Singing Games Reception Notations - Lost my partner

"Lost my Partner" is a charming singing game designed for young children in the Reception year group, which combines music and movement to create an engaging and interactive experience. The notation of the song features a cheerful melody set in a major key with a simple rhythm that is easy for children to follow and sing along. The lyrics speak of the playful dilemma of losing one’s partner and the subsequent quest to find a new one who is 'better than you', followed by the joyful refrain 'Skip to my Lou, my darling'.

The game is played with the children forming a circle, each paired up and holding hands with their partner, except for one child who starts the game without a partner. As the song begins with 'Lost my partner, what'll I do?', the single child skips around the centre of the circle, while the partnered children face each other and clap. When the song reaches the line 'I'll find another one better than you', the single child then chooses a new partner from the circle. The two skip together inside the circle and return to the place of the child who was 'stolen'. The one left without a partner now becomes the single child, and the game continues in this manner, ensuring a lively and fun atmosphere that also encourages coordination and rhythm.