Letter A: Songs & Rhymes

Last year, we learned new songs and rhymes for each letter of the alphabet from The Measured Mom. This year, I've created an interactive songs and rhymes series that include movement, props and/or sound. My boys are almost three and one and so far, it's been a huge success. Here is what we did for Letter A:

1) The Ants Go Marching. 

• Option One: Movement Song. You can solely do the actions below or your child can wear an Ant Antenna while you sing (glue on two pipe cleaners to a headband). 

The ants go marching one by one (march)

Hurrah, hurrah. (fisted hand in the air on each hurrah)

The ants go marching one by one (march)

Hurrah, hurrah. (fisted hand in the air on each hurrah)

The ants go marching one by one, (march)

The little one stops to suck his thumb, (stop and pretend suck thumb)

And they all go marching down (march lower & lower to ground)

Into the ground to get out of the rain

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! (slap hands on the ground on each boom)

• Option Two: After singing through the song once, prepare an ant tunnel and plastic or printed ants. While singing through the song the second time, have your child practice fine motor skills by placing ants in the tunnel.

2) A is for Airplane. Tune of I'm a Little Teapot.

• Option One: Movement Song. "Fly" around the room like an airplane with your arms out while singing this song. 

I'm a little airplane watch me fly! (fly with arms out)

Here are my instruments low to high (point low to high)

First I get all revved up, then I fly, (fly with arms out)

Off the runway up into the sky. (jump into the sky)

• Option Two: Fly plastic airplanes (I bought ours from the Dollar Store in the party favors sections) or homemade Craft Stick Airplanes while singing the song.

3) A is for Apple: Tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb.

• Shake egg shakers (plastic eggs filled with rice) while singing this song. Both my boys LOVE using egg shakers while singing. My one couldn't be happier and my two is singing along with me in the picture below. 

Apple starts with Letter A,

Letter A, Letter A

Apple starts with Letter A

/A/ /A/ /A/ /A/ /A/

4) Apple Tree

• Pass a real apple OR a homemade, no sew apple bean bag (these are SO simple to make!) while singing this song. The person holding the apple when the song ends gets tickled. My three especially loved this game.

Apple tree, apple tree,
Will your apples fall on me?
I won't cry, I won't shout,
If your apples knock me out!

5) Five Little Monkeys

• Use Monkey & Alligator Puppet Cards (from pickle bum) while singing this rhyme. We laminated and hot glued the monkeys on popsicle sticks and cut slits in a paper towel roll for the monkeys to go. My boys switched off holding the alligator and would pull a monkey from the tree at the word "snaps!"

Five little monkeys swinging from the tree,

Teasing Mr. Alligator,

"You can't catch me!"

Along comes Mr. Alligator,

As quiet as can be (we always whisper this part)

And snaps a monkey 

Right out of that tree!

(Four little monkeys)