Songs - Waiata

 The North Wind Doth Blow 

The north wind doth blow, 
And we shall have snow, 
And what will poor robin do then? 
Poor thing. 
 
He'll sit in a barn, 
And keep himself warm, 
And hide his head under his wing, 
Poor thing. 
 
The North wind doth blow, 
And we shall have snow, 
And what will the doormouse do then? 
Poor thing. 
 
She'll curl in a ball, 
In her nest oh-so small, 
And wait for the coming of spring, 
Poor thing. 
 
The north wind doth blow, 
And we shall have snow, 
And what will the daisies do then? 
Poor things. 
 
They'll stay in the grass, 
'Til winter has passed, 
And wait for the coming of spring, 
Poor things. 
 
The north wind doth blow, 
And we shall have snow, 
And what will the swallows do then? 
Poor things. 
 
Oh say, don't you know? 
They were gone long ago, 
To a country much warmer than this, 
Poor things. 

Tovishka

Tovishka, Tovishka, Castles in Tovishka 

Where there no lassies I’d nare be a soldier (can change this line to come up with more ideas, pumpkins and farmers for example)

Hu ya! Hu ya ya! Hu ya! Hu ya ya! Hu ya! Hu ya ya ya! Hu ya! 

 

Hold hands in a circle, step and out on each word first line. Side to side each word second line. Third line slap thighs (hu) and clap (ya). 

Round and round the earth is turning, 
Turning always into morning, 
And from morning into night. 

I see the sun and the sun sees me 

God bless the sun and God bless me 

I see the moon and the moon sees me 

God bless the moon and God bless me 

I see my star and my star sees me 

God bless my star and God bless me 

I see you and you see me 

God bless you and God bless me 

Morning has come 

Night is away 

Rise with the sun 

And welcome the day 

(Can be sung holding hands and walking in a circle to the beat of the song. Can also be done as a snake with a head child and a tail child – holding hands and moving inward into a spiral and out again) 

Māhunga
Pakahiwi
Puku
Hope
Waewae!

Taringa, whatu, ihu, waha e!

Challenge yourself and skip one each time you run through, for example first round do them all, then miss māhunga, next round miss māhunga and pakahiwi, the children love this! See if you can do the whole thing with no words, then add them in again one by one.

Pusi Nofo

A sailor went to sea sea sea 

To see what he could sea sea sea

But all that he could sea sea sea 

Was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea

A sailor went to knee knee knee 

To see what he could knee knee knee

But all that he could knee knee knee

Was the bottom of the deep blue knee knee knee, sea sea sea

A sailor went to chop chop chop

To see what he could chop chop chop

But all that he could chop chop chop

Was the bottom of the deep blue chop chop chop, knee knee knee, sea sea sea

Come up with some more actions to add on, we quite like, sail, bake, jump, nose, snap

CHIP-CHOP, CHIPPITY-CHOP  

The woodsman with his chopper chops.  

Chip, chop, chippity chop  

Stout and strong and proper chops.  

On kōwhai, beech and rātā,  

His hatchet brightly rings. 

And when he chops so cheerily 

As cheerily he sings. 

Counting up to 10:  

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, once I caught a fish alive  

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, then I let him go again  

Why did you let him go?  

Because he bit my finger so  

Which finger did he bite? 

 This little finger on the right

Ten little singing birds 

 

One little singing bird 

Hopped on my shoe 

Along came another one 

Then that made two 

 

Fly to the treetops 

Fly to the ground 

Fly little singing birds  

Fly round and round 

 

Two little singing birds sitting in a tree 

Three … came to my door 

Four... perched on a hive 

Five... nesting in the sticks 

Six... flying up to heaven 

Seven... Sat upon a gate 

Eight... Swinging on a line 

Nine... Looking at a hen  

 

Counting backwards  

Farmer, farmer, going to the fair  

What will you buy when you get there?  

5 young sheep and 4 brown cows  

3 pink piglets and 2 fat fowls  

The last thing I want is a pretty duck 

 And if I get them all, I will be in luck. 

 

5 brown buns in the baker's shop  

Big and brown with sugar on top  

A boy came in that very day  

He bought one bun and took it away  

How many buns were left that day? "4"  

4 brown buns .......... etc.  

(Five children stand in front of the class, one child comes to baker, gives money, the baker gives the child a bun and child goes away. Change "a boy" to "a girl" in the poem when a girl comes to buy a bun.) 

 

 

5 little ducks, went swimming one day 

Over the hill and far away  

Mother duck said Quack, Quack, Quack  

And 4 little ducks came swimming back  

 

4 little ducks went swimming one day etc.... to  

No little ducks, went swimming one day 

Over the hill and far away  

Father duck said Quack, Quack, Quack  

And 5 little ducks came swimming back.