Another So-mi song which I use all the time with classes up to the age of about 7

It’s well worth indicating the pitch movement in the melody, with Kodaly hand movements or just by moving your hand up, down, or even higher. (“which words are we singing when I point up in the air”). Otherwise the children will all be individually creative and compose their own version of the melody. Which might be an interesting way of starting pentatonic composition, but isn’t in the scope of this post.

There still are loads of things you can do with this little song; once the children know it well. My two favourites are having one class clap (or play on percussion) the pulse (“I say you’re out”) all the way through, while the others clap or play the rhythm. This moves into simple two-part or three-part samba or djembe piece, when the group can play the three different rhythms “Bee Bee Bumble Be”; “Stung a man upon his knee, which is the same as “stung a pig upon his snout”; and “I say you’re out” at the same time.

Or, stand the children in a circle, and choose one child to stand in the middle and be the “Bee”. As everyone sings the song together, the “Bee” points to each child in turn, keeping the pulse. Whoever they are pointing to on the word “out” is the next bee, and they swap places and off we go again. Trickier than you would think. If it is a bigger class, once they’ve got the hang of it, choose two or more bees to go round at the same time. If you are feeling adventurous, bored, or think the children need a challenge, get the bees to go round in different directions. Younger children will probably have attempted this by accident already.