Gardens & Growing Level: Early Grades - Skills & games

One Potato, Two Potato

One of the best-known, traditional counting rhymes! You can chant it or sing it as you play the game.

• One potato, two potato, three potato, four
• Five potato, six potato, seven potato, more.

Tap Your Head (pulse, rhythm)

Here's an garden chant, with actions. It's a good idea to ask the children to find a big space first, where they can't touch anyone else.

• Tap your head
• And touch your toes
• Curl yourself up
• Like a garden hose
• Sit up straight
• For a wheelbarrow ride
• Then stand like a spade
• With your hands at your side

Add an Intro

It's fun to make up an intro using actions and sounds. You could ask the children for ideas, using 'garden' phrases such as:

• Dig the garden (quietly)
• plant the seeds (a bit louder)
• WATCH THEM GROW! (loudly)

They might begin by chanting the words then progress to clapping the rhythms. Next, add percussion instruments, playing the same rhythms as the words.