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Primary-school-age children love to sing and dance and this is a great time to use music to encourage creative expression and body movement.
Oranges and Lemons (Based on the children’s song ‘Oranges and Lemons’)
1. Two children form an arch with their arms. They determine in secret which of them shall be an 'orange' and which a 'lemon'.
2. Everyone sings the 'Oranges and Lemons' song.
3. The other children in the game, take turns to run under the arch until one of them is caught when the arch falls at the end of the song.
4. The captured player is asked privately whether they will be an 'orange' or a 'lemon' and then goes behind the original 'orange' or 'lemon' team leader.
5. The game and singing then starts over again. At the end of the game there is usually a 'tug of war' to test whether the 'oranges' or ?lemons? are stronger. The game is similar to 'London Bridge is Falling Down'.
Song:
Oranges and Lemons
Say the bells of St. Clement's.
You own me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I’m sure I don't know.
Says the great bell at Bow.
Here comes a candle to light you to bed.
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.
Chip chop chip chop the last man's head right off. (The arch comes down trapping one player.)
Clapping Game - A Sailor Went to Sea
1. When singing this song, clap to the repeated words at the end of each line.
A sailor went to sea sea sea,
To see what he could see see see
And all that he could see see see
was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea
Smiling Game
1. You all sit or stand in a circle with quite solemn and grave faces.
2. Then one player begins to smile. After a moment the smiling player puts a hand to their face and ‘takes off’ their smile.
3. When the player has ‘taken it off’ they at once become grave again. Then the player ‘throws’ the smile across to another player.
4. As that player ‘catches’ the smile, they begin to smile, and keep on smiling until they become grave again, and they ‘throw’ the smile to another player.
5. And so the game goes on for as long as there are players left in the ring to play.
6. The rule is that only the player who has caught the smile and is holding it on their face is allowed to smile. If any other player smiles, they must leave the ring.
