There are so many fun children’s action songs that you can sing with your young children. It is a great way to foster gross and fine motor skills, improve hand-eye coordination, and improve language skills. Each of the movement songs below will give your toddler intentional opportunities to learn new words and new actions. It will help identify their body parts and improve their body movements. So get singing these fun action songs!
My top five favorite classic action songs are listed below with their lyrics. Ten additional actions songs are listed afterwards. I have linked great YouTube videos for you to learn the tunes and lyrics to any song you might need to learn or freshen up on.
Song #1: The Hokey Pokey
This is a classic song that is actually almost 100 years old! There is a little bit of a debate about where it originated, but it is a fun way to get that excess energy unlocked from your toddler’s tiny body. The simple, repetitive lyrics and accompanying dance moves make it a hit at parties, school events, and children’s activities. Each of the five verses introduce a new body part, keeping kids engaged and moving along with the instructions. I know this song only “officially” has five verse, but do not limit yourself to your left hand and right foot. Add whatever body parts you want for some new verses!
Lyrics:
Verse 1:
You put your right hand in,
You put your right hand out,
You put your right hand in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about!
Verse 2:
You put your left hand in,
You put your left hand out,
You put your left hand in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about!
Verse 3:
You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out,
You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about!
Verse 4:
You put your left foot in,
You put your left foot out,
You put your left foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about!
Verse 5:
You put your whole self in,
You put your whole self out,
You put your whole self in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about!
Song #2: Shake my Sillies Out
I love Raffi, My kids love Raffi. I want Raffi to go on tour so I can take my kids to see Raffi. This song was first introduced in 1980 (which probably explains why Raffi isn’t on tour) and quickly gained popularity. Like the Hokey Pokey it is catchy tune with a repetitive structure. This song gets your your children moving their whole body as they shake, shake, shake! There are so many fun actions in this song. My oldest child loves the “yawning verse.” I loves saying “yawn” while “yawning”.
Lyrics:
Verse 1:
Gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
And wiggle my waggles away!
Verse 2:
Gotta clap, clap, clap my crazies out,
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out,
Clap, clap, clap my crazies out,
And wiggle my waggles away!
Verse 3:
Gotta jump, jump, jump my jiggles out,
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out,
Jump, jump, jump my jiggles out,
And wiggle my waggles away!
Verse 4:
Gotta yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out,
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out,
Yawn, yawn, yawn my sleepies out,
And wiggle my waggles away!
Finale:
Gotta shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
Shake, shake, shake my sillies out,
And wiggle my waggles away!
Song #3: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
This is the ultimate action song that gets your child identifying their body parts. It is wonderful to sing in a group or at circle time because almost everyone will know and will be able to jump right in and participate. Be sure to sing it multiple times getting faster each time. Kids love it!
Lyrics:
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes,
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes,
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes!
If you are feeling extra brave, do it in Spanish!
Lyrics (in Spanish):
Cabeza, hombros, rodillas y pies,
Rodillas y pies,
Cabeza, hombros, rodillas y pies,
Rodillas y pies,
Ojos, orejas, boca y nariz,
Cabeza, hombros, rodillas y pies,
Rodillas y pies!
Song #4: Tooty Ta
I think this song is hilarious. It is not a classic from my own childhood, but I saw this video of a little girl really getting into it, and I immediately knew I needed to start singing it with my kids. As the song progresses, each verse adds a new movement, such as thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, and more, making it an interactive, cumulative song. I promise you and your young children will be entertained by this one.
Lyrics:
Intro:
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Verse 1:
Thumbs up,
Thumbs up,
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Verse 2:
Thumbs up, elbows back,
Thumbs up, elbows back,
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Verse 3:
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart,
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart,
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Verse 4:
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together,
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together,
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Verse 5:
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottoms up,
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottoms up,
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Verse 6:
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottoms up, tongue out,
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottoms up, tongue out,
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Verse 7:
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottoms up, tongue out, eyes closed,
Thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottoms up, tongue out, eyes closed,
A Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta, a Tooty Ta Ta
Song #5: Going on a Bear Hunt
This song tells a story. I think it is always good to incorporate songs like this every once in a while. It helps with imagination and developing the skill of sequencing. In this fun song, a group of adventurers encounters various obstacles (like grass, a river, mud, and a snowstorm) as they go on a “bear hunt.” Each obstacle requires a different imaginative movement, such as “swishing” through grass or “splashing” through water. The climax of the story involves a thrilling escape from a bear, making it exciting for children. It is a little long, so make sure to sing it when you got some time and patience.
Lyrics:
Chorus:
We’re going on a bear hunt,
We’re going to catch a big one,
We’re not scared.
Verse 1:
Uh-oh! Grass!
Long, wavy grass.
We can’t go over it,
We can’t go under it,
Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.
Chorus
Verse 2:
Uh-oh! A river!
A deep, cold river.
We can’t go over it,
We can’t go under it,
Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!
Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash.
Chorus
Verse 3:
Uh-oh! Mud!
Thick, oozy mud.
We can’t go over it,
We can’t go under it,
Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!
Squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch.
Chorus
Verse 4:
Uh-oh! A forest!
A big, dark forest.
We can’t go over it,
We can’t go under it,
Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!
Stumble, stumble, stumble, stumble.
Chorus
Verse 5:
Uh-oh! A snowstorm!
A swirling, whirling snowstorm.
We can’t go over it,
We can’t go under it,
Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo.
Chorus
Verse 6:
Uh-oh! A cave!
A narrow, gloomy cave.
We can’t go over it,
We can’t go under it,
Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!
(Quietly)Tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe…
What’s that?
One shiny wet nose!
Two big furry ears!
Two big goggly eyes!
IT’S A BEAR!!!
(Quickly)Back through the cave!
Tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe…
Back through the snowstorm!
Woo, woo, woo, woo, woo.
Back through the forest!
Stumble, stumble, stumble, stumble.
Back through the mud!
Squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch, squelch.
Back through the river!
Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash.
Back through the grass!
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish.
Get to our front door!
Open the door!
Up the stairs…
Oh no! We forgot to shut the door!
Back downstairs…
Shut the door!
Back upstairs…
Into the bedroom…
Under the covers…
WE’RE NOT GOING ON A BEAR HUNT AGAIN!
10 additional action songs:
As I previously said, these are my five favorite action songs, but check out these next ten for some more ideas!
2. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
3. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
5. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around
6. This Is the Way We Clap Our Hands
9. The Goldfish Song (This was a new one I was recently introduced to. It also tells a fun story if you are looking for some sequencing practice.)
10. If You’re Happy and You Know It
Start singing those action songs!
If you have some favorite songs already, just get creative and make up your own actions. If your child love baby shark, pretend to swim around with your hands and arms acting like shark jaws. You can act out different animals as you sing Old MacDonald had a Farm. If you do not have the bandwidth to learn new action songs, please do not let it stop you.
Comment below if you have an additional action songs you sing with your toddlers. I am always looking for additional ideas to get that little person energy out before nap time!
Be sure to share and pin for later!
Check out our whole “Begin Singing with your Littles” series and grab your FREE ebook to get started:
FREE “Begin Singing with your Littles” ebook
Ten enormous benefits of singing with your children
Helpful tips to start singing with your children
The best ten sing-along books your child will love
5 easy scarf songs to sing with children
Fun and simple rhythm stick songs for kids
4 easy songs with bells for toddlers | Add ringing to your singing
Leave a Comment