Ambos A Do

A game song from Puerto Rico that is a variant of a song that probably came to Spain in the eighteenth century from France, known as Un Beau Chateau (A Beautiful Castle) that gradually lost its meaning over time, becoming the nonsense words Ambos A Do.  This version could be used to practice re.

Source: Folkways Recording of Deisy Parilla (age 10) with other children (1977).

Who's That Tapping at the Window?

A guessing-game song that's great for vocal or instrumental improvisation.
Source: Ed. by Erdei, Peter.  150 American Folk Songs to Sing, Read, and Play. p. 7

Wallflowers

This circle game from the British Isles has Irish and Scottish variations and seems to refer to a deadly measles outbreak, of which there were many recorded in the 1700s and 1800s.
Source: Locke, Eleanor G.  Sail Away: 155 American Folk Songs to Sing, Read, and Play.  p. 16
Information about measles outbreaks from the Keighley and District Family History Society website which cites statistics from the Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies.

Suo Gan

This beautiful Welsh lullaby has only three notes but offers many possible verses and potential arrangements.
Source: SPU Kodaly Summer Institute, Level 1 Materials

Round and Round

My first and second grade students who love to walk in a crouch go crazy for this song that commands, "Down (Mr. or Miss) (So and So), you must go."
Source: Ed. by Locke, Eleanor G.  Sail Away: 155 American Folk Songs to Sing, Read, and Play.  p. 14

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.

How Many Miles to Babylon?

This call-and-response song has two lines of players singing back and forth to each other, and is good for practicing ti ticka.
Source: Ed. by Erdei, Peter.  150 American Folk Songs to Sing, Read, and Play p. 7

Frog in the Meadow

Though there is a classroom game described in Sail Away, it can also be played as a leap-frog game.
Sources: Locke, Eleanor G.  Sail Away: 155 American Songs to Sing, Read, and Play. p. 7
Brown, Frank C.  Collection of North Carolina Folklore, Vol. V  p. 535

Black Snake

Students of all ages enjoy playing this as a "cut the cake" game, and the leaders like to decide what kind and color of biting animal they would like to be.  A good song for preparing and presenting the eighth-quarter-eighth rhythm (or "syncopa").  Source: Trinka, Jill.  The Little Black Bull p.2