OMYGOSH

I Need a Music Sub

A collection of music songs & games with directions

that even a non-music substitute teacher could follow.

Please note that the actual music is not included in this packet IS NOW INCLUDED! The packet
is something you can leave for a sub if/when you will be absent at the last minute and don’t have
time to find a substitute that you can trust to teach your kids music correctly. It’s far better than a
video!

I’ve also made recordings available for download in my TPT store!!!

The reason I record them is that it gives me a chance to walk around and be more observant of
my students as they’re singing, and the piano helps to keep them excitedly on task during these
games. The mp3’s can be burned easily to a CD that you can leave for a substitute teacher or
even use, yourself. They’re very simple accompaniments meant to enhance singing & playing
without interfering with learning.

TIP: If you have a laptop with good speakers, an iPhone or iTouch, and WiFi in your room, try
downloading Apple’s “Remote” app. It is absolutely incredible for a music teacher with
recordings =)

If you like this, please go to my TPT store and check out my other Kodaly materials including:

 Kodaly Elementary Music Pack #1 - 5 Songs with Games, Manipulatives, and More!
 The Rhythm Train Game – Ta, Ti-Ti, & Rest – Kodaly
 A Simple Series of Sight Singing for Elementary or Young Choirs - Kodaly

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Raylees-Schoolhouse
Lemonade
(CD: Track 1)
Song:

Actors: Here we come.

Guessers: Where from?
Actors: New York.
Guessers: What’s your trade?
Actors: Lemonade.
Guessers: Give us some don’t be afraid!

Game:

Preparation: Boys go to one side of the room, girls to the other. The teams are not against each
other, but working for each other to do their best. They score as many points as they can as a
class, not a team. The game is played like charades, but limited to certain trades (or jobs). The
job that each team picks must be acted out without any contact, must not include violence of any
kind, and must be completely school appropriate. Select one boy to be the team communicator
for the day and one girl. These are the students who will come tell you what trade their team will
act out.

Step 1: Both teams huddle at the same time and whisper to decide on a trade. When they have it,
their team communicator will come whisper it in your ear. If it’s not appropriate or it’s not a real
“trade,” send them back to come up with something else. Wait until both teams know what
they’re acting out, then have the first team to send their communicator to you act first.
Step 2: Start the song by singing “ready sing” or select a student to start the song the same way.
Step 3: When the short song is over, the acting team acts and the guessing team must raise their
hand to guess. Give them about 30 seconds of unlimited guessing, but if anyone shouts out an
answer without getting called on, the class loses the point. If a student you call on gets the right
answer, add a point to the board.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 & 3 with the other team acting.
Step 5: Start again at step 1.

This game can be played for 5 minutes or the entire class period, depending on how well the
classes are controlling themselves. Any students being obnoxious should sit out for several turns.
Make sure to write down the names of any of these students for me to deal with when I get back.
Doggy Doggy
(CD: Track 2)
Song:

Doggy, doggy, where’s your bone?

Someone stole it from your home.
Doggy: Who has my bone?
Person with bone: I have your bone.

Game:

Preparation: Entire class sits in the middle of the room. One chair is placed in front, facing away
from students. Use the chalkboard eraser as “the bone”. Pick one student to start as the doggy in
the chair. This game is very easily run by a responsible student, and you can usually sit back and
observe.

Step 1: Song is started by the teacher (or the student acting as the teacher) by singing “Ready
sing”. The entire class sings the first 2 lines while the teacher tosses the bone gently to someone
singing and raising their hand. The doggy sings, then the selected person with the bone sings.
The person with the bone is allowed to use a goofy voice to throw the doggy off as long as they
are still singing it.
Step 2: After the singing, all students pretend to hide the bone behind their back and the doggy
must guess who it was. They get 2 guesses. If they get it right, then they remain the doggy. If
they get it wrong, the person with the bone becomes the new doggy.
Step 3: Teacher (or student acting as the teacher) begins again on step 1.

This game can be played for 5-15 minutes, depending on how well the classes are controlling
themselves. Any students being obnoxious should sit out for several turns. Make sure to write
down the names of any of these students for me to deal with when I get back.
Lucy Locket
(CD: Track 3)
Song:

Lucy Locket lost her pocket,

Kitty Fisher found it,
Not a penny was there in it,
Only ribbon round it.

Game:

Step 1: Pick one student to go in the hallway and close the door so they can’t see. They are
considered the seeker/finder.
Step 2: Pick another student to hide the red pocket somewhere in the room. Make sure the ribbon
is visible to anyone standing in the middle of the room. Give them no more than 20-30 seconds.
Step 3: The student that hid the pocket then lets the other student in. The class sings the song
softly if the finder is far away from the pocket, and gets gradually louder as the finder gets
closer. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT LET STUDENTS YELL THE SONG. They will try almost
every time =). Insist that they always use their best kids singing voices and that there is a
difference between singing loudly and yelling.
Step 4: Repeat!

This game can be played for 5-20 minutes, depending on how well the classes are controlling
themselves. Any students being obnoxious should sit out for several turns. Make sure to write
down the names of any of these students for me to deal with when I get back.
Naughty Kitty Cat
(CD: Track 4)
Song:

Naughty kitty cat, (pointed finger to the beat)

You are very fat, (round arms out in front of you bounce to the beat)
You have butter on your whiskers, (hold 3 fingers in each hand and wipe whiskers to the beat)
Naught kitty cat, SCAT! (pointed finger to the beat, clap once on “SCAT!”)

Game:

Students sit in a circle.

Played just like Duck, Duck, Goose but with the song instead. Make sure everyone does the
motions (they already know them). During the chase, students are not allowed to talk. They must
pat their hands on their knees really fast to make the sound of running feet.
Snake Baked a Hoecake
(CD: Track 5)
Song:

The snake baked a hoecake,

Set the frog to watch it,
Frog fell a dozin’,
Lizard came and took it.
Bring back my hoecake, you long tailed nanny-o!

Game:

Students sit in a circle.

Step 1: Select 3 students, one at a time. They get to pick which role they want to play.

Snake: Stands in the front of the room with the chalkboard eraser (the hoecake).
Lizard: Stands in the back of the room.
Frog: Sits in the middle of the circle.

Step 2: Sing the song while the 3 selected students act it out.
Step 3: After the song, the whole class pats their knees, but CAN NOT TALK. The snake chases
the lizard around the outside of the circle. If they tag the lizard by the end of the piano part on the
CD, they win. If not, they lose. The snake is allowed (and encouraged) to be sneaky and switch
directions around the circle to catch the lizard off guard.

This game can be played for 5-20 minutes, depending on how well the classes are controlling
themselves. Any students being obnoxious should sit out for several turns. Make sure to write
down the names of any of these students for me to deal with when I get back.
Bluebird
(CD: Track 6)
Song:

Bluebird, Bluebird through my window (3 times)

Oh, Johnny I am tired!

Game:
Students stand in a connected circle (NEVER call it “holding hands”).

Step 1: Select a student to be the leader bluebird. They stand in the middle of the circle.
Step 2: All students in the circle lift their connected arms in the air to create “windows”. The
leader bluebird weaves in and out of them at random, moving slowly until the song is over. The
leader bluebird then taps the 4 closest people on the shoulder, and they join the bluebird line
holding on to the shoulders of the person in front of them. Repeat step 2 until the whole class is
part of the bluebird line. If the bluebird line breaks or not everyone is singing, the whole class
loses the game and the game is over.
No Robbers Out Today
(CD: Track 7)
Song:

No robbers out today,

No robbers out today,
We are marching on our way,
For there’s no robbers out today.

Game:

Step 1: Students are scattered throughout the room with the eyes covered with the PALM of the
hand (not their fingers, because it’s too easy to peek). Teacher walks around and secretly taps 1
person on the shoulder to be the “robber”.
Step 2: Everyone opens their eyes and marches with their FEET TO THE BEAT while they sing
the song. As they’re marching around the room, the student selected to be the robber tags as
many other students as possible. If the robber doesn’t keep their feet to the beat, they are
disqualified.
Step 3: After the song, ask students to identify who the robber was and raise their hands if they
got tagged by that person. Start over on step 1, keeping track of which robber has the best record.
Whichever robber gets the most tags that day wins.

This game can be played for 5-20 minutes, depending on how well the classes are controlling
themselves. Any students being obnoxious should sit out for several turns. Make sure to write
down the names of any of these students for me to deal with when I get back.