I’ve created some new takes on “The Ants Go Marching.”
This is the one that usually goes:
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah (2x)
The ants go marching one by one,
the little one stops to suck his thumb (or “have some fun”)
And they all go marching down, to the ground,
to get out, of the rain, bum bum bum…
I’ve added some gross motor challenges, marching while doing other motions. For example:
– pat your belly with one hand and back with the other; switch hands
– close your eyes
– tap both hands on each knee as it comes up
– touch hands together under each knee as it comes up
– clap, alternately, in front and in back of body
– scissors arms in front of body
– swing arms around either side of body
– do the “knick knack clap,” where one hand claps on top of the other, then switch, sort of like you’re forming a hamburger patty
This is the one that usually goes:
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah (2x)
The ants go marching one by one,
the little one stops to suck his thumb (or “have some fun”)
And they all go marching down, to the ground,
to get out, of the rain, bum bum bum…
I’ve added some gross motor challenges, marching while doing other motions. For example:
– pat your belly with one hand and back with the other; switch hands
– close your eyes
– tap both hands on each knee as it comes up
– touch hands together under each knee as it comes up
– clap, alternately, in front and in back of body
– scissors arms in front of body
– swing arms around either side of body
– do the “knick knack clap,” where one hand claps on top of the other, then switch, sort of like you’re forming a hamburger patty
For variety in the verses, I change some of the words, and we do motions for each of these.
For “the ants go marching one by one, the little one stops…” Here I’ve sung “to hit a home run” or “to blow up bubble gum” (and pop it).
Two by two is “tie his shoe” or “hula hoop” or “hops like a kangaroo”
Three: “to swim in the sea” or “cause she has to sneeze.”
Four: “to pound on the floor” or “cause his toe is sore” (hold foot and hop up and down and groan, if possible)
