Grand Old Duke of York

It's a Proper Right Laptime for You Today, 

My Friends 

Are you Sleeping
This is a good one to use bells with or just rock back and forth to the rhythm.

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John.
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing,
Ding, ding, dong. Ding, ding, dong 


I'm a Little Cuckoo Clock
Tick-tock, tick tock,
I'm a little cuckoo clock.
Tick-tock, tick tock,
Now I'm striking one o-clock.
Cuckoo!
- at each cuckoo you lift your child up. Older children stand for each one.
Continue to a count of 5.


Grand Old Duke of York

The grand old duke of York,
  Salute
He had ten thousand men,
 waggle all your fingers
He marched them up to the top of the hill
 march and stand up as you go (or... have sitting parents lift baby up in the air)
And he marched them down again
  march and sit as you go (or ... have sitting parents lower baby down)


And when you're up, you're up
 march and stand up as you go (or... have sitting parents lift baby up in the air)
And when you're down, you're down
  march and sit as you go (or ... have sitting parents lower baby down
And when you're only only half way up
  half way ...
You're neither up nor down
  Up, then down -- quickly


Horsey Horsey 
This works well as a round or with rhythm sticks
  ---if you are telling to the older children.
p.s. I would NOT combine a round with the rhythm sticks
- that would be asking just a bit much of adults, let alone little kids! ;)
 
Horsey horsey on your way
We've been together for many a day,
So let your tail go swish,
And your wheels go 'round.
Giddy'up we're homeward bound.

I like to take the horse and the buggy
As we go traveling through the town
I like to hear old Dobbin's Clip Clop
As I watch the wheels go 'round.


Well now, it ain't a true trip to the English countryside without a fox hunt. WAIT just a minute . . . did you all bring your horses today? Oh you did, how fortunate, get on your horses lads and ladies--
 

This is the Way the Farmer Rides

This is the way the farmer rides, the farmer rides, the farmer rides
-bounce baby on your knee
This is the way the farmer rides
So early in the morning.

This is the way the gentleman rides...
-bounce baby in an English trot
This is the way the Lady rides...
-soft side saddle trot
This is the way the Baby rides...
-silly giggly, tickly rolllicking bounce
 
And Old Dobbin, well he just goes gallopy trot, gallopy trot
insert slow and goofy voice here ;)
-work both knees opposite, one up, the other down, baby straddling both and rocking all over.


A-Hunting We Will Go

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go

Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go

We'll catch a fox and put him in a box

And then we'll let him go

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go

Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go

We'll catch a fish and put him on a dish

And then we'll let him go

(seriously a fish? What will they think of next?)

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go

Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go

We'll catch a bear and cut his hair

And then we'll let him go

(Oh dear, I don't think I want to be catching a bear! I will certainly be letting HIM go!)

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go

Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go

We'll catch a pig and dance a little jig

And then we'll let him go

(now we're getting just plain silly, a pig dance a jog? That's preposterous.)

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go

Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go!

 

Around the House the Fox Chased the Mouse: A Prepositional Tale by Rick Walton
Over, Under, Through! 

Have the adults tickle their way around, over, under, and through





Five in the Bed
or 10 if you want to go that long!

- - - Board Book Ten in the Bed by Penny Dale is one among MANY published versions - - -
note: there is a darn cute English version of this! Go to the bottom of this post for the additional chorus!

Ten in the bed and the little one said,
  hold up 10 fingers
Roll over, roll over 
 roll hands
So they all rolled over and one fell out.
  sound effects are perfect here - BOINK!

Nine in the bed and the little one said,
  now it's 9 fingers

...continue to...

One in the bed and the little one said, I'm lonely, come back here.
Deep breath...(or a humongous parental sigh!)

Five in the bed and the little one said
  and from there it can be a bit like the never-ending John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt!
  

Five in the Bed -- alternate ending
... after 'One fell out'
change of tune here, suddenly you are singing in a very British Monarchy way, I wish I knew the name of it

Please remember to
Tie a knot in your pajamas
Single beds are only made for ONE,2,3,4,5,5,6,7,8,9!

Four in the bed and the little one said,
Roll over, roll over
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Please remember to
Tie a knot in your pajamas
Single beds are only made for ONE,2,3,4,5,5,6,7,8!

Three in the bed... 

And Goodnight!