Draw me a bucket of water

This is another Bessie Jones find. It’s a game for four children which is easiest seen than explained. After you’ve listened to the track, take a look at this clip. We love it, and despite our differing heights, we can all play- me, a nine year old, seven year old and four year old. The last bit is best, when everyone spins or wriggles around pretending to be a frog trying to get out of a bucket!
Non-flash version for iphone/ipad Draw me a bucket of water

Draw me a bucket of water
For my eldest daughter
We got none in the bunch and four out the bunch
And you go under sister Sally

(Repeat four times- each time there’s one more in the bunch and one fewer out the bunch)

Frog in the bucket and it can’t get out
Frog in the bucket and it can’t get out
Frog in the bucket and it can’t get out
Frog in the bucket and it can’t get out!

Head, shoulders, knees and toes

From my CD, Rhymetime at Home 2-  a perennial favourite, requiring concentration and movement. All together now….

Non-flash version for iphone/ipad Head, shoulders, knees and toes

You don’t need the words for this, do you?

To market, to market

Time to pick your child up, put them on your lap and bounce them up and down to this little rhyme- first published in 1598.

Non-flash version for iphone/ipad To market, to market

To market, to market to buy a fat pig
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig

To market, to market to buy a fat hog
Home again, home again, jiggety- jog

To market to market to buy a plum bun
Home again, home again, market is done.

Dashing away with a smoothing iron

Laundry takes up so much time- you move piles of clothes from here to there and back again- and when it’s all done, people just wear it and get it dirty again. This song is a reminder of how much longer it used to take, with the singer’s darling taking a whole week to get the linen ready for wearing on Sunday. Here are three verses….
Non-flash version for iphone/ipad Dashing away with a smoothing iron

T’was on a Monday morning
When I beheld my darling
She looked so neat and charming
In every high degree
She looked so neat and nimble, O
Washing out her linen, O
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
She stole my heart away

T’was on a Tuesday morning……
Hanging out her linen, O

T’was on a Wednesday morning….
Starching of her linen, O

T’was on a Thursday morning…
Ironing of her linen, O

T’was on a Friday morning…
Folding of her linen, O

T’was on a Saturday morning…
Airing of her linen , O

T’was on a Sunday morning…
Wearing of her linen, O

I am the music man

Altogether now…… my tame version of the Music Man song, famously recorded by Black Lace and sung at football matches. It is an old children’s song though, and that is how I play it!

Non-flash version for iphone/ipad I am the music man

I am the music man
I come from down your way
And I can play
What can you play?
I play the piano
Pia, pia pia-no, piano, piano
Pia, pia pia-no, pia piano

I am the music man
I come from down your way
And I can play
What can you play?
I play the big bass drum
Boom diddy boom diddy boom boom boom, boom boom boom, boom boom boom
Boom diddy boom diddy boom boom boom, boom diddy boom boom boom.

Bumping up and down on my little red tractor

This one needs no introduction- it’s on my first CD.
Non-flash version for iphone/ipad Bumping up and down

Bumping up and down on my little red tractor
Bumping up and down on my little red tractor
Bumping up and down on my little red tractor
Who will be my darling?

One wheel’s off and the axle is broken
One wheel’s off and the axle is broken
One wheel’s off and the axle is broken
Who will be my darling?

You’re gonna fix it with your hammer
You’re gonna fix it with your hammer
You’re gonna fix it with your hammer
Who will be my darling?

Slice, slice the bread tastes nice

My friend Martha taught me this one, and she picked it up from a toddler group, so I don’t know who originally made it up. Martha is an illustrator and she did the covers of my first two CDs for me.

Slice, slice the bread tastes nice

Slice, slice, the bread tastes nice
Spread, spread the butter on the bread
A spoonful of honey to make it sweet
And now it’s ready for us to eat!