Monday, June 1, 2020

Spotted bush snake

This is an old song  recorded in the early 2000s. Its message remains unchanged: respect and protect wild creatures, especially those that are maligned because of our own ignorance and fear. Snakes, when properly handled, take their place in the greater ecosystem and should not be killed indiscriminately. 

This is a useful song to foster animal treatment awareness and other environmental issues with children. The very pretty bush snake in question chose to live under flower pot for a while, becoming quite charmingly tame and relaxed in the presence of humans. 




Liz Campbell is the sole writer and composer of all the published material on this blogsite, unless otherwise stated.

She has further blogsites:
   Epitaph: on loss and finding  https://epitaph-lost-found.blogspot.com/
   aspects of smallholding https://jessam-smallholding.blogspot.com/

Explore the collection of Stones Hill songs-and -dances for children listed below  - share them with people whom you know will use and enjoy them. Please acknowledge source and composer if piece is used for public performance - copyright Liz Campbell, Stones Hill songs. Feedback would also be appreciated - how the song works for you, how you may have used it:     liz.jessam@gmail.com

https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2020/05/sing-song-of-seasons.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/11/walking-stopping.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/11/sand-sand-everywhere.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/spring-is-sprung_9.htm
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/old-macdonald_20.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-ant-house_18.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/old-king-glory.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/we-need-bees.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/my-animal-friends.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/08/plastic-bottle-eco-brick_22.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/09/hand-game_17.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/figure-of-8_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/so-many-things-my-body-can-do.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/i-was-walking-along_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/come-on-and-dance-like-clown.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/i-have-eyes-to-see.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/one-little-thumb.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/good-morning_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/all-join-hands-and-make-circle_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/09/come-on-everybody.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-little-body_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/choosing_1.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/i-have-one_12.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/alphabet-bounce_87.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/11/lift-your-voice-and-sing.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/12/farewell-song.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/i-went-shopping.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/round-garden_48.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/creepy-crawly_10.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/05/tree-in-wood_16.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/09/building-up-house_16.html




Saturday, May 30, 2020

Sing a song of seasons

Here's a song, by special request from Flossy's preschool here in Makhanda/ Grahamstown/ South Africa, for the changing of the seasons; I've taken it further to include the changing of so much of our lives as we are all touched by the Covid pandemic. We miss our singing and dancing together - it's not quite the same copying off a screen!



Sing a song of seasons    autumn's blowing in         whoosh!                                      

Trees are shedding leaves and blowing in the wind       vrrrrr!

Days are getting shorter    the sun a little low               brrrr!

and if the clouds begin to grow you never know it might just snow     

                                         

 Sing a song of seasons      I'm missing all my friends          Hello!     

Can't wait to play with you again as soon as lockdown ends      Yes!

The days are getting shorter    the sun a little low            brrrrrr!

Before we finish up this song we'll find that covid's moved along                                


                                                                                              

Liz Campbell is the sole writer and composer of all the published material on this blogsite, unless otherwise stated.

She has further blogsites:
   Epitaph: on loss and finding  https://epitaph-lost-found.blogspot.com/
   aspects of smallholding https://jessam-smallholding.blogspot.com/

Explore the collection of Stones Hill songs-and -dances for children listed below  - share them with people whom you know will use and enjoy them. Please acknowledge source and composer if piece is used for public performance - copyright Liz Campbell, Stones Hill songs. Feedback would also be appreciated - how the song works for you, how you may have used it:     liz.jessam@gmail.com

https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/11/walking-stopping.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/11/sand-sand-everywhere.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/spring-is-sprung_9.htm
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/old-macdonald_20.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-ant-house_18.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/old-king-glory.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/we-need-bees.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/my-animal-friends.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/08/plastic-bottle-eco-brick_22.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/09/hand-game_17.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/figure-of-8_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/so-many-things-my-body-can-do.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/i-was-walking-along_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/come-on-and-dance-like-clown.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/i-have-eyes-to-see.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/one-little-thumb.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/good-morning_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/all-join-hands-and-make-circle_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/09/come-on-everybody.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-little-body_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/choosing_1.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/i-have-one_12.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/alphabet-bounce_87.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/11/lift-your-voice-and-sing.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/12/farewell-song.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/i-went-shopping.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/round-garden_48.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/creepy-crawly_10.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/05/tree-in-wood_16.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/09/building-up-house_16.html



Friday, March 27, 2020

Lockdown


                 *from STONES HILL SONGS*

Here's a song as we go into lockdown here in South Africa, at midnight on March 26, an unprecedented, drastic measure to stem the overwhelming tide of the Covid-19 virus. 



"Lockdown" has a ring of rough horseplay to it; so in the dance the children stand with feet fairly wide apart to brace for whatever is coming. A wide base gives us a sense of dynamic strength. Use fists to further convey this. There is also a point where we balance (a posture called 'cat stance'); certainly any  shifting balance practice will build resilience, a highly desirable trait in unstable times. 

The song makes use of the typical Covid greeting - using the elbow, or crossing the arms across the chest rather than shaking hands or hugging (as South Africans love to do). It reminds us of to wash our hands - apparently the simplest and most important preventative measure - and we practice sneezing into our crooked elbow to prevent spreading our germs.

As with all the songs on this site, it is plainly and clearly recorded for easy copy-learning. Add guitar, drums, shakers if you like, or just dance-and-sing it unaccompanied. To put singing AND dancing together involves many highly complex cortical functions, so do this activity with your children while you're cooped up at home in lockdown

I dedicate this song to the children at St Mary's Development Centre in Grahamstown - the best and most enthusiastic singer-dancers I know - and to the younger lively group at Flossy's pre-school. We'll meet again on the other side of this tidal wave when it's washed through, and sing and dance together some more! 

Explore the collection of Stones Hill songs-and -dances for children listed below  - share them with people whom you know will use and enjoy them. Please acknowledge source and composer if piece is used for public performance - copyright Liz Campbell, Stones Hill songs. Feedback would also be appreciated - how the song works for you, how you may have used it:     liz.jessam@gmail.com

https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/11/walking-stopping.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/11/sand-sand-everywhere.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/spring-is-sprung_9.htm
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/old-macdonald_20.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-ant-house_18.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/old-king-glory.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/we-need-bees.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/10/my-animal-friends.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/08/plastic-bottle-eco-brick_22.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/09/hand-game_17.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/figure-of-8_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/so-many-things-my-body-can-do.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/i-was-walking-along_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/come-on-and-dance-like-clown.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/i-have-eyes-to-see.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/one-little-thumb.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/good-morning_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/08/all-join-hands-and-make-circle_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/09/come-on-everybody.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-little-body_26.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/choosing_1.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/i-have-one_12.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/10/alphabet-bounce_87.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/11/lift-your-voice-and-sing.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2018/12/farewell-song.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/i-went-shopping.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/round-garden_48.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/03/creepy-crawly_10.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/05/tree-in-wood_16.html
https://connectsongdance.blogspot.com/2019/09/building-up-house_16.html