Archive for the ‘singing’ Category

Oranges and Lemons

Thursday, June 21st, 2007
Child Eating a Lemon

One quick link for you today –

Parenting Guide gives us 10 easy kid activities – perfect for those summer days that you need some help figuring out what to do.

Oranges and Lemons

Two of the players join hands, facing each other, having agreed privately which is to be “Oranges” and which “Lemons.” The rest of the party form a long line, standing one behind the other, and holding each other’s dresses or coats. The first two raise their hands so as to form an arch, and the rest run through it, singing as they run:
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Oats and Beans and Barley

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007
Kid’s Party Games

Do you have a Toy library at your house? Aptly named Parent Hacks has tons of fun tips to help keep parents sane, which seems like a pretty good goal. And now, on to the classic game of the day –

Oats and Beans and Barley

All the children form a ring with the exception of one player, who stands in the centre. The children then dance round this one, singing the first three lines of the verses given below. At the forth line they stop dancing and act the words that are sung. They pretend to scatter seed then stand at ease, stamp their feet, clap their hands, and at the words: “Turn him round,” each child turns round.

They then again clap hands and dance round, and when the words: “Open the ring and send one in,” are sung, the center child chooses a partner, who steps into the ring, and the two stand together while the other children sing the remaining verse, after which the child who was first in the centre joins the ring and the game is continues as before.
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Miss Jennia Jones

Monday, April 23rd, 2007
Kid’s Party Games

Honestly, this story was scary to me, I can’t imagine young children playing it then and not having nightmares everyday for the rest of their lives. It’s a love story where the young girl dies from blight and/or cruel parents. Do we still have blight?
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London Bridge Is Falling Down Game

Friday, April 20th, 2007
Kid’s Party Games

More tough love character building in this game, even classic for its time, “London Bridge.” “The child who lets go, and breaks the line, is pointed at and derided.,” so in this version of London Bridge there isn’t so much a winner, as a loser that everyone makes sure to let know what a loser they are. Enjoy!
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Green Gravel

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007
Kid’s Party Games

Girls form a circle and dance around one of their number. The girl in the ring turns her head gravely as a messenger advances, while the rest sing to a pleasing air:

Green gravel, green gravel,
The grass grows so green,
The fairest of ladies,
Is fit to be seen.
Dear _______, Dear _______
Your true love is dead;
The king sends you a letter
To turn back your head.

The process is repeated calling each child by name until all of the children have so turned. Turning the head is the sign of sorrow. The game is continued by the following verse in which the lost lovers appear:

Dear _______, Dear _______
Your true love's not slain,
The kind sends you a letter
To turn around again.

And the dancers who have all turned about, are one by one made to face the ring.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © icyFrance @ Flickr, ShareAlike

Posted in girls, singing, toddler | No Comments »