Preschool Songs for Learning Colors

Young children begin to learn the names of colors as early as two, and should know their basic colors by preschool age. Sometimes, without the repetition of labeling colors, the learning process will take a little longer. Music is a great way to incorporate repetition and teaching with young children.

Young kids are not only drawn to music naturally, but when combined with visual presentation and actions, the songs can be an effective teaching tool. The following article provides a variety of songs to sing, and listen to, with young children to guide them with color recognition.

Rainbow Songs for Young Children

The rainbow is a wonderful way to teach colors to young children, and in addition, introduce some lessons about weather and science concepts. Song lyrics can teach children that rainbows come out with the combination of sun rays and rain. In addition, try finding some color scarves at second hand stores and dancing with them to the lyrics. If you can find enough to make a rainbow, then have the child or children find the color scarf that matches the lyrics to the song.

Moreover, there are great you tube videos with rainbow graphics providing more visual aides.

The following song was written by Arthur Hamilton and was sung by Peggy Lee in a 1955 movie, titled Pete Kelly's Blues. Recently, the song was recorded for Tourism Australia in 2004 by Delta Goodrem. There is critique of this song because it does not provide all the right colors of the rainbow, but the song still provides teachable moments for color labeling.

I Can Sing a Rainbow

(Chorus)

Red and yellow and pink and green

Purple and orange and blue

I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow too

Listen with your eyes, listen with your ears

And sing everything you see

You can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow

Sing along with me.

Found on KidsTV123 and you tube, The Rainbow Colors Song by AJ Jenkins has vibrant graphics for viewing and the easy listening lyrics correlate more effectively to the actual colors of the rainbow.

This song about rainbows can be sung to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star:

I see a rainbow in the sky

All the colors streaming by

When there's sunshine and rain too

A rainbow forms for me and you

I see a rainbow in the sky

All the colors streaming by.

 

Children's Action Songs about Colors

This song is a song that works well for a group circle in an early childhood setting, but can also be sung for a small group of children or just one. If only one child is doing the actions to the song, he/she should wear clothes with a lot of different colors. The lyrics explain the actions in this song:

Red, red is the color I see

If you're wearing red, then show it to me.

Stand up, turn around

Show me your red, then sit back down.

Blue, blue is the color I see....

Try singing the classic song, the Hokey Pokey but call it the Color Pokey. A child will put different color stickers on his/her shoe, hand, elbow, knee and so on. Then the song will be sung with the following lyrics and actions:

The Color Pokey

You put your red shoe in, you put your red shoe out,

You put your red shoe in, and you shake it all about.

You do the color pokey and you turn yourself around

And that's what it's all about.

The song will continue with the color which is sticking to whatever body part that was chosen.

Children's Game with Music

A fun color game that goes along with music is called Do You See?

(To the Tune of Do You Know the Muffin Man?)

Do you see a red color, a red color, a red color

Do you see a red color, sitting in this room?

The child or children can go and find something red by bringing it to you or simply pointing to something red. The song can continue with many different colors and in various scenarios and locations, such as replacing room with car or playground, and so on.

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS

Visit Felt Board Ideas for felt stories and activities to correlate with learning colors!

 

Circle of Ideas offering Online Workshops

            

What Exactly is Sensory Processing Disorder?

Sensory Processing Disorder is a term that is becoming more common among parents, teachers and childcare providers. A diagnosis that occurs with an Occupational Therapist, this disorder was once called Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Although common among children under the Autistic Spectrum, some children can be diagnosed solely with Sensory Processing Disorder. Regardless of any diagnosis, learning of the term and its symptoms can help parents and educators understand the way individual brains are wired to deal with the sensory inputs we receive each day.  

Sensory Integration Dysfunction was first developed in the 1970s by A. Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist and neuroscientist. As stated on the SPD Foundation website, she describes it as a "neurological traffic jam that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly." All of our information about the world arrives to us through our senses. We experience life through sensory input, and everyone is on a sensory spectrum. We adjust and regulate ourselves to maintain balance, otherwise known as an optimal level of arousal. We can all think of circumstances in our daily living where we adjust our behavior due to sensory input sensitivities. For example, if someone has a migraine, she might find that she has an increased sensitivity to light and noise, and manage that by going into a dark room alone. Those who are diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder have a brain that is wired differently, affecting their sensory input process and creating a disorganization.These individuals will experience over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity throughout their day. So, for example, a child might be extremely reluctant to put on a particular type of sock due to the tactile feeling of it. To the child, the sock fabric might feel like pins and needles, whereas to the rest of us, it is simply a sock.


Our Five Senses and More

We are all familiar with the five senses of touch, smell, sight, sound and taste, but in addition, there are two other senses we do not hear about, which are very crucial when discussing Sensory Processing Disorder. The first one is our vestibular sense. Lenora Delaney, an Occupational Therapist describes it as a sense which, "provides information about where the head and body are in space in relation to the earth's surface." In addition, this sense tells our body about the direction and speed of our body's movement. So, if we were on something like a roller coaster or speedboat with our eyes closed, we would feel our bodies moving fast.

The second sense is called our proprioceptive sense, which is when our muscles and joints tell our brain about our body's position and what our body parts are doing. This sense allows us to skillfully comb our hair and eat with a spoon. So, if there is a disorganization in how the brain receives information with motor planning, it will affect many areas of a child's life, turning simple tasks into extreme challenges, such as doing up a button, riding a bike, or using a pencil to name just a few.

Each Child is Different

For every one of us, how we regulate and manoeuvre through our day of sensory input will differ, each day and throughout the day, depending on the experiences we are participating in, how we feel inside and our individuality. How one person might handle the sensation of focusing on a task in a noisy room might be different than another person. Similarly, if one person is very hungry he or she　might not be able to focus at all. Those children who are diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder not only have disorganization with sensory input, but they will also differ in how it affects them daily and throughout their day. In addition, the diagnosis might only affect one or two senses in one person, whereas another might have challenges with all their senses. Regardless, a young child will find a way to deal with, or communicate through behavior, and if we are not aware of the sensory challenges going on inside, we may not understand why a child is having such difficulty or challenging behavior over something the rest of us would have no reaction to. A child might scream when you comb her hair, if she hears a vacuum or if she is on a swing. These behaviors are the child's way of avoiding the uncomfortable situation for which she is overly sensitive. On the other side, a child might seek sensory stimulation, and twirl around in circles or crash himself into objects due to being under responsive. Over time, a child will develop strategies to self regulate.


Sensory Processing Disorder: the Emotional Impact

When children are struggling with motor coordination, learning and other abilities necessary for childhood accomplishments and milestones, it can begin to affect their self esteem. Unfortunately, these children may develop emotional and social challenges on top of everything else. But, when a child is diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder　through an Occupational Therapist, a treatment program occurs. More importantly, when there is an understanding from the support network in a child's life about his or her daily challenges, it helps the child profusely. We all vary in our life experiences due to our senses. With careful observation and understanding, we can determine whether a child's behavior might be due to a sensory sensitivity. With that knowledge, a parent, teacher or caregiver can help a child through the challenge.

Resources:

Delaney, Lenora.　Sensory Processing Disorder. Early Childhood Newsletter. (2012). Vancouver Coastal Health.

SPD Foundation.  About SPD. Revised May, 2013.
Sensory Processing Disorder. SPD Resource Center.　Accessed　2012



　

Valentine's Day Songs about Love

Love is Something If You Give It Away

This following song about love could occur at circle time in an early childhood setting, or with a group of loved ones: family and/or friends. With a penny in his/her hand, the leader will explain to the children that as the song is sung the penny must be passed around the circle. Once a child receives the penny, he/she immediately passes it along. This activity will correlate with the following song, "Love is Something If You Give it Away" by Malvina Reynolds. This version has been changed from love to happiness.

Love is something if you give it away...(repeat, until the penny is back in you hand)

Give it away, give it away

Love is something if you give it away

You end up having more.

It's just like having a magic penny

Hold it tight and you won't have any

Lend it, spend it, you'll have so many

They'll roll all over the floor, cause...

Valentine's Day Friendship Song

Sung to "Row, Row, Row, your boat" 

:

Love, Love, Love your Friends,

Love them all year long.

Especially on Valentine's Day,

As we sing this song!

Family Song

Another song about love which is great for young children to sing is about their family members. This song can be used for Mother's Day and Father's Day as well. Find a tune that you prefer for the following lyrics:

I love my mommy, yes I do.

I love my mommy, yes I do

I love my mommy, yes I DO!

I love my mommy, and she loves me too

Circle of Ideas offering Online ECE Workshops

Preschool Songs for Friendship Theme

The More We Get Together

In a circle, the children can stand up or be sitting holding hands to sing this song. The children's name can be included throughout the song. Raffi's version is the most well known.



The more we get together, together, together

The more we get together, the happier we'll be

With Bobby and Jenny, and Sarah and James (optional)

The more we get together, the happier we'll be.

Valentine's Day Friendship Song

Sung to:  "Row, Row, Row, your boat" :

Love, Love, Love your Friends,

Love them all year long.

Especially on Valentine's Day,

As we sing this song!


Although the lyrics are not about friendship, the activity during this song is great for a friendship theme. The teacher needs to find different color scarves and tie into a big train. Then in a circle, the scarf train will come out of the box. The children must work together to gently pass the tied up scarves through their hands, until it makes a full circle and everyone is holding onto the rainbow chain. While this activity is occurring, the teacher and children can sing or listen to the "Rainbow Song:" The following youtube version is a little slow. I suggest speeding up the tempo with young children and the scarf activity.

Lyrics:

Red and yellow and pink and green

Purple and orange and blue

I can sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow too.

                        Circle of Ideas offering ECE Online Workshops

Airplane Preschool Songs

 

The Wheels on the Plane

Suggested tune: “Wheels on the Bus”

The wheels on the plane go up and down, up and down, up and down
The wheels on the plane go up and down, all around the sky.
The workers on the plane say coffee or tea, coffee or tea, coffee or tea?
The workers on the plane say coffee or tea all around the sky.
The babies on the plane go wah wah wah, wah wah wah, wah wah wah
The babies on the plane go wah wah wah, all around the sky.
The mothers on the plane go sshh, sshh, sshh, sshh, sshh, sshh,
The mothers on the plane go sshh, sssh, sshh, all around the sky.
The pilot on the plane says seatbelts on, seatbelts on, seatbelts on
The pilot on the plane says seatbelts on, all around the sky.

I’m a Little Airplane

Sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot"

I'm a little airplane
In the sky
Here are my wings
Watch me fly!
When the time is ready
I'll come down
Gently landing
On the ground

 

Did You Ever See an Airplane?

 

Sung to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie?"
Did you ever see an airplane,
An airplane, an airplane?
Did you ever see an airplane
Way up in the sky?
There are big ones and small ones
Fast ones and slow ones
Did you ever see an airplane
Way up in the sky?

10 Little Airplanes

 

Sung to the tune of "Ten Little Indians"
One big, two big, three big airplanes
Four big, five big, six big airplanes
Seven big, eight big, nine big airplanes
Flying in the sky.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, go the airplanes
Zoom, zoom, zoom, go the airplanes
Zoom, zoom, zoom, go the airplanes
Flying in the sky.

Garden Theme: Preschool Songs

Flower Fingerplay Song

This finger play song about tulips and bulbs works well with a glove puppet and is found on a wonderful website called Make Learning Fun.

Ten tulip bulbs planted in the ground

Waiting very quiet without a sound

The sun came up and the rain came down

And one little tulip popped out of the ground.


The song continues up to five or ten with each new tulip being displayed by the puppeteer.

Children Action Songs about Gardening

A great way for children to enjoy and participate with music is to add actions to the song's lyrics. The following song about gardening can easily include actions with each verse.

Song #1 To the tune of Farmer in the Dell:

The farmer plants the seeds.

The farmer plants the seeds.

High ho the derry oh,

The farmer plants the seeds.

Second Verse: The sun comes out to shine.

Third Verse: The rain begins to fall.

Fourth Verse: The seeds begin to grow.

Fifth Verse: The farmer digs them up.




Song #2 This song is a rendition of "I'm a Little Teapot"

I'm a little watering can, tall and thin

To fill me up, just pour the water in.

Tip me over, the drops sprinkle out.

"Thanks for the drink", the flowers do shout!

Green Theme: Preschool Songs

Singing is an integral component of creating a quality early childhood setting and meeting the needs of the whole child. There are so many benefits for children when they have music and singing in their lives. Themes are fun for children within any childhood setting. More importantly, through repetition and various material all surrounding one idea, children will learn. The color green is a great topic for spring or St. Patrick's Day, and the following article suggests some songs to include within this specific theme.

 

 

  

The Green Grass Grew All Around

The color green makes many people think of growth, and new beginnings. In spring, the snow melts and the grass arrives again. The following cumulative song has different versions. The verses are great for developing memory skills. Younger children can enjoy listening to the song while looking at felt pieces on a flannel board or other visual presentations. "The Green Grass Grew All Around" is a song that was first published in 1912 with words by William Jerome and melody by Harry Von Tilzer.

There was a hole in the middle of the ground

The prettiest hole that you ever did see

And the green grass grew all around, all around

And the green grass grew all around.

And in that hole, there was a root

The prettiest root that you ever did see

And the root in the hole,

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around, all around

And the green grass grew all around.

The song continues with the following additions:

• Tree on the root
• Branch on the tree
• Twig on the branch
• Nest on the twig
• Egg in the nest
• Bird in the egg
• Wing on the bird
• Feather on the wing

St. Patrick's Green Song

A well known aspect of St. Patrick's Day is to wear green. Here is a song to sing for this added fun:

To the tune of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow"

We are wearing green on St. Patrick's Day

We are wearing green on St. Patrick's Day

We are wearing green on St. Patrick's Day 

So let's smile and do a jig! 

The Color Green Song

This children's song will help young children learn that by mixing blue and yellow together, the color green is formed.

To the tune of Frere Jacques

Mixing colors, mixing colors
Is fun to do, is fun to do
We can make green
We can make green
With yellow and blue
With yellow and blue

Old CDs for Preschool Crafts

How many of us have unused cds sitting in our homes? Companies often would include cds with the manuals of how to use their product. Collecting those cds together for preschool crafts is a great idea.

Here are some ideas on how to use the old cds for crafts:

 

Visit my Pinterest Page for some more ideas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action Songs for Toddlers

The following song suggestions allow toddlers to move around or use their hands to join in...

1. Eensy Weensy Spider

2. Five Little Ducks (have the children swim away like the ducks and then return at the end)

3. Ants go Marching (march around the room)

4. Sleeping Bunny (switch the animal again and again)

5.  I am a Little Teapot

6. Zoom Zoom Zoom We are Going to the Moon (toddlers can launch themselves like rockets)

7. Open and Shut Them

8. Hokey Pokey (change the lyrics with different themes)

9. Head and Shoulders (sing slow and then fast)

10. Engine Engine Number Nine (be a train around the room)

11. Wheels on the Bus

12. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (make up actions for children to twinkle stars)

13. If you are Happy and You Know It

14. Five Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree

15. Farmer in the Dell

17. Teddy Bear Turn Around

18. Baby Bumblebee

19.  Ring Around the Rosie

20. Shake my Wiggles Out ( Raffi)