Childhood101

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Move over Wiggles and Hi-5…

Playschool is now way cool!

Immy watches Playschool each day, usually in the morning as I am trying to shower, get dressed and check my email. I see Playschool as an appropriate show for a toddler and whilst I love singing and dancing along with her, I also feel safe in knowledge that Immy will not be viewing anything inappropriate whilst I am showering. Obviously, I am not alone as Playschool has been on air for 40 years and 1 million Australian children watch it each week!

Now in my mind, Playschool has always been about stories, craft, role play, dancing and singing. Each show is thematically based and features a cast of regular ‘toy’ characters and usually some filmed tape of Australian children, their families and/or their homes and local environments. This is certainly what I remember from my own childhood and it appears very similar to what Immy watches today.

What I do not associate the Playschool of my childhood with is songs from popular culture. Imagine my surprise within the last week when I saw ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ and ‘The Time Warp’ (reworked as The Monster Groove) both performed on Playschool. It’s not that I mind Immy learning popular songs, after all my Mum reminded me that as children we used to dance up a storm to The Time Warp at my Aunty’s house, but I have always associated Playschool with nursery rhymes and simple children’s songs and dances. I want Immy to learn ‘I’m a Little Teapot’ and ‘One Little Elephant Balancing,’ before she starts dancing ‘The Macarena.’

So Playschool, please stick to the nursery rhymes and fun, simple, innocent children’s songs and dances. Our children grow up way too fast as it is.

Reclaim Nursery Rhymes in your home. How many of these 50 nursery rhymes and children’s songs do you know and sing with your children?

  • Baa Baa Black Sheep
  • Clap, Clap, Clap, If You Feel You Want Too
  • Do Your Ears Hang Low?
  • Five Little Ducks
  • Five Cheeky Monkeys Jumping On The Bed
  • Five Little Speckled Frogs
  • Heads and Shoulders, Knees and Toes
  • Here We Go ‘Round The Mulberry Bush
  • Hey, Diddle, Diddle!
  • Humpty Dumpty
  • If You’re Happy & You Know It
  • I Have Two Hands
  • I Hear Thunder
  • I’m A Little Teapot
  • Incy Wincy Spider
  • Its Raining, Its Pouring
  • Jack and Jill
  • Jelly On a Plate
  • Kookaburra Sits
  • Little Bo Peep
  • Little Miss Muffet
  • Little Peter Rabbit
  • London Bridge
  • Mary Had A Little Lamb
  • Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
  • Miss Polly Had A Dolly
  • Mr Frog
  • Old Macdonald
  • One Little Elephant Balancing
  • One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Once I Caught A Fish Alive
  • Open Shut Them
  • Pat A Cake, Pat A Cake
  • Polly Put The Kettle On
  • Put a Spot Over Here
  • Ride A Cock Horse
  • Ring A Ring A Roses
  • Round And Round The Garden
  • Row, Row, Row Your Boat
  • Sing A Song Of Sixpence
  • See Saw Marjory Daw
  • She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain
  • Skidamarink
  • Sing A Rainbow
  • Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear Turn Around
  • 10 Little Indians
  • The Alphabet Song
  • The Ants Go Marching
  • The Grand Old Duke of York
  • The Wheels on the Bus
  • There Were Five In The Bed
  • This Little Piggy
  • Ths Old Man
  • Three Blind Mice
  • Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
  • Where is Thumbkin?

Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.

Read more of Christie's adventures at https://childhood101.com.

Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. SquiggleMum says

    August 3, 2009 at 10:25 AM

    I'm pleased to say there are only three songs on the list that I don't regularly sing with my kids! In saying that though - I did major in music in my education degree, I do sing pretty much all day long with my kids, and I still haven't quite given up my dream of presenting on Playschool!

  2. Fiona says

    August 3, 2009 at 10:25 AM

    I think I know all of them. But I was a Playschool kid in the 80s. :D

    (oha nd I thought it was one GREY elephant ballancing? Step by step on a piece of string...)

  3. Theta Mom says

    August 3, 2009 at 12:25 PM

    I know probably all of them but I was in
    pre-school in the 80's! When I was working full-time, my son was in a day-care that sang all of those songs. He would sing them to me at bath time. Now that I am home with him, I should do more singing of these songs with him! Thanks for stopping by my blog. :)

  4. Busy Brissy Mum says

    August 3, 2009 at 11:01 PM

    We do a lot of singing of songs for littlies in our house and they are all on your list but then I used to work with littlies before I was a mum. We have to sing the 5 Grey Elephants song nearly every time we go to a park!!

    The Playschool Concert was a blast last week. Lots of singing nursery rhyme fun.

  5. m a m a :: m i l i e u says

    August 4, 2009 at 4:40 AM

    I hate to admit that I am a pretty big dork--I know if not love most of those.

    I absolutely agree with you regarding pop culture appearing on show and movies meant for children. I also am saddened by the amount of pop culture that is replacing good ol' nursery rhymes. It's funny, I was just complaining to my husband about this the other day...

  6. Christie Burnett says

    August 11, 2009 at 1:00 PM

    Squigglemum - I too have dreamed of being a presenter on Playschool. I don't really have a musical bone in my body but children's songs fortunately do not contain a great degree of difficulty!

    Fiona - you are probably right on the elephant.

    Theta Mom - preschool in the 80's, you young thing, I'm jealous!

    Busy Brissy Mum - we are waiting for the Playschool concert to come to Perth in just a few weeks.

    Mama Milieu - we need to start a movement, "Let Kids Be Kids."

    Thank you all for your comments.

  8. Candy Lawrence says

    June 13, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    What about Dingle-Dangle Scarecrow? Toddlers absolutely love that one. And It's Raining, It's Pouring... and Michael Finnegan... so many great rhymes and songs!

  9. Amanda Kendle says

    June 13, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    Great list Christie although I'm pleased to discover there are only a few I don't know (will look them up!). I had no idea there would be modern music on Playschool these days (we're still a no TV house as far as small boy's concerned) but am also a little disappointed to hear it! Oh well, he'll have to keep listening to me instead ;-)

  10. Kristine says

    July 16, 2011 at 3:17 AM

    I have to admit, I'm awful. Not only with nursery rhymes but with regular songs on the radio. I can never remember the words. Thank you for this post! Now, the question is - how can I print off all the words to these songs without having to click into each one?

  11. Kristine says

    July 16, 2011 at 3:29 AM

    Okay, I apparently type before I think, in my case "try". I thought you could click on each of the songs and get the words. My bad.

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