Images - children role playing Goldilocks and the Three Bears    
You can use household objects to act out the Goldilocks songs.    

more tips        

using traditional songs       

Ideas for using traditional songs to help young children learn English on the British Council's Language Assistant and Teaching English websites.   

using music and songs       

Tips for teachers about using music and songs in the classroom on teaching English.   

developing pronunciation through songs Notes for teachers on using songs to practise pronunciation.           

using songs on learnenglish kids       

Find general notes about using the songs on LearnEnglish Kids. The notes are for teachers but there are some useful tips for parents.   

using learnenglish kids with your child    

Using traditional songs    

You'll find traditional songs for children on LearnEnglish Kids on this page:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-songs-traditional

The songs are animated Flash movies that you can watch online. You'll also find lyrics and activities to download and print, and links to related activities. The songs are probably best for younger children, and will also be suitable for pre-school children.

using traditional songs

Singing is a great way for your child to learn English.

• Songs are easy to remember and are a fun way to learn new vocabulary and practise pronunciation.
• Children will learn sections or chunks of language through songs.
• Many traditional songs have very catchy tunes that will stick in your child’s mind.
• You can sing them anywhere without needing any equipment!

Once you and your child know a few songs in English you can sing them on car journeys or as you walk to school. Every time you repeat them, your child will be revising the language and practising their pronunciation.

Here are some ideas for using the traditional songs on Learn English Kids with your child.

• For all the songs, the best way to start is to watch and listen to the song on-line several times to familiarise yourselves with the tune. The images you see as you listen to the song will help your child understand the meaning.
• When you feel confident with the music, start to sing along. Don’t worry if you make mistakes as that’s part of the learning process.
• When you know the song here are some simple activities you can do at home to bring the songs to life and make them memorable for your child.
• You can print the song lyrics from the website so you can sing the song without looking at the lyrics on the computer screen.

Remember that the main thing is you and your child have fun singing together in English.

If You're Happy and You Know It

Do the actions to the song with your child   
Adapt the song by changing the lyrics depending on what your child is doing or how they’re feeling. For example, ‘If you’re hungry and you know it, eat a pear’, ‘If you’re dirty and you know it, have a bath’, ‘If you’re tired and you know it, go to bed’ etc. By incorporating the song into their daily routines around the house you will personalise it and make it more memorable. As you introduce new adjectives, act them out so the meaning is clear.     

Old MacDonald

Use any animal toys that your child has and as you sing the song encourage your child to pick up the right animal. You could also include other toys and make up new verses to the song. 'Old MacDonald has a car… with a broom broom here….' or   'Old MacDonald has a teddy bear… with a cuddle cuddle here…' etc. Again, by using your child's toys you are personalising the song and will make the learning experience more memorable.     
For a fantastic selection of paper based activities and games based around the song of Old MacDonald have a look at this link:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/download/britlit/oldmac/oldmac.shtml   

Goldilocks

As you sing the song with your child act out the scenes using a doll, or themselves as Goldilocks, and some household items. As you sing the song together ask your child to touch the right items, (the big bowl, the small bowl or the tiny bowl) as they appear in the song.     
Sing the song leaving the key words (bowl, chair, bed and bear) and see if your child can fill the gaps as you sing.   
Use actions as you sing the song. When you sing ‘house’ make a roof over your head with your arms, when you sing ‘big’, ‘small’ and ‘tiny’ show the sizes with your arms out wide, and use your fingers to count ‘1,2,3’.   

Incy Wincy Spider
For detailed notes on how to use Incy Wincy Spider, and instructions for simple actions to do as you sing the song see:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/parents-tips-bugs.htm

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