Art Music Drama

Art Music Drama

Kids Dragon Songs with “Old MacDonald Had a Dragon” Children’s Book

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There are not a lot of kids dragon songs but this children’s dragon book turned an old favorite about farm animals into a very funny, silly one to sing.

kids dragon songs

Old MacDonald Had a Dragon is written by Ken Baker and illustrated by Christopher Santoro. In the story, the farmer likes having a dragon on the farm but one-by-one the animals on the farm object. As the farmer keeps singing, one-by-one the dragon swallows them up. When the dragon eats the dog, the farmer objects. By this time, kids can predict what happens to the farmer. Inside the dragon’s tummy, the farmer rejoins the other animals. The farmer keeps singing but now it goes, “Old MacDonald had a dragon, E I E I O. And IN that dragon he had a cow, pig, sheep, and dog.” The dragon burps everyone out and flies away with a terrible tummy ache.

Instead of being on the farm, kids can sing about what animals are IN the dragon. You can also add the names of the people in the family. At the end of the song, remember to BURP so there’s a happy ending. Kids can add the words “Excuse me,” and fly away.

kids dragon songs

Another song is Fly, Dragon Fly. This isn’t about dragon flies but actions dragons can do. The first verse came from EverythingPreschool.com but the rest we made up to have more singing fun.

Fly Dragon Fly
(tune Skip To My Lou)

Fly, fly, dragon fly,
Fly, fly, dragon fly,
Fly, fly, dragon fly,
Way up in the sky.

Add more actions and make up some new rhymes..

Jump, jump, dragon jump…
Land without a bump.

Hop, hop, dragon hop…
Hop until you stop.

Roll, roll, dragon roll…
Stand up like a pole.

Swim, swim, dragon swim…
See you at the gym.

Finish with a fiery roar and a rest.

Roar, roar, dragon roar…
That’s enough, no more.

Sit, sit, dragon sit…
You can rest a bit.

Sleep, sleep, dragon sleep.
Sleep, sleep, dragon sleep.
Sleep, sleep, dragon sleep.
Sh, sh, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Of course, Puff the Magic Dragon is another song but that one has lots of words. Do you know any more kids dragon songs?

Art Music Drama

Halloween Double Doodle Drawing Trick for Hands and Brains

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For a play-of-the-day, try this Halloween double doodle drawing trick. It’s a trick on paper but a real treat for brains, fun and sweet.

What is double doodle drawing? This is the name given to drawing with both hands together by Jean at The Artful Parent. We tried it and it was both a trick and a treat.

2 hand drawing

For this drawing activity, kids pick up a crayon or marker in each hand. They decide what they might draw. Since it’s Halloween, some ideas are a pumpkin, ghost, or haunted house. Monsters are something else we see at Halloween. Now on the paper, kids draw and each hand doing the same thing. This takes a lot of concentration but it’s quite exciting.

This is a house Big Sister drew. When we first tried this art with two hands, Little Sister could hold a marker in each hand and really liked that part. She didn’t have the idea of each hand doing one side of the drawing. Her two hands scribbled all over the paper but they moved independently rather than being coordinated. About the age of 4 to 5 and older seems to be a reasonable expectation for getting the two hands going together. These are more recent ones for our Halloween double doodle drawing trick. Again, Little Sister moved her hands in different directions.

For an idea of the challenge, you try this too. Even as an adult, I noticed I needed to touch my tongue to my lip. Kids often do this when they are concentrating. This seems to be related to how the brain works during tasks that require coordination and deeper thinking.

The video included is from another double doodle drawing activity on HeartsAtPlay. The explanation made sense, that the brain quits focusing on making the visual image and instead pays attention to the movement of the hands. We no longer worry if we can or can’t draw and just enjoy the doing. Did you and your child find this fun?

Double Doodle Halloween Slideshow from Gail Dennison on Vimeo.

Art Music Drama

Kids Halloween Action Songs and Games

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Even if October is a long month, there are only a limited number of days so we’d better start with these kids Halloween action songs. A zillion times may not be enough.

kids halloween action songs

After reading about a Halloween bus, here are some verses to go with the tune The Wheels on the Bus. Use typical Halloween characters and name some costumes kids might wear.

The witches on the bus go cackle, cackle, cackle,
Cackle, cackle, cackle,
Cackle, cackle, cackle.
The witches on the bus go cackle, cackle, cackle,
On the Halloween Bus.

The ghosts on the bus go boo, boo, boo….
On the Halloween bus.

The cats on the bus go meow, meow, meow…
On the Halloween bus.

The pirates on the bus go Arr, Arr, Arr…..
On the Halloween bus.

The vampires on the bus go Aah, aah, aah…
On the Halloween bus.

The skeletons on the bus go rattle, rattle, rattle…
On the Halloween bus.

The kids on the bus go Trick or Treat…
On the Halloween bus.

Move like these characters. Add zombies, monsters, mummies, super heroes, and anything else. If you need a quiet verse at the end, be pumpkins on the bus and make a really wide and silent grin.

Another kids Halloween action song isn’t exactly a song, but it uses one and makes a fun game. Use the tune Where is Thumbkin (Frere Jacques) and sing Where is Pumpkin? Either inside the house or outside in a specific area, kids can play hide and seek. Of course, the one looking is the one singing and the one hiding is oh so quiet and still. When found, kids get to shout Boo!

Where is pumpkin? Where is pumpkin?
Are you in here? Are you in here?
I’ll keep looking, till I find you.
Where are you? Where are you?

When adults are the ones looking, we can be surprised and scared when we find them.

kids action songs

At Halloween, monsters get to do the mash. Put on any fast and loud music and let kids dance doing whatever action they think monsters might do. This video is from the Monster Mash song written in 1962. Do you know any other kids Halloween action songs and games?

Art Music Drama

Fun Bus Activities: The Wheels on the Bus Fun and Learning

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The Wheels on the Bus fun and learning is today’s bus activity. Singing is the only activity that engages all parts of the brain. A song with action words is great for both mind and body. This one was written by Verna Hills in the UK and it’s been around for almost 80 years. The … Continue reading Fun Bus Activities: The Wheels on the Bus Fun and Learning →

Art Music Drama

Olympic Games #16 – Olympic Music Activities for Kids

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Yes, the Olympics are about sports but music is part of the Games too. Can you include some Olympic music activities for your child? Did you notice several of the athletes putting their hands high above their heads and encouraging the crowd to clap in time? Their sport didn’t include music. Instead, the crowd supplied … Continue reading Olympic Games #16 – Olympic Music Activities for Kids →

Art Music Drama

Olympic Art Activities for Kids: Olympic Games #12 – Art Wins Medal Too

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Olympic art activities for kids aren’t just crafts. Nor are the Olympics just about sports. Did you know at one time, there were Olympic medals for art? From 1912 to 1948, art competitions were part of the Olympics. Medals were awarded in five categories for art inspired by sport. Sports and art do not contradict … Continue reading Olympic Art Activities for Kids: Olympic Games #12 – Art Wins Medal Too →

Art Music Drama

Space Activities #14: Chalk Moon Footprints

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Is it really the 47th anniversary of the moon landing? We couldn’t walk on the moon so instead we made chalk moon footprints on the patio. What a fun play-of-the-day and space activity idea. When he walked on the moon, Neil Armstrong said, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Because there … Continue reading Space Activities #14: Chalk Moon Footprints →

Art Music Drama

Space Fun #9: Space Art Activities for Kids

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The possibilities for space art activities are like space: endless. From simple to complex, easy to challenging, there are ones to appeal to all kids. What shape are planets? As far as we know, they are round. In pictures, planets are circles. A very special kind of paper is circles and it’s found right in … Continue reading Space Fun #9: Space Art Activities for Kids →

Art Music Drama

Space Activities #7: Children’s Space Songs

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Zoom, zoom, zoom, we’re going to…sing some children’s space songs and do the actions too. This is a great way to have fun while learning. Ready? Blast off! Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon is a well-known space song for kids. There are a few variations and most of the time, the countdown … Continue reading Space Activities #7: Children’s Space Songs →