Getting To Know Myself

Introduction
These movement oriented songs and activities take advantage of a child's natural desire to explore, experience and discover. They help a child:

- Name parts of the body
- Learn the capabilities of each part
- Develop awareness of space and direction
- Identify feelings and emotions

The activities take advantage of a child's natural desire to explore, experience and discover. These movement oriented songs cover vocabulary related to self-awareness. Examples include:

Parts of the Body – hands, feet, arms, legs, hands, toes, elbows, knees, wrist, eyes, ears, neck, ankle, stomach.

Ways of Moving – walk, run, jump, hop, tip-toe, shake, bend, unbend, stretch, twist, touch, close, open, wiggle, turn, fly like a bird, swim like a fish, crawl like a bug.

Space and Direction – Front, back, side, up, down, over, under, forward, backward, inside, outside, behind, in front of, in back of, through, left, right.

Feelings and Emotions – happy, sad, angry, afraid, tired, sleepy.

The easy to do actions provide opportunities for involvement and success and thereby help to enhance a child's self-concept.

Click Title for Lyrics:
1. Feelings
2. Sammy
3. Touch
4. Shake Something
5. The Circle
6. Turn Around


7. Circle Game
8. Left And Right
9. Be My Friend
10. Change
11. What Do People Do
12. Opposite

1. Feelings
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary and Concepts:
- Identifying the feelings happy, sad, angry, sleepy and funny.
- Recognizing feelings are part of being alive and the value of
expressing them.

Action:
Participants act out the emotions that are named.

Variations:
Participants can draw simple faces to illustrate the various emotions.
These can be used as visuals to go along with the music.

Lyric:
Sometime I'm feeling happy and I'm wearing a smile
Let me show you how I look when I'm feeling happy

Sometime I'm feeling sad and I'm wearing a frown
Let me show you how I look when I'm feeling sad

Oh, feelings don't always stay the same
They can change
Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm sad
It's okay, It's not bad

Sometime I'm feeling angry and I stamp my feet
Let me show you how I look when I'm feeling angry

Sometime I'm feeling sleepy and I have to yawn
Let me show you how I look when I'm feeling sleepy

Oh, feelings don't always stay the same
They can change
Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm sad
It's okay, It's not bad

Sometime I'm feeling funny and I have to laugh
Let me show you how I look when I'm feeling funny

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2. Sammy
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary and Concepts:
- Recognizing and moving like a bird, fish, bug, and bunny.
- Appreciating and accepting yourself as you are.

Action:
Children move like the animal or insect that is named in each verse.

Lyric:
This is a story 'bout Sammy
His father sent him out to buy bread
But Sammy didn't feel like walkin'
He wished he could fly instead, and he said,
"If I were a bird I could fly to the store, *
Fly to the store, fly to the store
If I were a bird I could fly to the store
Fly to the store for my father."

This is a story 'bout Sammy
His father sent him out to buy bread
But Sammy didn't feel like walkin'
He wished he could swim instead, and he said,
"If I were a fish I could swim to the store, *
Swim to the store, swim to the store
If I were a fish I could swim to the store
Swim to the store for my father."

This is a story 'bout Sammy
His father sent him out to buy bread
But Sammy didn't feel like walkin'
He wished he could crawl instead, and he said,
"If I were a bug I could crawl to the store, *
Crawl to the store, crawl to the store
If I were a bug I could crawl to the store
Crawl to the store for my father."

This is a story 'bout Sammy
His father sent him out to buy bread
But Sammy didn't feel like walkin'
He wished he could hop instead, and he said,
"If I were a bunny I could hop to the store, *
Hop to the store, hop to the store
If I were a bunny I could hop to the store
Hop to the store for my father."

Then Sammy remembered about the loaf of bread
And he knew he better move along
And as he walked he started to smile
And he made up a brand new song

I'm glad I'm me and I'm walking to the store
Walking to the store, walking to the store
I'm glad I'm me and I'm walking to the store
Walking to the store for my father

* In an earlier version of this song, this line read If I was a bird . . . In the remixed and    remasterd version of this recording the line has been corrected to If I were a bird . . .

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3. Touch
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
Hands, toes, elbows, knees, wrist, ear, nose, knee, shoulder, fingers, back, neck,
ankle, stomach.

Action:
Working individually, children connect pairs of body parts as they are named.

Lyric:
Touch your hands to your toes
Touch your elbows to your knees
Touch your wrist to your ear
Touch your nose to your knee
Touch your shoulder to your ear
Touch your fingers to your back

Touch your neck to your wrist
Touch your toes to your nose
Touch your ear to your knee
Touch your toes to your toes
Touch your ankle to your wrist
Touch your elbow to your stomach

Touch somebody else's hand
Touch somebody else's foot

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4. Shake Something
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
up and down, 'round and 'round, bend and unbend, shake, twist, back and forth,
side to side, fast, slow

Action:
Children find something that can move in the ways that are named.
This can be a part of the body or something in the physical
environment. Notice and encourage the different responses.

Lyric:
Can you make something go up and down?
Can you make something else go up and down?
Can you make something go 'round and 'round?
Can you make something else go 'round and 'round?
Can you shake something, shake something,
Shake it all about?

Can you find something that can bend and unbend?
Can you find something else you can bend and unbend?
Can you find something that you can twist?
Can you find something else that you can twist?
Can you shake something, shake something,
Shake it all about?

Can you make something go back and forth?
Can you make something go side to side?
Can you make something go very fast?
Can you make something go very slowly?
Can you shake something, shake something,
Shake it all about?

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5. The Circle
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
hand, foot, inside, outside, one, both, slowly

Materials:
One large circle for a group of children, or many small circles, one
for each child. Circles can be made in many ways:
- Draw a circle on the floor,
- Lay out a jump rope in the shape of a circle
- Cut circles out of cardboard
- Make hoops from flexible plastic pipe or hose.

Action:
The children solve problems as they are sung. Although the
challenges are fairly specific, allow and encourage variation in
response. For example, a child might respond to the challenge, "Can
you put one hand inside the circle," by putting one hand on the floor
inside the circle while another may put a hand in the air but still
inside the circle. A child could also continue to walk around the circle
while placing one hand inside.

Lyric:
Can you walk around the circle walk around?
Can you walk around the circle walk around?
Can you stand inside the circle, stand inside?
Can you stand outside the circle, stand outside?

Can you put one hand inside the circle?
Can you put both hands inside the circle?
Can you put one foot inside the circle?
Can you put both feet inside the circle?

Can you do a little jumping, do a little jumping
do a little jumping inside the circle?
Do a little jumping, do a little jumping
do a little jumping inside?

Can you stand outside the circle, stand outside?
Can you walk around the circle walk around?
Can you walk around the circle very slowly?
Can you walk around the circle very slowly?


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6. Turn Around
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
-Body Parts: eyes, head, feet, hands, arms, legs, fingers, mouth, nose, ears,
back, stomach, waist.
-Movements: close, open, wiggle, stamp loudly and softly, clap loudly and softly,
shake, touch, rub, bend, turn around

Action:
Children perform the actions as they are sung.

Lyric:
Close your eyes
Open your eyes
Nod your head
And turn around, turn around, turn around

Open your mouth,
Close your mouth
Wiggle your nose,
And turn around, turn around, turn around

Stamp your feet loudly
Stamp your feet softly
Clap your hands loudly
And clap your hands very softly

Shake your arms
Shake your legs
Wiggle your fingers
And turn around, turn around, turn around

Touch your ears
Scratch your back
Rub your stomach
And turn around, turn around, turn around

Stamp your feet loudly
Stamp your feet softly
Clap your hands loudly
And clap your hands very softly

Bend your arms
Bend your legs
Bend from your waist
And turn around, turn around, turn around

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7. Circle Game
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
-Space and Direction: around, in, out, inside, outside, over, above, below, side, between, behind, in front, forward, backward, through, under
-Movements: hop, jump, pick up, throw, bend.

Materials:
A circle or hoop 2'-3' in diameter for each child.
These circles can be:
- Circles cut out of cardboard
- Hoops made from flexible plastic pipe or hose.
- Commercially made hula hoops.

Action:
Children perform the actions that are presented in this song.

Lyric:
It's the circle game, the circle game
You can do so many things in the circle game

Can you hop around the circle on one foot?
Can you hop inside the circle on the other foot?
Can you jump out of the circle?
Can you jump over the circle?

Can you hold the circle above your head?
Can you hold the circle below your knees?
Put the circle on the ground to the side of you?
Can you stand so the circle is between your legs?

It's the circle game, the circle game
You can do so many things in the circle game

Can you stand so the circle is behind you?
Can you stand so the circle is in front of you?
Can you jump forward over the circle?
Can you jump backward over the circle?

Can you pick the circle up with one hand?
Can you put your other had through the circle?
Can you stand under the circle?
Can you throw it in the air and then catch it?

It's the circle game, the circle game
You can do so many things in the circle game

Can you put your head through the circle?
Can you put your circle on the ground if front of you?
Can you bend forward over the circle?
Can you pick the circle up and put it away?

It's the circle game, the circle game
You can do so many things in the circle game
It's the circle game, the circle game
You can do so many things in the circle game

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8. Left And Right
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
- Space and Direction: left, right
- Movements: walk, run, jump, hop, point, side step, tiptoe

Action:
Children spread out and face the same direction. They follow the
directions presented in the song. In working with a group that is not
familiar with left and right, a leader can stand in front, facing the
same direction as the children and indicate the direction by pointing
or waving a flag.

Lyric:
Who can do some walking to the left?
Who can do some walking to the right?
Who can do some running to the left?
Who can do some running to the right?

Oh left and right is what we say
When we want to name the way

Who can do some jumping to the right?
Who can do some hopping to the left?
Who can do some pointing to the left?
Who can do the side step to the right?

Yes, left and right is what we say
When we want to name the way

Who can softly tiptoe to the left?
Who can softly tiptoe to the right?
Who can do some looking to the right?
Who can do some jumping to the left?

Oh left and right is what we say
When we want to name the way

Who can do some moving left or right?
Now can you say which way you moved?

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9. Be My Friend
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Goal:
To help children recognize their own names, and the names of other
children in the group

Action:
An instrumental phrase is followed by the line, "Won't you be my friend." During the instrumental phrase, the leader sings one or two names of people in the group. The group responds by singing, "Won't you be my friend?"

Variations:
The child named stands and claps her/his hands. This continues until everyone is standing and clapping.

Lyric:
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?

__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?

Won't you come along and join my little song
All you have to do is stand and clap your hands
Won't you come along and join my little song
All you have to do is stand and clap your hands

__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?

__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?
__________ won't you be my friend?

Won't you come along and join my little song
All you have to do is stand and clap your hands
Won't you come along and join my little song
All you have to do is stand and clap your hands

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10. Change
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
direction, level, speed

Action:
This instrumental selection is designed to accompany exploration of direction, level
and speed The leader rings a bell or triangle at the end of each musical phrase. The children move through space and change direction, level or speed each time they
hear the bell ring.

There are four simple phrases in the first eight bars. The leader rings a bell or triangle at the end of each musical phrase. The next eight bars alternate between 4/4 and 3/4 time and the leader may ring the bell at any time.

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11. What Do People Do
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
Feelings: angry, sad, afraid, happy

Action:
Children act out the ways people express various emotions.

Lyric:
What do people do when they're feeling angry?
How do they show the world?
Some people stamp ... and some people yell ...
And that's what people do when they're feeling angry
That's how they show the world

What do people do when they're feeling sad?
How do they show the world?
Some people frown ... and some people cry ..
And that's what people do when they're feeling sad
That's how they show the world

What do people do when they feel afraid?
How do they show the world?
Some people freeze ... and some people shake ...
And that's what people do when they feel afraid
That's how they show the world

What do people when they're feeling happy?
How do they show the world?
Some people laugh ... and some people dance ...
And that's what people do when they're feeling happy
That's how they show the world

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12. Opposite
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Vocabulary:
High, low, up, down, slow, fast, loud, soft, apart, together, backward, forward.

Action:
Children do each action named in the song, and follow by doing the opposite.

Lyric:
Can you reach high, so high?
Do the opposite, opposite
Can you look up, then do the opposite?

Can you sit down, sit down?
Do the opposite, opposite
Make yourself short, then do the opposite

Everyone walk slowly
Can you do the opposite?

Clap your hands loudly, so loudly
Do the opposite, opposite
Can you bend forward. then do the opposite?

Move your feet fast, so fast
Do the opposite, opposite
Put your hand up, then do the opposite

Everyone walk slowly
Can you do the opposite?

Move your feet apart, apart
Do the opposite, opposite
Open you mouth, then do the opposite

Clap your hands slowly, so slowly
Do the opposite, opposite
Can you bend backward, then do the opposite?
Do the opposite.

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This is the first recording where Hap used professional studio musicians.
Recorded at Hollywood Sound Recorders in 1972, this production features:

Credits:
Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinette: Jim Gordon
Bass: Bill Perry
Electric, Acoustic Guitars: Rick White
Drums, Percussion: John Raines
Vocals, Guitar, Recorder: Hap Palmer
Children's Chorus: Kathy Flaherty, Bobby Flaherty, Patty Flaherty
Engineer: Tom Perry
Background Vocals "Shake Something": Pat Hallum, Anna Carter
Cover Design and Illustrations: Lianna Kelley

All Songs by Hap Palmer ©Hap-Pal Music
Recorded in 1972 at Hollywood Sound Recorders

All songs published by Hap-Pal Music. ©Hap-Pal Music all rights reserved. No part of these lyrics or activities may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher.

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