Job Discussion Forums

chinagirl · Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 235 Location: United States

Hi everyone,

I'm currently visiting a kindergarten once a week and am looking for a CD of VERY simple songs to sing with the kids that incorporate a lot of movement. I currently am using Lets Sing Together, but am running out of new songs.

Please share your CD titles or links! Songs need to be appropriate for brand-new English learners, with simple lyrics, not too fast. There is a lot of music available for young learners, but not neccesarily for EFL.

Thanks!

CG

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Personally, I try to get my kids started on some easy stuff. Tupac, Scarface... Then I move them on to a wider range of songs -- like stuff by 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre...

Good luck with that! Smile

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

poof · Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 161

There are some kindy song links on this site:
http://esl-teaching-resources.blogspot.com
If you have access to a computer with speakers in your class, then some of the links work pretty well with young tots.

Otherwise, you'll just have to get down to your local music store and search out the music CDs in the baby/kids section.

TK4Lakers · Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 159

There's a simple song called "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" that is comprised of those words itself, and has a nice rhythm to it. The students touch each body part while singing.

mrjohndub · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 198 Location: Saitama, Japan

chinagirl · Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 235 Location: United States

No, there's no computer in the classroom, so that's not an option unless I can download songs. Surely someone must have a CD title they can recommend! I will go to the store and browse, but it'll be a trip to find an educational bookstore or a decent selection of English CD's.

I am well acquainted with many basic kids' songs. I have many children's CD's from the states but the lyrics are too complex in most cases for EFL kinders.

CG

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

In all seriousness, don't look too hard. If you're already using Let's Sing Together and have a few others -- that should be MORE than enough. Small kids have NO problem doing the same stuff over and over and over and over and over again (unlike adults). And if you vary it up a bit and don't do the same song every single week, you can probably do it forever and they'll still love it.

If you really must have something new, check out some of the stuff by Mr. Wiggles or Raffi. Also, many of the GenkiEnglish songs are very appropriate for preschool.

Billy Chaka · Joined: 20 Oct 2003 Posts: 77

The Hokey Pokey:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokey_Pokey

poof · Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 161

Surely your school could order some music tapes for you? They must have access to a bookstore supplier. Sometimes you can get free samples through such a connection.

I remember I used to work for Shane school. Is there a Shane branch in your area? They had a great tape with lots of energetic simple action songs for kindy which accompanied a book called FAB RED. Assuming they still have this text in their curriculum, you could perhaps pop in and try to buy a copy of the book and cassette.

chinagirl · Joined: 27 May 2003 Posts: 235 Location: United States

Thanks everyone. I'll have to keep looking. As for the suggestion, Jim, I don't like Raffi for Japanese EFL students. "Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea" has very little meaning to them yet. I will however look at my Genki English CD collection and see what I can use with them.

CG

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

Re: Hokey Pokey

I taught shogakko for a few years and used my simplified version of Hokey Pokey which the kids loved.

Even a simple version might be too tough if your kids are really young but I used to teach them the words "left" and "right" and some body parts words such as "hand", "foot", "head", "back" etc.

I think the lines like "You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn around" and "shake it all about" are just way too difficult so I'd do the song with these words:

Right hand in
Right hand out
Right hand in
Shake, shake, shake

Clap your hands
Turn around
Jump, jump, jump
Sit down!

The kids loved it and the fact that they remembered "turn around" and words for "left" and "right" meant they were easily able to pick up "turn right" and "turn left" when we played games to practice giving directions.

Apart from songs, if you can get a copy of a kids book called Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton it is very simple, teaches colours and clothes and is really great fun for little kids. You can look at it (including an inside page) here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671493205/002-8999350-8779216?v=glance&n=283155