This popular song is ideal for when you need a mood boost or a break from home schooling. It’s fun and active, and good for dissipating any tension. The words are appealing and alliterative too, so it can be used as a segue into a literacy activity. 

Listening and learning
Start off by listening to other versions such as this one sung by Raffi and another by The Wiggles. Then play the Sing Up performance track – it’s easy to pick up. Notice that Verse 4 is set at a slower tempo (pace) to match the sleepy mood, but the song picks up speed for the final verse.

Next, watch Beccy Owen’s video and follow along as she teaches the song line by line. You could either take it in turns with someone to sing alternate lines and then all join in on ‘and wiggles my waggles away’ or all sing the whole thing. Be sure to do the actions as you sing, (you could perform them on the beat), whether it’s a shake, clap or jump. 

Literacy

• Pick out the alliteration in the lyrics:
  
  clap/crazies
  jump/jiggles
  wiggle/waggles.
  
  Beccy makes some new suggestions too, including ‘flick my fingers out’ and ‘slide my slithers out’. Her suggestion ‘fly through the sky’ (inspired by her toy owl) uses rhyme and demonstrates the varied possibilities when making up your own lyrics.
   
• Encourage everyone at home to invent new verbs and actions using alliteration or rhyme where possible. Use combinations such as ‘tap my talkies out’, ‘dance my dafties out’, ‘flap my fidgets out’ etc. Why not take inspiration from teddies, dolls, toys or puppets at home and what they might be able to do?