We had our first session of toddler class today, so it’s a good day to post a collection of some of our favorite group time songs, some of which we sang today:

Transition Songs

Clean Up Song. (from Barney) Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc6Wkab3lYM
Clean up, clean up; Everybody everywhere; Clean up, clean up; Everybody do your share

Group Time: It’s Time to Come to Group Time, It’s Time to Come to Group Time, It’s Time to Come to Group Time, Tra La, Tra La, Tra Lee

Roll the Ball: I roll the ball to _. S/he rolls it back to me!

Lap Bounces

Pony Ride Rhyme
Riding on a pony downtown, (bounce child up and down your legs)
Better watch out or you might fall DOWN! (child falls between your legs)

Elevator
Let’s go riding on an elevator, Let’s go riding on an elevator,
1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor, 4th floor, 5th floor, (raise legs a little bit each time)
Down, down, down, down, down! (Child slides down legs)

Popcorn. Popcorn, popcorn in a pan, Shake it up, shake it up, Bam, bam, bam (video)

Finger Plays

Rain/Thunder.
Rain. (run your fingers down your child’s back, like raindrops)
Thunder. (gently “pound” on your child’s back)
Lighting. (use your finger tip to trace a lightning bolt on the child’s back)
Chills. (tickle your child’s neck)

Where is Thumbkin?
(Tune of Frere Jacques. The fingers on your hands “talk” to each other, one at a time. On “run and hide” put hands behind your back. Here’s a video.)
Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin? Here I am! Here I am!
How are you today, sir? Very well I thank you.
Run away. Run away.
(Where is pointer? Where is tall man? Where is ring man? Where is pinky?)

Round and Round the Garden (rhyme) words and motions – we use variation 3
Round and Round the Garden, Goes the Teddy Bear, with a One Step, Two Step, Tickle You Under There.

Someone is Hiding – Peekaboo
Someone is hiding, hiding, hiding, someone is hiding, Who could it be? Peekaboo!

Someone is Hiding 2. (Tune of Frere Jacques)
Someone is hiding. Someone is Hiding. Who could if be? Who could it be? Now it’s time to come out, now it’s time to come out, peekaboo! peekaboo!

Shaker Songs

Shake and Stop. Oh you shake and you shake and you shake and you stop. (repeat 3x) Shake them up high, shake them down low, shake them on your tummy, and way down to your toes.

Shake your shaker (tune: London Bridge)
Shake your shaker near and far, near and far, near and far
Shake your shaker near and far, shake your shaker.
(Shake your shaker high and low… fast and slow)

Movement Songs

Ring Around the Rosie. lyrics and motions (kids over 2 or 3 can make one big circle. For younger toddlers, have them circle with just their parent, not the whole group)

Walk Bear: Take a little walk bear, walk bear, walk bear, take a little walk bear, walk bear walk. Take a little run bear…. Take a little wiggle bear…. Have a little hug bear…

Wave Your Hands. Wave your hands, way up high, wave them wave them to the sky. Bend down low, touch your toes. Clap your hands 1 – 2 – 3. Turn around, just like me!

Goodbye Songs

Preschool is Over.
Preschool is over, it’s time to say goodbye. You take your little hand, and you wave bye-bye. [then say: “bye bye preschool!”]

Teddy Bear Teddy Bear. lyrics and motions (note: there are variations on these lyrics) Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear turn around, Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear touch the ground,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear reach up high. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear wave bye-bye.

More Resources

This post includes lots of links to where to find more great songs for toddlers. Also check out my posts on parachute play and stretchy band play and my lesson plans for a year’s worth of toddler story times.

Read more about why singing songs is great for kids’ brain development.