Traditional+Children's+Rhymes+and+Games

 We would like to talk about the typical and traditional choosing, skipping and nursery rhymes, and also about the [|outdoor games].

(Be sure to watch the video clips - very cool! user:scloke)



CHOOSING RHYMES
When children have to play a game (like //Nascondino//) and they need to choose who starts, they use to say a choosing rhymes. They stand in a circle while one child stands in the middle and point to the others, saying the rhyme. When the rhyme finishes, the last-pointed-child has to start the game.

Pum! Passa Paperino con la pipa in bocca guai a chi la tocca tocca proprio a te! ||
 * ===//Pum Passa Paperino//===
 * //Pum!// //Along comes Donald Duck//**
 * //Pum!// //Along comes Donald Duck//**

//Pum! Along comes Donald Duck// //with the pipe in his mouth// //Be careful! Nobody has to touch it// //It’s right you turn!//

//Ambarabà cicci coccò//
Ambarabà cicci coccò tre civette sul comò che facevano l’amore con la figlia del dottore il dottore si ammalò Ambarabà cicci coccò || //Ambarabà cicci coccò//

//Ambarabà cicci coccò//

//Three owlets on the drawers// //that fell in love// //with the doctor’s daughter// //the doctor was sick// //Ambarabà cicci coccò//



//E la postina//
E la postina della Val Gardena ahi! La va sulla luna piena ahi! uno a me! ahi! uno a te! e gli altri mille vanno al Re!
 * **//And the Post woman//**

//And the Post woman of the Gardena’s Valley// //Ouch! She goes to the full moon!// //Ouch! One for me!// //Ouch! One for you!// //the others 1000 go to the King!// || [Go back to the beginning.]



SKIPPING RHYMES
Young children, in the school playgrounds or in their free time, skip the rope singing in group different kind of songs that help them to keep the rhythm.

Nella città di Genova c’è una ragazza bella. Il re che l’ha saputo la vuole andar vedere E si vesti da povero col manticello rosso, quando bussò alla porta tutti i soldati in piè. ||
 * ===//Nella città di Genova//===
 * //In the town of Genoa//**
 * //In the town of Genoa//**

//In the town of Genoa// //there was a nice girl// //The king knew it and// //wants to see her.// //And he dressed up as a poor// //with a red cape,// //when he knocked on the door// //all the soldiers stand up//

La bella lavandaia che lava I fazzoletti per i poveretti della città Fai un salto! Fanne un altro! fai la giravolta, falla un’altra volta! Guarda in su! Guarda in giù! Dai un bacio a chi vuoi tu!
 * ===//La bella lavandaia//===


 * //The pretty laundress//**

//The pretty laundress// //that washes the handkerchief// //for the poor people of the city// //Take a jump! Take another!// //Turn round! turn round again!// //Look up! Look down!// //give a kiss to who you want!// ||

This and others chants can song not only skipping the rope but also miming the actions (jumping, turning around and so on…) Giro giro tondo casca il mondo casca la terra Tutti giù per terra! ||
 * ===//Giro Giro Tondo//===
 * //Round Round Around//**
 * //Round Round Around//**

//Round round around// //the world falls down// //the earth falls down// //everybody on the ground!//

[Go back to the beginning.]
 * ====

NURSERY RHYMES
In Italy, as all around the world, mums usually sing to their children a nursery song. The most famous are //Ninna Nanna// and //Stella Stellina//. Here there is the Italian text and an English version (we translated the meaning, not respecting the rhymes and the rhythm). ||

//Ninna Nanna//
Ninna nanna, ninna oh questo bimbo a chi lo do? Lo daremo alla Befana che lo tiene una settimana; Lo daremo al lupo nero che lo tiene un anno intero; Lo daremo alla sua mamma che gli canta una ninna nanna


 * //Sleep Honey//**

//Sleep honey, sleep// //Who I give this little boy to?// //I’ll give him to the ‘befana’// //And she’ll keep him for a week;// //I’ll give him to the black wolf// //And it’ll keep him for an entire year;// //I’ll give him to his mummy// //And she’ll sing him a nursery song//

Stella stellina La notte si avvicina La fiamma traballa La mucca è nella stalla, La mucca e il vitello La pecora e l’agnello, la chioccia col pulcino la mamma e il suo bambino, tutti con la mamma tutti fan la nanna. ||
 * ===//Stella Stellina//===
 * //Star, little star//**
 * //Star, little star//**

//Star, little star,// //the night is coming// //the flame staggers// //the cow is in the cowshed,// //the cow with the calf// //the sheep with the lamb,// //the hen with her brood of chickens,// //the mum and his baby,// //everybody with their mums// //everybody sleeps.//

Fra’ Martino campanaro dormi tu, dormi tu? Suona le campane, suona le campane, din, don, dan
 * ===//Fra’ Martino//===

//**Friar Martin**

Friar Martin bell-ringer// //Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?// //Ring the bells!// //Ring the bells!// //Din, don, dan// || English Version
 * //Brother John//**

//Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? Brother John, Brother John// //Morning Bells are ringing! Morning Bells are ringing!// //Ding, dong, ding//

[Go back to the [|beginning].]



GAMES
Children play outdoor a lots of games, in small or big group. To play this game, you don’t need anything but the will to run and have fun!

The most famous are:

//Nascondino// //(Hide and Seek)//
One child has to count closing the eyes, and all the others have to hide themselves. When the child finishes his count, he has to look for the others. When he saw a hidden child, he has to run to the //tana// (home) and touch home. The first child discovered, will be the next to count; but, he can get rid from the obligation by touching home before the other child.

//Strega comanda colori// (//Witch say a colour//!)
A child plays as the witch and the other children stand in front of him/her. When the witch chooses a colour, all the other have to touch something of that colour avoiding the witch, because if she catches them, they’ll become the new witch!

//Un Due Tre… Stella!// //(One Two Three… Star!)//
A child leans his head on a wall without looking at the other children behind him/her. While he is counting: “one” “two” “three” the other children has to move forward in order to touch the wall. When he/she says “star”, he turns his head and opens his eyes; in that moment all the other children must stop otherwise they go back to the beginning.



//Campanon// //(Big bell)//
First of all, you have to draw a rectangle in the ground, and split it into 10 parts. The first child to play throws a pebble in the first little rectangle, then he hops inside all the little rectangles and returns. At the end, he has to catch the pebble and throw it on the second compartment, and has to do everything again. When you put your feet on the ground you lose your turn! The first to complete all the 10 parts gains the match!



[Go back to the [|beginning].]

THE B-TEAM Monica, Elena, Barbara, Annalisa