This Is the Way We Exercise
(Tune: Mulberry Bush)
This is the way we touch our toes, (Bend and touch toes.)
Touch our toes, touch our toes.
This is the way we touch our toes so early Sunday morning.
Monday – knee lifts (Right elbow to left knee. Left elbow to right knee.)
Tuesday – jumping jacks (Jump with feet out and clap hands overhead.
Jump bringing feet in and move arms by sides.)
Wednesday – windmills (Extend arms and legs. Bend right hand to left
foot. Straighten. Bend left hand to right foot.)
Thursday – deep squats (Extend legs and bend knees up and down.)
Friday – hop scotch (Jump and kick left foot backwards. Jump and kick
right foot backwards.)
Saturday – sit and smile (Sit and put hands in your lap as you smile.)
Activities: Make a step book with the days of the week.
Let children suggest other exercises for each day.
Make a set of cards with numbers on them. Make another set of cards with exercises. Let a child choose a card from each set and then lead the class doing that exercise the number of times selected.
Take advantage of transitions by having children exercise while they wait. For example, they could do push ups against the wall in the hall or balance on tiptoes.
Note! Use the Downloads button in the menu at the left to find a booklet that accompanies this song.
Seven Days of Boot Camp
(Tune: The Twelve Days of Christmas)
On the first day of boot camp (Up on toes and stretch arms up high.)
My trainer taught me
To stretch up high as can be.
2nd Day – deep squats (Legs extended and bend knees up and down.)
3rd Day – toe touches (Bend and touch toes and then arms in air.)
4th Day - back lunges (Step back on right foot and then left.)
5th Day - jumping jacks (Jump out with arms up and then arms down.)
6th Day – knee lifts (Alternate bringing knees up and pulling arms down.)
7th Day - scissor kicks (Cross legs in front and then cross legs in back.)
Activities: Let children illustrate their favorite exercises and make a class book called “School’s Name Boot Camp.”
What does a trainer do? How is a trainer like your teacher?
Let children take turns being the “trainer” and leading exercises.
Brainstorm how they can exercise at home. Make a T-chart with exercises they can do “outside” and “inside.”
Sports Around the Year
(Tune: Pay Me My Money Down)
January, let’s all skate – (Slide feet from side to side with big steps.)
Slipping, sliding, feeling great.
In February, grab your skis (Squat and swing arms from left to right.)
Down the mountain, fast and free.
In March we’ll do some hoops (Pretend to dribble a ball and then shoot.)
Basketball dribble, shoot, and loop.
In April let’s do track and field (Run in place and jump.)
Running, jumping down the field.
Chorus:
Biking, dancing, playing ball (Do jumping jacks, march, or
Winter, spring, summer, fall. a dance step.)
Staying fit and staying strong.
Playing sports all year long!
In May we’ll kick and punt the ball (Right foot kicks to the left
Playing soccer, one and all. and then left foot kicks to the right.)
In June baseball is so much fun (Pretend to swing a bat.)
Pitching, batting in the sun.
In July we’ll swim in the pool (Swim forwards, backwards, sidestroke.)
Backstroke, sidestroke, feeling cool.
In August we’ll all be gymnasts (Balance on right foot and lean forwards.)
Balancing, tumbling on the mats. (Balance on left foot and lean forwards.)
Chorus
September, now it’s football time: (Feet out and run in place.)
Down, set, hut on the scrimmage line.
October’s great for cheerleading, (Hands in air and jump up and down.)
Cheering on our favorite team.
November: let’s karate chop! (Pretend to chop right and then left.)
Kick and block – now don’t you stop!
December, swing your hockey stick- (Pretend to skate and swing a stick.)
Hit that puck, we never miss!
Chorus
Activities: Have a “sports day” where children wear clothing of their favorite team.
Discuss what it means to be a “good sport.” Role play being a good loser and a good winner.
Encourage children to bring equipment from sports they like to play. Write down the names of the equipment on the board and use for a writing activity.
Make a graph of their favorite sport or sports team.
Talk about where you went to college and why it is important to go to college. Let each child make a pennant of the college they would like to attend. Use the pennants to decorate your classroom.
Jump Up, Turn around, Cross the Midline
(Tune: Pick a Bale of Cotton)
Jump up, turn around, cross the midline, (Jump, turn, stretch arms left.)
Jump up, turn around, cross it every day. (Jump, turn, stretch arms right.)
Jump up, turn around, cross the midline,
Jump up, turn around, let’s see how many ways.
Bend low and pick that bean. (Bend down to the left with right hand.)
Bend low and pick that pea. (Bend down to the right with left hand.)
Bend low and pick that berry.
Bend low and get that squash for me.
Jump up stretch and pick that apple. (High to the left with right hand.)
Jump up stretch and pick that pear. (High to the right with left hand.)
Jump up stretch and pick that cherry.
Jump up and get that orange over there.
Now dig a hole with the shovel, (Pretend to hold shovel to left.)
Now weed a row with the hoe, (Pretend to dig on the right.)
Get that ax and chop those vines down, (Chop left to right.)
Lift that ax and chop to and fro. (Chop right to left.)
Grab a cart and let’s go shopping. (Pretend to hold a grocery cart and reach
Reach to the left and fill up your cart. right hand to left.)
Reach to the right and get some more things. (Reach left hand to right.)
Left, right, left, right, into the cart.
Use both hands and pull that boat in. (Pull from left to right.)
Use both hands and hoist that sail. (Stack hands and pull up and down.)
Now climb up with the ladder. (Pretend to climb a ladder.)
Get in the boat before it sails.
Make lazy eights with your right hand. (Make “8” laying down.)
Make lazy eights with your left hand, too.
Wave so long with your right hand. (Big wave in front of body.)
Left hand waves good-bye to you, too.
Activities: Have children put their two fists together to make their “brain.” Explain that both sides of the brain have to work together. Make “bridges” from one side to the other by crossing over our fingers. We can help make connections in our brains by crossing over this imaginary midline. (Draw a line down the middle of your body from your head.)
Make rainbow wands to use for cross lateral activities by taping tissue paper streamers to a craft stick.
Give children a strip of toilet paper to wave in the air as they follow along.
Juggling also activates both sides of the brain. You can give children scarves, 8” squares of netting, or wadded up paper balls to practice juggling.
Hand Jive
Time for our hands to dance with the “Hand Jive.”
We’ll do everything four times.
Slap your thighs four times.
Clap your hands four times.
Shuffle with the right hand on top four times.
Shuffle with the left hand on top four times.
Thump with your right hand on top four times.
Thump with your left hand on top four times.
Hitch hike right thumb four beats.
Hitch hike left thumb four beats.
Reach up and grab a star.
Put it in your hand.
Clap it.
Blow it and share it.
Now, let’s try some other hand dance:
Do the swim (Forwards and backwards.)
Funky Monkey (Fists go up and down.)
Disco (Point finger up and then down across your body.)
Cabbage patch (Fists together and then circle around.)
Genie (Elbows up and cross forearms. Lift forearms up, down, out, down.)
Twist (Twist upper body left and right.)
Activities: Use other popular music to do the hand jive.
Let children take turns leading the class in hand dances.
Reinforce math patterns with hand movements. Challenge children to do an AB pattern, AAB, BBA, ABC, AABBCC, and so forth.
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