91: 12 Singing Games to Play in Your Homeschool & Why They're Important to Include

Do your kids love to sing, move, and laugh? Then today’s episode is going to be one of your favorites! 🎵

In this joyful episode of the Music in Our Homeschool podcast, Gena Mayo shares 12 of her very favorite singing games that bring energy, laughter, and deep musical learning to your homeschool days. These timeless games aren’t just for preschoolers—they’re powerful for older kids, teens, and even parents!

Discover how singing games combine rhythm, melody, language, movement, and teamwork—all while helping your children fall in love with music naturally. You’ll learn why these games are such a fun and effective tool for teaching steady beat, pitch, coordination, and listening skills.

Gena also shares practical tips on:

• How to adapt singing games for different ages and group sizes
• When to use them in your homeschool day (like after math for a quick reset!)
• Creative ways to connect them with history and geography lessons
• How to encourage older kids to lead the fun themselves

Whether you try “Aiken Drum,” “Bow Wow Wow,” or “Obwisana,” you’ll discover that singing games are more than just play—they’re a joyful way to teach music, build confidence, and create lasting family memories.

Find the full list of lyrics, teaching videos, and lesson ideas in the accompanying blog post below.

Find links to all resources mentioned in this episode here: https://musicinourhomeschool.com/singing-games-in-your-homeschool/ 

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Transcript

E92 12 Singing Games to Include in Your Homeschool

Speaker: [00:00:00] Hello, Harmony Heroes. Welcome back to the Music in Our Homeschool podcast. I'm your host, Gena Mayo, and today we're diving into one of the most joyful parts of teaching music, singing games. Now, when you hear the phrase singing games, you might immediately picture preschoolers, clapping and hopping in a circle.

And yes, singing games are perfect for the little ones, but here's a secret. Singing games are just as beneficial and fun for older kids, teens, and even adults. I've seen entire groups of moms and dads laughing and playing along once they're invited. You'll wanna head over to the accompanying blog post to this episode to see that in action.

So in this episode, I'll be sharing some of my very favorite singing games, the ones I've taught to my Music in Our Homeschool Plus members, to my own kids over the years, and even to my homeschool co-op classes. Along the way, I'll explain why singing [00:01:00] games are so powerful for both music education and in your homeschool, and I will give you some practical tips for how to make them work in your own family, no matter the ages or size of your group.

Before we jump into the games themselves, let's talk about the why. Why not just sing a song or listen to music? Why do a singing game? Well, singing games uniquely combine four essential elements of learning. Music: children practice rhythm, pitch, melody, and form without even realizing it. Movement: When kids move their bodies in time to the music, they develop coordination, internalize beat and rhythm more deeply than by just listening alone. Memory and language: They're learning lyrics, repeating chants, and anticipating the next part of the game. This helps build recall and sequencing skills. And social [00:02:00] skills: The games require cooperation, taking turns, and paying attention to others, skills we all know are vital in homeschooling households and in society in general.

For homeschooling families, singing games are incredibly flexible, too. You can do them one-on-one with just mom and a child, or you can adapt them for siblings of different ages. You could do them at a co-op or a play date when you have a big group of kids around to keep them engaged. You don't need fancy instruments or expensive resources, just your voices, movements, and maybe a simple household object sometimes.

Let me add this. Of course, singing games are fun. Sometimes as homeschoolers, we feel pressure to check boxes and push through difficult subjects, but fun has a purpose. When kids enjoy music, they're far more likely to develop a lifelong love of it. Singing games give them that spark.

[00:03:00] Now let's go through 12 of my favorite singing games. I've gathered these from years of teaching, at my co-op and when I taught music in the public school system, and even from my friend Debbie Richards, who shared several of these with our group as well.

The first one is called Chester. This one is all about rhythm and speed. The lyrics include motions pointing to your ears, putting your hands on your hips, waving them in the air. Kids start out slow and then get faster and faster. It's almost like a musical tongue twister for your body. The beauty of Chester is that kids are practicing steady beat, but because they're trying not to get tripped up with the motions, they don't even realize how much rhythm work they're actually doing. It's also hilarious, and by the end, you'll have giggles all around.

Aiken Drum is the next one. I love Aiken Drum, This Scottish folk song lets kids' imaginations run wild. His nose [00:04:00] might be made of carrots, his ears of pancakes, or his face of cheese. Sometimes I'll draw their silly ideas on the board as we sing. For older kids, I switch it up. We might use musical instruments for the body parts: a drum for his tummy, cymbals for his ears, a triangle for his nose. Suddenly, the game becomes an introduction to musical instruments of the orchestra. That's the beauty of singing games. One song can be adapted for multiple ages, and multiple teaching techniques and topics.

By the way, all of these are linked in the accompanying blog post to this episode. Find the link in the show notes.

The third one is Bow Wow Wow. This circle game is simple but powerful. Kids sing while clapping hands or holding hands, and it builds both connection and beat confidence. I'll never forget teaching this one to my kindergarten class years ago. We had 22 [00:05:00] kids plus an aide and me, so 24 people in the circle. We made it all the way through the circle, shaking hands with every other person in the class, and only later did I realize the very last child that I was in front of had chickenpox, and he had just touched every single person in that circle. Yikes. But it's a perfect story to show how singing games create shared unforgettable experiences.

Next is Dum Dum Dada. This chant can be simple or complex. Younger kids can do it with basic claps or stomps. Older kids can create intricate patterns with partners or small groups. Teens love the challenge. Yes, teens. Singing games don't have to stop after elementary school. In fact, when kids are older, the rhythmic complexity actually makes it more engaging.

Lucy Lockett is a favorite for [00:06:00] building listening skills. In the hot and cold version, one child hides the pocket while another searches. The group uses volume, singing louder or softer, to guide the searcher. This is early ear training in disguise. Children are not only singing, but they're actively listening and responding musically to what's happening in the game.

Obwisana is the next one. I love introducing kids to this Ghanaian stone passing game. Traditionally, it's done with rocks, but rhythm sticks or beanbags work beautifully, too. The steady beat and patterns help develop hand coordination while teaching kids about another culture's music. It's a tangible way to show that music is a universal language, even if the words are different.

We Are Dancing in the Forest. Kids love the drama of this one. The wolf in the middle can respond with something silly like, "I'm brushing my [00:07:00] teeth", or something scary like, "Yes, I'm ready." Either way, the game turns into a lively chase across the room. The unpredictability keeps kids on the edge of their seats, and it sneaks in improvisation when the wolf invents new responses.

Charlie Over the Ocean. This one is like Duck, Duck, Goose, but with a musical twist. It's great for larger groups and because it repeats kids quickly memorize the tune and start singing along. The chasing element keeps energy high and singing keeps the focus on music.

Here Sits a Monkey. This one has simple words, a simple melody, but it also has kids grinning from ear to ear. The monkey greets someone new each round, and the roles keep changing. It teaches kids to listen for cues in the song and to be ready to respond.

The next one, you have probably played yourself, London Bridge. Did you know that there are dozens [00:08:00] of verses to the song, though? From silver and gold to needles and pins. Kids can sing and dramatize all kinds of different scenarios as the bridge is built and torn down. It's folk tradition and storytelling wrapped into music.

The last two: Here comes Johnny, and Here's the Way We Billy, Billy encourage memory, rhythm, and social interaction. They're great for when you want something active but not too rowdy. Here Comes Johnny has the fun element of mystery as children try to guess who has the objects.

What are kids really learning with these singing games? Well, let's review. Musical growth through matching pitch, keeping a steady beat, understanding form, and improvisation. Cognitive growth through memorization, sequencing, and problem solving. Social growth: because they're working with partners, taking turns, respecting [00:09:00] rules, and sharing laughter. And physical growth: body coordination, balance, and motor skills.

Honestly, sometimes the most important growth is invisible. The joy of singing, the confidence of joining in, the sense of belonging when your child realizes, "Hey, I'm a part of this music too."

Let me wrap up today by giving you some practical advice on making singing games part of your homeschool. You can use them as a break after math or writing. Have a five-minute singing game to get the energy out and reset the mood.

You can start small. Don't feel like you need a full group. Many of these can work with just you and one child. But you can also invite the friends or siblings over. Games like Bow Wow Wow or Charlie Over the Ocean become a lot more fun with larger numbers.

Connect them to other lessons that you're learning. Pair Aiken Drum with a unit on Scotland, [00:10:00] or Obwisana with a study of Ghana.

And let older kids lead. Teens might roll their eyes at first, but when they're in charge of teaching the song or singing game to their younger siblings or making up new versions, they often surprise you with how much they get into it.

So again, those are some of my favorite singing games. Do you have one that I didn't mention? I would love for you to leave a comment and let me know about it. I hope you'll try one or two of these in your homeschool this week. Remember, singing games aren't just playtime. They're a powerful way to teach music, build community, and create some lifetime memories.

If you'd like the full set of lyrics and videos to help you learn these games, head over to the accompanying blog post to this episode. Find it in the show notes.

Thank you for joining me today, and until next time, keep singing, keep learning, and keep making music a joyful part [00:11:00] of your everyday homeschool life.

Find links to all resources mentioned in this episode here: https://musicinourhomeschool.com/singing-games-in-your-homeschool/