So this post is a little random, the idea popped into my head because I was thinking about all the latest songs that the kids at my centre have been interested in. We love to sing songs. A lot. The songs often go in and out of popularity, but they’re all catchy, and I will come home inevitably singing or humming some earworm and getting it stuck in Rory’s head. So I thought I would share with you guys, the current popular songs going around my centre.
The Classics
As always, there are the usual songs that are popular.
Wheels on the Bus is great. There’s lots of actions, and recently, one of the 14 month old girls has worked out how to do the “Shh” noise, so she always wants us to do the song.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat. But with the crocodile ending of course, because what one year old doesn’t love screaming.
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed is also huge right now. We love to do the actions, and the kids love wagging their finger as we say “No more monkeys jumping on the bed”
The Cultural
So New Zealand is a bicultural (or multicultural really) country. The Maori language, Te Reo is often used in the centre. We have lots of key phrases we use, and do our best to incorporate songs and prayers in Te Reo during out day to day activities. These include Tutira Mai, Ma is white (Colours), One Day a Taniwha, etc.
Currently, our toddlers are obsessed with Poi E. A kiwi classic, all in Te Reo. I recommend you guys watch the song. I have always loved it myself. Plus look at all the 80s fashion!
One particular little boy will swing his pois around like projectiles, and we have to move him to his own area so he doesn’t hit his friends as much. Our pois are soft, as they’re made from cotton and plastic, but he swings them fast enough that his friends get annoyed when he accidentally swings it into their face. For those wondering what a poi is, it’s featured a lot in the clip. It’s a small ball attached on the end of a string which is used a lot in Maori dance and culture.
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