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Preschool listening songs


Preschool Movement Songs: 10 Favorite Action Songs for Kids

Here is a list of fun preschool movement songs. Try out a few of these action songs to get your preschoolers moving and grooving.

Do you get tired of dancing and moving to the same old songs with your kids?  It is sometimes difficult to find new action songs that kids really enjoy.  Here are 10 of my favorite preschool movement songs for little ones.  Hopefully, this will help you find a few new tunes to get your kids moving and grooving.

My Favorite Preschool Movement Songs

If you click on the pink title of each of these songs, the link will take you to a youtube video of the song.

The Goldfish by Then Laurie Berkner Band – You can’t go wrong with a Laurie Berkner song, and The Goldfish is one of the best.

Wiggy Wiggy Wiggles by Hap Palmer – Here is a favorite that gets kids screaming with delight.  If you pretend like the song is over when the music slows…kids scream with delight when the music starts up again.

Shake Your Sillies Out by The Learning Station – Speaking of wiggles….Here is a song to shake your sillies out and wiggle your waggles away.

The Silly Pizza Song by Signing Times – We taught my son some sign language as he was learning to speak, and he LOVED the signing time videos.  This is a favorite.  Signing the entire song was too difficult, but we always had fun signing each silly pizza topping.

Oh Hey Oh Hi Hello by Jim Gill – Jim Gill is one of my favorite children’s musicians….and this song is a shout-out to my home state. So, you can’t go wrong with that.  Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a Buckeye to sing it.

Face the Facts by Jim Gill – Here is another favorite by Jim Gill.

Tooty Ta by Dr. Jean – Totally silliness….and this is a fun song to play when you have parents visiting.

Go Bananas by The Learning Station – Seriously, ask your kids to go bananas every once in a while.

Clap Your Hands Together – I couldn’t find my favorite version of this song, but this one will give you an idea of how the tune is sung.

Going on a Bear Hunt – You might have a kiddo who wants to sit on your lap while you enter the cave, but hunting bears is always great fun.

If you want to see all of these songs listed together on Youtube, click HERE to see the playlist that I created.

More Preschool Song Ideas

Here are more ideas that many teachers have recommended.

  1. Baby Shark by PinkFong – You might start singing this one in your sleep 🙂
  2. 5 Little Monkeys by Dr. Jean –
  3. Head, Shoulds, Knees & Toes by The Learning Station
  4. Chicken Count by Jack Hartman
  5. The Chicken Dance
  6. Slippery Fish
  7. It’s a Happy Day by Shawn Brown – Here’s a dare…Try NOT to move while listening to this fun song.

Additional Rhyming Songs and Activities

Are you looking for even more songs to get your kids moving and grooving?  Check out my favorite rhyming songs for kids and additional rhyming activity ideas below.

Rhyming Activities in the Store

Your kids will also like these playful rhyming activities in the store. Check them out today.

12 Great Songs You Should Teach Your Preschool Child

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One of the best activities to do with your children every day is to sing songs. Children love singing and they learn a lot through music and songs.

Teach your kids these fun songs for preschoolers and toddlers.

Here are just some of the educational benefits of singing nursery rhymes and songs:

  • Develops gross motor skills (action rhymes)
  • Develops fine motor skills (finger rhymes)
  • Teaches language and increases vocabulary
  • Builds auditory perceptual skills (by learning rhythm, rhyme and sounds)
  • Develops mathematical skills (counting rhymes)

These 12 songs are all-time favourites and a must for your preschoolers. Some are action songs that you can do the movements to, some are fun fingerplays and some will teach your little ones about numbers.

P.S. At the end of the post, download your FREE set of printable games and activities.

12 Best Preschool Songs and Rhymes

These 12 songs are all-time favourites and a must for your preschoolers. They are also great songs for toddlers.

Some are action songs that you can do the movements to, some are fun fingerplays and some will teach your little ones about numbers.

ACTION RHYMES:

1. If You’re Happy and You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it
Clap your hands
If you’re happy and you know it
Clap your hands
If you’re happy and you know it
And you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it
Clap your hands

Repeat with:

If you’re happy and you know it stomp your feet, shout ‘hurray’, pat your cheeks, do all four.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

2. The Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round,
(roll forearms over one another in front of the body)
Round and round;
Round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All day long.

The lights on the bus go blink, blink, blink,
(open and shut hands)
Blink, blink, blink;
Blink, blink, blink.
The lights on the bus go blink, blink, blink
All day long.

The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish,
(make arms like windscreen wipers)
Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish.
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish,
All day long.

Make up other actions e.g. the moms go chatter, the horn goes toot, etc.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

3. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes,
And eyes, and ears, and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
Knees and toes.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

4. Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Here we go round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning.

This is the way we wash our face
Wash our face, wash our face
This is the way we wash our face
So early in the morning.

Repeat with:

This is the way we take our bath, wear our clothes, drink our milk, march to school.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

Click here for more action songs.

NUMBER SONGS:

5. Five Green Bottles

Five green bottles hanging on the wall
Five green bottles hanging on the wall
And if one green bottle should accidentally fall
There’ll be four green bottles hanging on the wall

Repeat with four, three, two, one and no green bottles.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

6. Five Little Ducks

Five little ducks went swimming one day
(hold up five fingers)
Over the hills and far away
(hold arm across body and tuck fingers behind shoulder on the opposite side of the body)
Mother duck said, “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
(use other hand to make a mother duck beak and open and close hand to quack)
But only four little ducks came back
(bring first hand back to the front with four fingers showing

Continue until no little ducks came back, then;

Old Mother Duck went out one day,
Over the hills and far away,
Mother Duck said “Quack, quack, quack, quack”
And all of those five little ducks came back.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

Here are more fun animal songs for preschoolers.

7. Five Speckled Frogs

Five little speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs.
YUM! YUM!
One jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were four speckled frogs!
GLUB! GLUB!

Four little speckled frogs…

Three little speckled frogs…

Repeat verses until there is one speckled frog left:

One little speckled frog
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs.
YUM! YUM!
He jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were no speckled frogs!

Listen to the tune on YouTube

8. The Ants Go Marching

The ants go marching one by one
(hold up one finger)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching one by one,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
(pretend to suck thumb)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.

2
The little one stops to tie his shoe
(pretend to tie shoe)
3
The little one stops to climb a tree
(pretend to climb a tree)
4
The little one stops to shut the door
(pretend to shut a door)
5
The little one stops to take a dive
(pretend to dive)
6
The little one stops to pick up sticks
(pretend to pick up sticks)
7
The little one stops to pray to heaven
(pretend to pray)
8
The little one stops to shut the gate
(pretend to shut a gate)
9
The little one stops to check the time
(pretend to check wristwatch)
10
The little one stops to shout “THE END!!”
(shout out loud)

Listen to the tune on YouTube

Click here for more counting rhymes.

FINGER PLAYS:

9. Two Little Dickey Birds

Two little dickey birds sitting on a wall,
(both index fingers in air, move both of them)
One named Peter, One named Paul
(wiggle one index finger, then the other)
Fly away Peter,
(draw the hand with “the Peter finger” behind your back and hide it)
Fly away Paul
(draw the other hand – “the Paul finger’s hand” – behind your back and hide it)
Come back Peter,
(reverse the last action with “the Peter finger” hand)
Come back Paul.
(reverse the last action with “the Paul finger” hand)

Listen to the tune on YouTube

10. Tommy Thumb Where Are You?

Tommy Thumb,
(hands in air and lift thumbs)
Tommy Thumb,
Where are you?
Here I am,
(wriggle thumb)
Here I am,
(wriggle other thumb)
How do you do?

Repeat verse with Peter Pointer (index finger), Toby Tall (middle finger), Ruby Ring (ring finger), Baby Small (little finger), and Fingers All.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

11. Where Is Thumbkin?

(Start with hands behind back)
Where is Thumbkin? Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am.
(bring right hand to front, with thumb up)
Here I am.
(bring left hand to front, with thumb up)
How are you this morning?
Very well, I thank you.
(Wiggle thumbs as if they’re ‘talking’ together)
Run away.
(hide right hand behind back)
Run away.
(hide left hand behind back)

(Repeat rhyme with each finger: Pointer, Tall Man, Ring Man, and Pinkie)

Listen to the tune on YouTube

12. Ten Fingers

I have ten fingers
(hold up both hands, fingers spread)
And they all belong to me
(point to self)
I can make them do things
Would you like to see?
I can shut them up tight
(make fists)
I can open them wide
(open hands)
I can put them together
(place palms together)
I can make them all hide
(put hands behind back)
I can make them jump high
(hands over head)
I can make them jump low
(touch floor)
I can fold them up quietly
(fold hands in lap)
And hold them just so.

Listen to the tune on YouTube

I hope you enjoyed these songs for preschoolers. Need more songs? Here is a big collection of classic preschool songs.

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Collection of children's songs. Songs online

A collection of children's songs to listen to online and download. Children's songs with lyrics and backing tracks.

  • Songs from cartoons
  • Lullabies Songs
  • Songs for kids
  • New Year's songs
  • New Year's playlist
  • English songs
  • Songs
  • Musart Motzart
  • Dance music
  • White noise for sleep
  • Sounds for children
  • Cold heart
  • Cold heart 2
  • Bremen musicians
  • Classical music
  • Russian folk songs
    • 9000 from Soviet cartoons
  • Music from the Nutcracker
  • Logorhythmics
  • Logopedic songs
  • Fairy Patrol
  • Ladybug and Super Cat
  • Rapunzel
  • Barboskins
  • Four hedgehogs
  • Autumn playlist
  • Goodbye Mary Poppins!
  • Mermaid
  • Birthday disco
  • Lullabies Banilac
  • King Lev
  • Aladdin
  • ASSOUT NOTOMS
  • MONSTER HAI
  • LOOPLE LOOPOLDA
  • 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000 Girls from Ecvesters: Rain
  • Adventures Electronics
  • Little Pony
  • Music for meditation and classes on Shichid
  • Gravity Folz
  • Blue Puppy
  • Songs about kindergarten and for graduation
  • Lullabies up to a year
  • ,0005 Lullabies from
    • 9000 in rock and roll style
  • Children's songs in English
  • English songs for kids
  • Choir of large families of Moscow
  • Dunno
  • Songs for March 8

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    • Listen to children's songs comfortably

    Children's songs are easy to listen to online on our website. On the page with the song you will find a convenient player that allows you to listen to your favorite melody as many times as you like.

    Sing children's songs

    Are you organizing a children's party? Want to sing karaoke? Download the backing tracks of songs for children or sing along right on the site!

    Lyrics for children

    Need to brush up on the words to your favorite children's songs? No problem! Each song has original lyrics.

    Notes for children's songs

    The section of Soviet children's songs provides up-to-date information for educators and teachers teaching kids to play the piano. Sheet music in pdf format can be downloaded for free.

    5 most popular children's songs and their history

    Music section publications

    Many songs for children have been popular since Soviet times to this day. They are taught in kindergartens and schools, they sound in your favorite cartoons, at holidays and concerts. "Culture.RF" has collected five stories about how famous songs for kids appeared. Read who Yury Entin dedicated Antoshka to, where the name of Chunga-Chang's "wonder island" came from, and how many authors wrote music for the composition "A Grasshopper Sat in the Grass".

    “A Christmas tree was born in the forest”

    Yuri Reiner. New Year tree (Lights of Moscow) (detail). 1947. Chuvash State Art Museum, Cheboksary

    Ilya Glazunov. Christmas tree. New Year's Eve (detail). 1989. Private collection

    Boris Smirnov. Christmas tree in a rich house. 1904. Novosibirsk State Museum of Local Lore, Novosibirsk

    The text of the famous song “A Christmas tree was born in the forest” appeared more than a century ago. The poem about the New Year tree was written for her pupils by the teacher and governess Raisa Kudasheva. December 1903, it was published in the magazine "Malyutka", however, under a pseudonym: out of modesty, Kudasheva did not want to indicate her real name.

    The music for the poem "Christmas Tree" was composed for his daughter by the scientist Leonid Beckman. He was not a composer, he did not know musical notation, and therefore he was not going to write down the melody. This was done by his wife, Elena Beckman, a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory and a friend of Sergei Rachmaninoff.

    Soon, Beckman's daughter performed a song about a Christmas tree at a family holiday with friends. The listeners liked the melody so much that they asked to rewrite the notes and words. Within 19In 06, Beckman rewrote "Yolochka" for friends more than 10 times, they passed it on to their friends, and soon the New Year's song became very popular in Moscow.

    Raisa Kudasheva did not know for a long time that her poem had become so famous. It wasn't until 1921 that she first heard a little girl on a train sing "Herringbone" to her words. Kudasheva herself became famous only in the 1950s, when she gave two interviews - to the Evening Moscow newspaper and the Ogonyok magazine. However, she never sought fame and said in a letter to a friend: "I didn't want to be famous, but I couldn't help but write" .

    Antoshka

    Composer Vladimir Shainsky. 1980 Photo: Vladimir Savostyanov / TASS

    Still from Leonid Nosyrev's animated film "Antoshka" anthology "Merry Carousel" No. 1 (1969)

    Cartoonist Leonid Nosyrev and artist Vera Kudryavtseva. 1989–1990 Photo: State Central Museum of Cinema, Moscow

    Poet Yuri Entin and composer Vladimir Shainsky wrote the song "Antoshka" at 1968. A few years before, Entin worked as a history teacher at the school. He dedicated a poem about a lazy but mischievous boy to one of the especially negligent students, who answers all requests: “We didn’t go through this, they didn’t ask us!”

    Shainsky composed the melody in just a few minutes, even without a musical instrument. Yuri Entin recalled: “He said: “I don’t need a piano, I compose on the table.” He began to knock on the table and sing: “Tili-tili, trali-vali . ..” There are only six lines. The song turned out right on this day " .

    However, in the children's edition of television, Antoshka was not immediately appreciated. Entin and Shainsky applied to different programs, and everywhere the song was refused to be aired. They accepted her only in the program "Good morning!". Already on the day of its release on television, Antoshka became a hit. After that, in 1970, a cartoon of the same name appeared: it was directed by Leonid Nosyrev for the animated magazine "Merry Carousel".

    I liked the song about Antoshka. Cheerful melody, mischievous words. The image of a boy immediately presented itself ... I decided that Antoshka must be a red-haired, sunny, free man who is sitting somewhere in nature under a sunflower.

    Read also:

    • 5 composers who wrote music for cartoons
    • Lemeshev and Kozlovsky: the most famous tenora of the 20th century
    • 7 rare exhibits of the Russian National Music Music

    Chunga-Changa

    poet Yuri Yuri Yuri Yuri Yuri Yuri Yuri Yuri Yur . Photo: Sergey Miklyaev / ITAR-TASS

    A still from Inessa Kovalevskaya's animated film "Katerok" (1970)

    Singer Aida Vedischeva. 1972 Photo: Mikhail Strokov / TASS newsreel

    This song was featured in Inessa Kovalevskaya's cartoon "Katerok". Yuri Entin and Vladimir Shainsky also worked on it, and they composed it on the same day as Antoshka. They just could not immediately come up with the main thing - the name of the "wonder island". All options seemed unsuccessful to Entin until he accidentally saw a poster for a ballet on ice. The name of director Evgeny Changi was indicated on it. Yuri Entin liked the unusual surname so much that he supplemented it with the fictitious word "chunga" and inserted it into the text.

    Popular Soviet singers Anatoly Gorokhov and Aida Vedischeva performed in the cartoon "Chunga-Changu". Entin himself did not consider this work successful: the motive and rhymes seemed to him too uncomplicated. But it was thanks to the light melody and words that the song was quickly remembered by children throughout the Soviet Union.

    “A grasshopper sat in the grass”

    Writer Nikolay Nosov reads to children. Moscow, 1969. Photo: P. Lesnoy / Newsreel TASS

    Still from the animated film by Yuri Trofimov, Vladimir Golikov, Alexander Bogolyubov, Leonid Aristov, Carlo Sulakauri, Kirill Malyantovich and Yuri Klepatsky "The Adventures of Dunno and His Friends" (1971–1973)

    Actress Klara Rumyanova. Photo: Belozersky Regional Museum of Local Lore, Belozersk

    The lyrics of the song "A Grasshopper Sitting in the Grass" appeared much earlier than the music to it. In 1954, the fairy tale novel by Nikolai Nosov "The Adventures of Dunno and His Friends" was published. In one of the last chapters, the inhabitants of the Flower City sang this song, which, according to the plot, was composed by the poet Tsvetik and the musician Guslya. Nosov wrote the verses for this episode himself.

    In 1961, based on the story of Dunno, a radio play was staged and a short cartoon filmed. Both works included a song about a grasshopper: Yan Frenkel and Ilya Shakhov wrote the music for the radio show, and Mikhail Meerovich wrote the music for the animated short film. But both versions did not gain popularity. Only the version of Vladimir Shainsky, which sounded in the puppet animated series "The Adventures of Dunno and His Friends" in 1971 years old. It was performed by actress Klara Rumyanova, who voiced the main character.

    "What they teach at school"

    Songwriter Mikhail Plyatskovsky with young viewers at the XIII Moscow International Film Festival. Moscow, 1983. Photo: Alexander Shogin / TASS newsreel

    Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky. Oral account (fragment). 1895. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

    Singer Eduard Khil. Moscow, 1965. Photo: Valery Gende-Rote, Vladimir Musaelyan / TASS

    The text of the song "What they teach at school" was written by the popular Soviet songwriter Mikhail Plyatskovsky. He recalled that he once rode in an elevator with a neighbor's boy who was supposed to go to first grade.

    - You're doing great! I told him. - You will go to school.
    - What do they teach at school? he asked me.

    Learn more