Preschoolers automatically respond to music, dancing and moving to songs with a good rhythm. Songs can also be effective in teaching everything from the letters of the alphabet to parts of the body. To get preschoolers warmed up for a day of learning and fun, start class time with one of these popular melodies.
Wheels on the Bus
This classic song is fun because of the movements involved, as well as the sound effects. And as the teacher, you can add parts to the song to keep the action going. It starts out with the familiar, "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. The wheels on the bus go round and round all over town..." With that verse, have the kids trace big circles in the air for every "round and round" part. Add sections like, "The people on the bus go up and down, up and down, up and down" and have the kids hop up and down. With every verse, get a big action going, whether it's the wipers on the bus going "back and forth" or the driver on the bus saying "Move on back, move on back."
Hokey Pokey
The old standard hokey pokey can be fun at any age, but you can really engage preschoolers by adding elements such as animal parts to the song. So instead of just having the children in a circle singing and acting out "You put your left arm in, you put your left out, you put your left arm in and you shake it all about...," add some silly animal parts or let the children do the same. Let the kids put a "monkey arm" in or a "chicken foot" in and give them the chance to call out a part and act out the animal as they dance.
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
This is a song -- sung to the tune of "London Bridge" -- that's perfect for kids just standing at their desks. As you may recall, the song starts like this: "Head and shoulders, knees and toes; knees and toes; knees and toes; head and shoulders, knees and toes; It's my body." You can also add verses, such as "Ankles, elbows, knees and seat" and "Eyes and ears and nose and mouth." The idea is to have the children point to each body part as they say the word and do other movements such as bending their knees.
If You're Happy and You Know It
This exercise song involves a response from the children when instructed to respond by the teacher or song leader. For example, you can start singing with "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands," after which the kids clap their hands. Following that, have the children do other motions, such as "Stomp your feet," "Wave your arms," "Bend your knees," "Reach up high" and whatever else you can think of to get them moving.
