Amambrocha To

This is a question-answer Cuban-American Game Variant of an old Spanish song in which the players name jobs they would like in Spanish.

Source: Ziamora Andux (Age 13) and Evelia Andux (Age 11) (1939) from the Library of Congress Recording

Arirang

This haunting Korean folk tune has been sung for over six hundred years.  Dr. Campbell suggests pairing it with a traditional changgo drum pattern.

Source: Campbell, Patricia Shehan. Tunes and Grooves for Music Education. p. 25

Zudio

An African-American Play Party for two lines of partners. Download dance steps or alternate improvisational dance.

Sources: Jones, Bessie and Hawes, Bess Lomax Step It Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Tradition. pp. 137-138
Eisen, Ann and Robertson, Lamar.  An American Methodology: An Inclusive Approach to Musical Literacy. p. 410

Ye Toop Doram

Farsi Ball Game from Iran and West Afghanistan
Source: Brown, Nyssa.  January 2010 Northwest Kodály Educators Workshop Notes.
Transcribed from Joan Litman

Yankee Doodle

An English song that became a popular square dance in America.
Sources:  Eisen, Ann and Robertson, Lamar.  An American Methodology: An Inclusive Approach to Musical Literacy p.409
Additional Lyrics from Pioneer Girl, Fact and Fiction of Laura Ingalls Wilder, A to Z

Sweet Potatoes

This Creole folk song from the Louisiana Bayou makes for a beautiful partner song when paired with Mango Walk.
Sources: Seeger, Pete.  Fireside Book of Fun and Game Songs.
Silver-Burdett Music Text

Slahal

This is a traditional bone game from the Salish tribe in British Columbia, Canada.  
Sources: Locke, Eleanor G. Sail Away: 155 American Folk Songs to Sing, Read, and Play.  p. 3
Stuart, Wendy B. The Canadian Journal for Traditional Music  Coast Salish Gambling Music
The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture Website

Skating Away

This 6/8-meter song is great for practicing the right hand star and elbow swing square dance moves.
Sources: Eisen, Ann and Robertson, Lamar.  An American Methodology: An Inclusive Approach to Musical Literacy. p. 384.
Kraus, Richard.  Square Dances of Today. p. 87

Simama Kaa

Kedmon Mapana says this song in the Swahili language is taught in schools in Tanzania.  It teaches the words simama (stand), kaa (sit), and ruka (jump).
Source: Mapana, Kedmon.  March 2012 Northwest Kodaly Educator Workshop Notes

Shalom Chaverim

This Hebrew-language round is a lovely minor tune, and works well as a farewell song.
Source: Zanzig, Augustus D.  101 Rounds for Singing. Published by World Around Songs, Inc. p. 42

Pizza Pizza

Upper elementary students giggle and cringe when they have to choose who their "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" is when they play this very active game, but still request it frequently.  I sometimes only ask them to name a favorite pizza topping.  This way is less controversial, but not as hilarious.
Source: Locke, Eleanor G. Sail Away: 155 American Folk Songs to Sing, Read, and Play p. 6
See Also: Pizza, Pizza Mighty Moe as written by Jones, Bessie and Hawes, Bess Lomax.  Step it Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage. p. 63

Old Dan Tucker (Variation)

I like to teach my students lots of versions of this song so they can see how it changes over time and place.  These verses are a lot of fun to sing, too.
Sources: Garson, Eugenia.  The Laura Ingalls Wilder Songbook p. 66
Words and Music Composed by Daniel Decatur Emmett
Additional Information at the website Pioneer Girl, fact and fiction of Laura Ingalls Wilder, A to Z

Old Dan Tucker

When I teach a unit about songs, games, and dances of the pioneers, this song gets the most requests.  It's funny and the dance can be complicated, or as simple as one dancer improvising in the middle of a circle of singers.
Sources: Ed. by Eisen, Ann and Robertson, Lamar.  An American Methodology: An Inclusive Approach to Musical Literacy p. 359
Lomax, John and Alan.  American Ballads and Folk Songs p. 258
Youtube has a great video of Fox and Branch playing their version of the song.

Ode To Joy

This tune is familiar to most of my students, who are excited to learn how to play it.  It is is a good song for presenting the dotted quarter and eighth note combination.
Melody is excerpted from Ludwid V. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

North Winds Blow

This is a translation of a Hungarian folk melody used by Zoltan Kodaly.  It has a beautiful minor tonality that fits with the melancholy feel of our Pacific Northwest winters.
Source: Silver-Burdett Music Text
Translated by Ivy Rawlins

My Paddle

This song sounds lovely when it's paired with a partner song, as Denise Bacon does, or sung in a round.  It's also great for presenting the syncopated eighth-quarter-eighth (or "syncopa") rhythm.
Source: Bacon, Denise.  46 Two-Part American Songs

Mango Walk

Mango Walk is a Jamaican Calypso tune that can be sung as a partner song with Sweet Potatoes.
Source: Silver-Burdett Music Text

Little Sally Walker (Variation)

My upper-elementary students frequently request this engaging movement improvisation game.
Source: Brown, Nyssa.  January 2010 Northwest Kodály Educators Workshop Notes
collected by Roemer, Kristen. Indiana University

Hi! Ho! The Rattlin' Bog

It's fun to see how fast students can tear through this cumulative Irish song.  Visuals will help you keep track of where you are in the song as it grows longer and longer.
Sources: Ed. by Eisen, Ann and Robertson, Lamar.  An American Methodology: An Inclusive Approach to Musical Literacy p. 331
Langstaff, John.  Hi! Ho! The Rattlin' Bog and other Songs for Group Singing

Draw Me A Bucket of Water

Though this is a fun and challenging cooperative game to play with older children, I also like to sing this as a parachute game with younger students.  When four students have gone under, they get to hop like frogs "in the bucket."
Source: Jones, Bessie and Hawes, Bess Lomax.  Step it Down: Games, Plays, Songs, and Stories from the Afro-American Heritage pp. 78 - 80