"Seven Silver Snakes" (a work in progress)

I opened the cabinet
What did I see?
Seven silver snakes were slithering
And looking at me.

Oh-
Seven silver snakes a slithering
Seven silver snakes a slithering
Seven silver snakes were slithering
And looking at me.

I ran for the forest
And climbed up a tree
Seven silver snakes were slithering
And following me.

Oh-
Seven silver snakes a slithering
Seven silver snakes a slithering
Seven silver snakes were slithering
And following me.

I ran for the docks
And jumped in the sea
Seven silver snakes were swimming
Oh woe is me!

Oh-
Seven silver snakes a swimming
Seven silver snakes a swimming
Seven silver snakes were swimming
Oh woe is me!

I felt a small bite
Then two or three
Seven silver snakes were swallowing…
Were swallowing me!

Oh-
Seven silver snakes a swallowing
Seven silver snakes a swallowing
Seven silver snakes were swallowing…
Were swallowing me!

Gulp!

"Cinnamon and Sugar"

Cinnamon and sugar
Bad for your diet
Cinnamon and sugar
I wanna try it
Cinnamon and sugar
All over me!
Stick stick stick stick STICKY!
[hold up a stick]

"Jacks Song"

[chorus... clap / leg clap the beat]

Doo
Doo wa
Doo doo
Doo woppa woppa
Doo
Doo wa
Doo doo
Doo woppa woppa

Eeka eeka bang bang
(together now)
Eeka eeka bang bang
(I told ya)
Eeka eeka bang bang
(one more)
Eeka eeka bang bang
(all right!)

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water;
Jack fell down and broke his crown and that is why he smells!
(UH!)

[repeat chorus]

Little Jack Horner sat in the corner eating his pudding pie;
He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plumb and that is why he smells!
(UH!)

[repeat chorus]

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick! Jack jump over the candlestick;
Jack fell quick and broke that stick and that is why he smells!
(UH!)

Doo
Doo wa
Doo doo
Doo woppa woppa
Doo
Doo wa
Doo doo
Doo woppa woppa

Eeka eeka bang bang
(together now)
Eeka eeka bang bang
(I told ya)
Eeka eeka bang bang
(one more)
Eeka eeka bang bang
(all DONE!)

Opening the Adventure.

Howdy! Welcome to my new Camp Songs blog. This will basically be a repository for my thoughts concerning any kid or fun interactions, including new songs, games and activities for large groups of children.

Why camp songs? They bring people together. They are fun and goofy. They grab your attention. They bookmark memories.

I had groups of 17 year-olds singing the Hippo song like crazy last summer - LIKE CRAZY. Not only that, all of these campers came into the situation hating the idea of singing. This was a tech camp... and to butcher a "League of Their Own" quote, "There's no singing in tech camp!"

But there was. A great deal of singing, in fact.

Younger humans have a lot more to gain from singing such silly songs. They are active and imaginative; they require memorization and involve patterns; they open a world of visuals and poetic language in an accessible style... and "they be fun, yo!"

So sing your heart out! I'll post as often as I have related thoughts (or my boss is looking the other way).