Preschool Songs and Dances for Toddlers

These songs have always been the most fun for toddlers to sing, while coordinating the dance movements according to each song’s instructions. I have placed the dance movements and instructions in parenthesis, to demonstrate for your preschoolers, while singing along with these happy songs.

Exercise & Learning Songs

Head & Shoulders, Knees & Toes

Repeat the song, going faster each time, and try to keep up. This is so fun for the children, a cross between tongue-twisters and a Simon-Says song and dance. (Both hands together following song lyrics, touching head, shoulders, and bending down touching knees and toes, then back up to head, touching eyes, ears, mouth and nose.)

Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and to-o-o-oes –
Eyes and ears, and mouth and nose,
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

If You’re Happy & You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands (clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands (clap, clap)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it (fingers to dimples)
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap).

If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp, stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp, stomp)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it (fingers to dimples)
If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet (stomp, stomp).

If you’re happy and you know it, shout hooray! (“Hoo-ray!”)
If you’re happy and you know it, shout hooray! (“Hoo-ray!”)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it (finger dimples)
If you’re happy and you know it, shout hooray! (“Hoo-ray!”)

If you’re happy and you know it do all 3 (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, “Hoo-ray!”)
If you’re happy and you know it do all 3 (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, “Hoo-ray!”)
If you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it (finger dimples)
If you’re happy and you know it, shout hooray (clap-clap, stomp-stomp, “Hoo-ray!”)

Fun & Silly Songs

Alphabet Song

I used to use a colorful, plastic A-B-C mat, so toddlers could walk-out their A-B-C’s while singing the song. You could also draw A to Z with sidewalk chalk, onto a walkway, so the children can step onto the letters as they sing them; or play musical chairs, with A to Z signs on 26 chairs, for larger indoor classrooms.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L-M-N-O-P,
Q, R, S,
T, U, V,
W, X,
Y and Z

Now I know my A-B-C’s,
Next time won’t you sing with me?

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

(Twinkling stars and diamonds are represented with arms up toward the sky, flicking fingers in different directions, while opening and closing hands – I’ve coined “sparkle hands”)

Twinkle, twinkle, little star (sparkle hands)
How I wonder what you are (hands to head)
Up above the world so high (hands held in a circle, above the head)
Like a diamond in the sky (sparkle hands, twirling one way)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star (sparkle hands, twirling back the other way)
How I wonder what you are (hands to head)

Michael Jackson’s “A B C, 1-2-3”

A B C, it’s easy as 1-2-3,
As simple as doe-ray-me, A B C,
1-2-3, baby you and me!

Show your toddlers how to dance, moon-walk, or hold a pretend mic, as they sing along with this fun Michael Jackson song! To make sure your kids get up, move around, and learn the dances to these songs, you will need to do it right along with them. That makes singing and dancing much more fun for everyone.