause. This song not only gets the name of the farmer correct, but the original cause. This would a good opening activity for a history lesson.

Old Lady Leary

Late last night, when we were all in bed

Old Lady Leary left a lantern in the shed

And when the cow kicked it over

She winked her eye and said,

“It’s gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight!”

FIRE FIRE

WATER WATER

SAVE MY CHILD, SAVE MY CHILD

JUMP LADY JUMP

SPLAT!!!

This next song is more of a contemporary arts lesson. The song is where you take a famous person or literary character and mimic an action or mannerism they are famous for. So if the chosen person was Frankenstein all the children would stick their arms out in front of them and act like a monster. For each new person the student or class chooses a new action must be invented. This is great for the imagination and provides a nice little break from a stressful day.

What’s That You Say?!

Everybody sing my song

(What’s that you say)

I said “Everybody sing my song!”

(What’s that you say)

I said, “Ooh ah ah ah ooh ah ah ah ooh ah ah ah –now you!”

(Ooh ah ah ah ooh ah ah ah ooh ah ah ah )

Everybody Frankenstein

Everybody John Travolta

Everybody Madonna or Michael Jackson

A nice introduction to a healthy food and diet lesson could be the Chiquita Banana Song. You can introduce the lesson and then dance around singing this song or wait until the end and surprise your students. Another way to incorporate this song is with actual Chiquita bananas. Check for allergies before you do a lesson like this, but if possible bring in a bushel of bananas for your class. Food and song always brighten up a child’s interest. At the beginning of the song you assume the position of a banana with your arms high above your head clapped together. As the song progresses you simply follow the words and act out what is being described. The climax occurs at the end when the students are encouraged to GO BANANAS! I would advise you to demonstrate the entire song including how to effectively go bananas without the students hurting themselves or others. Allow for more room in a song like this, but allow for fun as well.

Chiquita Banana

Chiquita Bananas UNITE! (UGH)

Peel banana, peel, peel banana (x2)

Eat Banana, eat, eat banana (x2)

Swallow banana, swallow, swallow banana (x2)

GO BANANAS, GO, GO BANANAS! (x2)

Songs are a fun way for students to break out of the norm. These distractions are nice ending points for a lesson or openings to a new topic. The important part about learning is enjoyment and interest. Don’t underestimate the power of a song, sometimes kids just need to be kids.