Old Mother Grey, may we go out to play? Mother Gray: 'No, it's raining'. Children: "No, it isn't, the sun is shining Mother Grey: "All right, you may go out to play'.
[The children rush off, and play around, perhaps moving out of sight.]
Old Mother Grey calls: "Children, it's dinner time!" Children: 'Coming mother.' Mother: 'Where have you been?' Children: 'We've been to London to see the Queen.' Mother: 'What did she give you?' Children: 'A loaf of bread as big our head, a piece if cheese as big as our knees, a lump of jelly as big as our belly, and a teeny weeny six pence." Mother: "Where's my share? Children: 'Up in the air.' Mother; 'How shall I get it?' Children; 'Stand on a chair. Mother; 'And if I fall?' Children all laugh and shout out: "We don't care."
[Old Mother Grey runs after them, and whoever she catches becomes the next 'Mother'.]
Source: Source: Iona and Peter Opie: Children's Games in Street and Playground; [Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1969; pp. 307-308
Here's a variant from the Caribbean:
WE DON'T CARE
Children, children Yes, Mama. Where yo' been to? Granmama. What she give yo'? Two apples. Where yo' put them? On the shelf. How will yo' get them? Stand on a chair.
[As the "children" answer "Mama" they creep closer and closer to her until finally "Mama" turns and chases them"].
Source: Grace Hallworth: "Down By The River: Afro-Caribbean Rhymes, Games and Songs for Children" [New York Scholastic Inc, 1996]
Lydia Maria Child was a novelist, journalist and a teacher. "A Boy's Thanksgiving Day," most often called "Over the River and Through the Woods" was originally a poem written by Lydia Maria Child. It celebrates her childhood memories of visiting her Grandfather's House. The Thanksgiving song/poem originally appeared in Flowers for Children, volume 2, in 1844.
Over the river, and through the wood, To Grandmother's house we go; The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow.
Over the river, and through the wood - Oh, how the wind does blow! It stings the toes and bites the nose As over the ground we go.
Over the river, and through the wood, To have a first-rate play. Hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ding", Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!
Over the river, and through the wood Trot fast, my dapple-gray! Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound, For this is Thanksgiving Day.
Over the river, and through the wood - And straight through the barnyard gate, We seem to go extremely slow, It is so hard to wait!
Over the river, and through the wood - Now Grandmother's cap I spy! Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done? Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!
I tell a similar tale titled "Better Wait Til Martin Comes". The kids and adults love it!! This story is from a 1970's record album called "Scary Spooky Stories". Happy Halloween!
This is a traditional call and response song that is most often associated with singer Ella Jenkins. It's one of her signature songs. The song is actually more of a rhythmic chanting than singing. I've given you two versions. The first is a more contempary version and the second I found in Negro Folk Rhymes: Wise and Otherwise written by Thomas Washington Talley published in 1922
Leader: Did you feed my cow? Group: Yes ma'am! (nod head)
Leader: Will you tell me how? Group: Yes ma'am!
Leader: What did you give her? Group: Corn and hay.
Leader: What did you give her? Group: Corn and hay.
Leader: Did you milk her good? Group: Yes ma'am!
Leader: Did you do like you should? Group: Yes ma'am!
Leader: How did you milk her? Group: Swish, swish swish! (pretend you are milking a cow)
Leader: How did you milk her? Group: Swish, swish swish!
Leader: Did that cow die? Group: Yes ma'am!
Leader: With a pain in her eye? Group: Yes ma'am!
Leader: How did she die? Group: Uh, uh, uh! (shake head 3 times)
Leader: How did she die? Group: Uh, uh, uh!
Leader: Did the buzzards come? Group: Yes ma'am.
Leader: Did the buzzards come? Group: Yes m'am.
Leader: How did they come? Group: Flap, flap, flap! (Flap arms like wings)
Leader: How did they come? Group: Flap, flap, flap!
DID YOU FEED MY COW?
Did you feed my cow? Yes, Mam! Will you tell me how? Yes, Mam!
Oh, w'at did you give her? Cawn and hay. Oh, w'at did you give her? Cawn and hay.
Did you milk her good? Yes, Mam! Did you do like you should? Yes, Mam!
Oh, how did you milk her? Swish! Swish! Swish! Oh, how did you milk her? Swish! Swish! Swish!
Did dat cow get sick? Yes, Mam! Wuz she kivered with tick? Yes, Mam!
Oh, how was she sick? All bloated up! Oh, how was she sick? All bloated up!
Did dat cow die? Yes, Mam! Wid a pain in her eye? Yes, Mam!
Oh, how did she die? Uh-! Uh-! Uh-! Oh, how did she die? Uh-! Uh-! Uh-!
Did de buzzards come? Yes, Mam! Fer to pick her bone? Yes, Mam!
Oh, how did they come? Flop! Flop! Flop! Oh, how did they come? Flop! Flop! Flop!
It's my birthday!!!! Yeah...really...it is! So I decided to put up a fun story about a little girl looking for the perfect birthday gift.
Nikini was a little girl. She lived with her mother and father, in a house near the woods. She was very friendly with the animals in the woods. One evening, Nikini’s father came home with a big gift box.
“What’s that, Thatha?” Nikini asked her father.
“It’s your mother’s birthday tomorrow,” her father said.
“Oh!” Nikini was very upset.
“How could I forget my Amma’s birthday? She would never forget mine. So I should give her a wonderful gift,” Nikini thought.
“But what shall I give her?” She went into her bedroom and thought. She loved her mother so much that she couldn’t think of anything good enough for a gift for her. She thought and thought until nightfall, but she couldn’t think of anything.
Then a firefly, seeing Nikini by the window, flew to her. “Nikini, what are you doing in the dark?” the firefly asked. “Firefly, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. She makes me very happy on my birthdays. So I want to make her happy on her birthday. I want to give her the ‘greatest’ gift of all. But I can’t think of anything as great as my Amma,” said Nikini, sadly.
“I think you should give her the ‘biggest’ gift. Something like the sky, or the ocean,” said the firefly.
Nikini thought for a moment. “Dear firefly, the biggest thing in the world is my Amma’s love. So, I would like to find a gift as big as her love. But how can I find it?” said Nikini.
“You are a very good daughter who tries to give the biggest gift to her mother. So, I will help you. Let’s go out and find it,” the firefly said.
Nikini went out in the dark with the firefly. The firefly showed her the way. They went to the woods. They searched and searched, but they couldn’t find anything as big as her mother’s love.
On the way, a mynah bird who was about to go to sleep, saw Nikini. “Nikini, where are you going in the dark?” the mynah bird asked. “Mynah bird, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. She cooks and cleans and works hard with no rest. Her love is the biggest thing in the world for me. So, I should give her the ‘biggest’ gift. But I still couldn’t find anything as big as my Amma’s love,” Nikini said sadly.
“No, I think you should give her the ‘most beautiful’ gift, something like beautiful flowers, beautiful pearls,” the bluebird said. Nikini thought for a moment.
“Dear mynah bird, the most beautiful thing in the world is my Amma. So, I would like to find a flower or a pearl as beautiful as my Amma. But where can I find it?” asked Nikini. “You are a very good daughter. So I will help you,” said the mynah bird and away they went. They went on and on but couldn’t find anything as beautiful as her mother.
They went on until Nikini stumbled upon a rabbit who was fast asleep. “Oh, Nikini, where are you going in the dark?” asked the rabbit, rubbing his eyes.
“Rabbit, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. She feeds me, cuddles me and holds me close until I fall asleep. She is the most beautiful thing in the world. So I should give her the ‘most beautiful’ gift. But I still couldn’t find anything as beautiful as my Amma,” said Nikini sadly. “No, I think you should give her the ‘most precious’ gift in the world, something as precious as the moon and the stars,” said the rabbit.
Nikini thought for a moment. “Dear rabbit, the most precious thing in the world is my Amma. Even if I hang the moon on a necklace, even if I make stars into earrings, they are not as precious as she is. I want to find something as precious as my Amma. But how can I find it?” asked Nikini sadly.
“You are a very good daughter. I will help you find it.” The rabbit went along with the firefly, the mynah bird and Nikini. They went on and on, but they couldn’t find anything as precious as her mother.
On their way, she got entangled in a huge cobweb. Then the spider, who was having a sweet dream in the middle of the night, got up. “Oh, Nikini, where are you going in the dark?” the spider asked.
“Spider, it’s my Amma’s birthday tomorrow. She loves me very much. When I am sick she cries and looks after me without sleep until I get well. She is the most precious thing in the world for me. So I should give her the ‘most precious’ gift. But I can’t find anything as precious as my Amma,” Nikini said sadly.
“No, I think you should give her the gift that would make her ‘the happiest’,” said the spider. . “Oh, what would make her happiest?” Nikini thought and thought.
“Something like a delicious cake, a lovely birthday card, a nice pair of shoes, a colorful dress…?” Nikini thought for a while.
“Oh, a beautiful sari!! I think she would like a beautiful sari most. I want to give her the most beautiful sari in the world. I want to find the most beautiful sari for her. And I want to give it to her as she wakes up in the morning and say, “Happy birthday!” But how can I find it? There’s only a little time left, until morning,” Nikini said, impatiently.
“Nikini, you are a great daughter who thinks so much about her mother. Some children don’t even care about their mother’s birthday. They remember about their own birthdays and gifts only. So I will weave a very beautiful sari for you,” said the spider and she started weaving a beautiful sari.
Nikini was very tired after walking all over the woods and not sleeping the whole night. But she was so happy that she didn’t feel sleepy at all. She helped the spider weave the most beautiful sari for her mother.
The firefly flew far away and brought back beautiful flowers to decorate it. The rabbit ran around the woods and brought beautiful colors from flowers, to paint the sari with. The mynah bird shook the branches of trees and they shed dewdrops on it.
Finally, they had made the most beautiful sari in the world. The flowers looked lovely on it, the colors were the prettiest shades, and the dewdrops glittered like gems and pearls.
“This is very beautiful…the most beautiful sari I have ever seen. Amma would surely love this,” Nikini yelled with excitement. They were all happy.
“Let’s go…let’s give this to Amma and wish her a happy birthday,” said Nikini. She hurried towards home with her friends.
As they got halfway, a strong wind blew across the woods and it started to rain heavily. They tried their best to protect the sari from the rain and the wind. But they failed. The sari was torn into pieces.
“Oh, noooooooo!” Nikini screamed. She was so sad that she cried and cried, while getting soaked in the rain.
The dawn arrived, and the sun rose. She heard a voice calling out. “Nikini…Nikini!” someone was shouting.
It was Nikini’s mother, who was searching for her missing daughter. Just then, she saw Nikini crying under a tree. She came running to Nikini.
“Oh, my darling, where have you been? Why are you crying?” she asked.
“Amma, I went searching for a birthday gift for you. I searched for the greatest gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. I searched for the biggest gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. I searched for the most beautiful gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. I searched for the most precious gift for you, but I couldn’t find it. So finally, my friends made me a gift which you would like most. It was a very beautiful sari. But it got caught by the wind and was torn into pieces. I’m so sad that I couldn’t give it to you and make you happy,” Nikini said, still sobbing.
“My darling, do you know what is the most beautiful, most precious and the greatest thing to me? That is my little daughter. What I like most is her love. The love I felt from you today is the greatest, biggest, most precious and the most beautiful gift I’ve ever had in my life,” said her mother and she hugged her.
Nikini was very happy and so were her friends.
All of them went home with her, to celebrate the birthday.
Every person, according to an ancient legend, is born into the world with two bags suspended from their neck.
One bag hangs down our back and one bag hangs in the front.
The bag in front is full of our neighbors' faults.
The bag hanging down our back is a large bag filled with our own faults.
That is why people are quick to see the faults of others, and yet are often blind to their own failings.
*Alms Bag or Besace - A Beggars Bag. A cylindrical bag with an opening in centre, forming two pouches. It was usually carried over a shoulder.
**(the purse shown at the top of the blog is known as a miser's, or beggar's, bag and came into fashion at the end of the 18th century; it was used by men and women until the early part of the 20th century to hold money. The two silver rings, or sliders, cover the center opening and can be moved to hold the coins in the bag.)
As I am sure I have mentioned before, or at least I should have, I love poems and poetry. And I have quite a few favorite poems and poets. One of my favorite writer's of children's poetry is Shel Silverstein.
Born Sheldon Alan Silverstein, September 25, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, "Shel" Silverstein was an American poet, songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He wrote 3 books of poetry for children Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974), A Light in the Attic (1981)and Falling Up (1996).
Just an interesting aside, Shel Silverstein also wrote the music and the lyrics for the following songs: "A Boy Named Sue" that was performed by Johnny Cash, "The Unicorn" which is popular in Irish pubs all over the world, "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" a song performed by Dr. Hook.
The following poem can be found in his book "Where the Sidewalk Ends". "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me, Too" is a wonderful poem. It's fun to say, the children love the rhyme and the images that it creates. It is also a marvelous poem to act out. There are so many places for the children use their imagination.
If you have the time and the facilities, why not go a step further and have the kids make Mulligan Stew!(It's mentioned in the poem :)
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too, Went for a ride in a flying shoe, "Hooray!" "What fun!" "It's time we flew!" Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle was captain, Pickle was crew, And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew As higher And higher And higher they flew, Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too, Over the sun and beyond the blue. "Hold on!" "Stay in!" "I hope we do!" Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too Never returned to the world they knew, And nobody knows what's happened to Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Written by Shel Silverstein (1930-1999)
I know from experience that your average child will ask you what mulligan stew is as soon as you finish the poem, if not sooner. So here is your answer (just in case you did not know, I didn't.)
Mulligan stew is a kind of dish said to have been prepared by hobos in camps in the early 1900s. Usually, it includes meat, potatoes, vegetables, and whatever else can be found. The hobo who put it together was known as the "mulligan mixer". A stew is generally difined as being made, literally, of "whatever is on hand" including meat, potatoes and vegetables in any combination.
I have included 2 different stew recipes. Enjoy!
Campfire Mulligan Stew Ingredients : Method : In small amount of hot fat in heavy frying pan, brown: 1 pound stew meat, cut in small pieces Add: 1 tsp. salt Stir in: 1 can condensed tomato soup 1 can water Cover tightly and let cook slowly until tender (about 1-1/2 hours). If fire gets too hot, take from heat occasionally to keep at a simmer. When the meat is tender, add: 3 carrots, cut in thick slices 3 potatoes, quartered 3 onions, halved Continue cooking slowly about 30 minutes. If there is not enough juice, add water during cooking. If too thin take off lid and cook sauce until thickened. 4 to 6 servings Recipe from the Betty Crocker's Cook Book for Boys and Girls
Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe Ingredients - 4 each potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces - 1 each onion, chopped - 1 pound carrots, sliced - pound stew meat - 1 can tomato soup - 2/3 cup water - 1 package stew seasoning
Directions Cut the vegetables and meat into bite sized pieces. Mix the stew seasoning with the water. Place the meat on the bottom of the crock, cover with vegetables. Pour the soup and stew seasoning mixture over all. Cook in the crock pot on high for 6 hours or low 10 hours. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 6 or more hours Servings: 6 http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/u--3732/easy-crock-pot-beef-stew.asp
I looooove these songs! Let's face it....I love most of ...okay all of the songs I sing.
This evening I decided I "needed" a cookie. Fortunately, I keep cookie dough around for just such an emergency. So I got out the pan and "made" a few chocolate chip cookies. Yummmmm! Which is what got me thinking about cookie songs.
The first three songs I thought of were these..."C is for Cookie" (a classic)..."I'm A Little Cookie" (a sleeper song but a good one) and , well, the last song is more like a chant and it's a game...the ever popular "Who Stole the Cookie From the Cookie Jar". At the end of this blog are some good cookie recipes for kids.
I'm a Little Cookie is a great song about differences and tolerance. A version of this song can be heard on John McCutcheon's Mail Myself to You CD. This is where I first heard it.
I'M A LITTLE COOKIE
I'm a little cookie, yes I am And I was made by the cookie man And on my way from the cookie pan A little piece broke off of me A little piece broke off of me, uh-huh A little piece broke off of me, uh-huh But I can taste just as good, uh-huh As a regular cookie can
I'm a little chocolate bar, I am And I was made by the chocolate bar man And on my way to the chocolate stand I got a little bend in me I got a little bend in me, uh-huh I got a little bend in me, uh-huh But I can taste just as good, uh-huh As a regular chocolate bar can
I'm a little tootsie roll, yes I am And I was made by the tootsie roll man And on my way from the tootsie roll land I got a little twist in me I got a little twist in me, uh-huh I got a little twist in me, uh-huh But I can taste just as good, uh-huh As a regular tootsie roll can
I'm a little gum drop, yes I am And I was made by the gum drop man On my way from the sugar can I got a little dent in me I got a little dent in me, uh-huh I got a little dent in me, uh-huh But I can taste just as good, uh-huh As a regular gum drop can
Oh, I'm a little cookie, yes I am And I was made by the cookie man And on my way from the cookie pan A little piece broke off of me Now I ain't as round as I might be But I taste good just wait and see And I can love back twice as hard As a regular cookie can
Words and Music by Larry Penn (c) Larry Penn
And here is everyone's favorite cookie loving monster....
Who Stole the Cookies is a fun game and a marvelous song for helping kids learn to keep a steady beat. Children pat a steady rhythm on their thighs while chanting the song. Older child can do a pat...clap...pat...clap rhythm. Have kids sit in a circle. Begin the game by going in order around the circle. Once the kids understand how the game works you can move into choosing students at random.
Accuser/Group: Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? (name of a child in the circle) stole the cookie from the cookie jar. Accused: Who me? Accuser/Group: Yes, you! Accused: Not Me, Couldn't be! Accuser/Group: Then who?
This can go on and on until the last person or a designated person (usually the teacher in the beginning) says Who me?...Kids: Yes You!....Teacher/Thief: Possibly! and then you bring out the cookie.
I could explain every step of teaching and playing the game but I found this lovely vid at my favorite place (YOUTUBE!!!) that does an excellent job of teaching the game. The words are a little different but it is basically the same game. YOu will note that the kids are older and that the use a pat/clap instead of a steady patting of the legs which works best with younger children.
Here are a few simple cookie recipes for kids. I found these at Easy Kids Recipies But there are lots more on the net. Go explore!
Chocolate Cornflake Clusters
2 cups cornflakes, crushed 3/4 cups craisins 3/4 cups flaked almonds 3/4 cup shredded coconut 3/4 cup sweetened, condensed milk 2 cups melted milk chocolate chips, white chocolate, or peanut butter chips
Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Mix together all ingredients except chocolate chips. Line a cookie sheet with foil and grease. Spoon onto cookie sheet about 1 tablespoon per cluster.
Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then spread the bottom of the clusters with the melted chocolate. Let the chocolate harden, then turn clusters over and drizzle more chocolate over the top.
Cream together butter,sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and add to mixture. For oatmeal, put small amounts into blender until it turns to powder. Measure first, then blend. Add final ingredients and mix together.
Bake on ungreased cookie sheets. Make golf-ball sized cookies and place them oncookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake at 375F degrees for 6 minutes.
