Read my article posted HERE!

I have to admit I don't always sing the songs as written - I do forget lyrics from time to time, and I like to make things up - but that doesn't mean we don't have fun. Infact we may have more fun when we let loose and sing like we don't have a care in the world.

*Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
to fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down
and broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.

*Twinkle, twinkle, little star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.

*Row, row, row your boat
Row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

*Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am, here I am.
How are you today?
Very well, thank you.
Go away, go away.
Where is Pointer?
Where is Pointer?
Here I am, here I am.
How are you today?
Very well, thank you.
Go away, go away.
Where is Ring Man?
Where is Ring Man?
Here I am, here I am.
How are you today?
Very well, thank you.
Go away, go away.
Where is Small Man?
Where is Small Man?
Here I am, here I am.
How are you today?
Very well, thank you.
Go away, go away.

*Five Green and Speckled Frogs

Five green and speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs
YYYYUUUUMMMM YYYYUUUUMMMM

One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were
Four green and speckled frogs
GGGGLLLLUUUUBBBB GGGGLLLLUUUUBBBB

(Repeat in descending order.)

*Slippery Fish

Slippery fish, slippery fish, sliding through the water,
Slippery fish, slippery fish, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by an …

Octopus, octopus, squiggling in the water
Octopus, octopus, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a …

Tuna fish, tuna fish, flashing in the water,
Tuna fish, tuna fish, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a …

Great white shark, great white shark, lurking in the water,
Great white shark, great white shark, Gulp, Gulp, Gulp!
Oh, no! It’s been eaten by a …

Humongous whale, humongous whale, spouting in the water,
Humongous whale, humongous whale,
Gulp! … Gulp! … Gulp! … BURP!
Pardon me!

*Five little monkeys

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Papa called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Papa called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

One little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"Put those monkeys straight to bed!"

* Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!

*The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy, bitsy spider, climbed up the water spout.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out.

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,

So the itsy, bitsy spider went up the spout again.

*The Wheels on the Bus

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 through the town.    (Roll hands around each other)

The wipers on the bus go Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish.
The wipers on the bus go Swish, swish, swish,
all through the town.    ("Swish" hands in front of you like windshield wipers)

The horn on the bus goes Beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep.
The horn on the bus goes Beep, beep, beep,
all through the town.    (Slap palm in front of you like honking a horn)

The doors on the bus go open and shut;
Open and shut;
Open and shut.
The doors on the bus go open and shut;
all through the town.    (Push hands back and forth in front of you)

The Driver on the bus says "Move on back,
move on back, move on back;"
The Driver on the bus says "Move on back",
all through the town.    (Point thumb over your shoulder)

The babies on the bus says "Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah".
The babies on the bus says "Wah, wah, wah",
all through the town.    (Rub fists in front of eyes)

The mommies on the bus says "Shush, shush, shush;
Shush, shush, shush;
Shush, shush, shush."
The mommies on the bus says "Shush, shush, shush"
all through the town.    (Hold index finger in front of mouth as if saying shhh)

*Five Little Ducks

Five little ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only four little ducks came back.

Four little ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only three little ducks came back.

Three little ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only two little ducks came back.

Two little ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only one little duck came back.

One little duck
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But none of the five little ducks came back.

Sad mother duck
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
The sad mother duck said
"Quack, quack, quack."
And all of the five little ducks came back.

*Skidamarink

Skidamarink a dink a dink,
Skidamarink a doo,
I love you.
Skidamarink a dink a dink,
Skidamarink a doo,
I love you.

I love you in the morning
And in the afternoon,
I love you in the evening
And underneath the moon;
Oh, Skidamarink a dink a dink,
Skidamarink a doo,
I love you!

*Alouette

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tete
Je te plumerai la tete
Et la tete, et la tete
Et la tete, et la tete
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai le nez
Je te plumerai le nez
Et le nez, et le nez
Et le nez, et le nez
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai les yeux
Je te plumerai les yeux
Et les yeux, et les yeux
Et les yeux, et les yeux
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai le cou
Je te plumerai le cou
Et le cou, et le cou
Et le cou, et le cou
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai les ailes
Je te plumerai les ailes
Et les ailes, et les ailes
Et les ailes, et les ailes
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai le dos
Je te plumerai le dos
Et le dos, et le dos
Et le dos, et le dos
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai les pattes
Je te plumerai les pattes
Et les pattes, et les pattes
Et les pattes, et les pattes
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la queue
Je te plumerai la queue
Et la queue, et la queue
Et la queue, et la queue
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

* Head and shoulders

Head and, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Head and, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head and, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
(Repeat, getting faster each time)

Tête, épaules, genoux, et pied, genoux et pieds.

La bouche, le nez, les yeux, les oreilles.

Tête, épaules, genoux, et pieds,

Genoux, et pieds.

When I go into thrift shops - or go to garage sales etc. I go with a list of items in mind to purchase. 99% of the time I find what I am seeking. Today I wanted to get a few more instruments for my music chest. I ventured over to the bagged items and saw some broken castenets inside. Most people would pass them up - but I also love to refurbish and restore things.

They needed new elastic ties - the elastic they use is a thick fabric coated type - Hum where to get that?

Then it came to me - hair elastics are exactly the same!

I cut off the metal centres - strung them through the holes in the castanets and put a bit of glue on the ends so they wouldn't fray. They turned out perfect!

So for $1.99 I have two new sets of perfectly fine castanets.