The Best Songs for a Substitute in Elementary Music Class (Littles Edition)
Missing school is hard. I spend so much time preparing for my absence. My school district does not have any substitutes that know music, so preparing for a substitute has been a struggle at times.
One of my biggest time savers has been using a premade slideshow with my favorite action songs for littles (preschool/kindergarten/1st grade). Once I make the slideshow, I can use it over and over. All a sub has to do is turn on the projector, play the slideshow, and click on the link on each page to start the song. Most of the songs have intuitive movements that kids will do as they listen. Keeping them active makes sure both the sub and the students will have a great day.
In this post, I will show you my favorite, most successful songs to use for littles. I often use my slideshow if I’ve lost my voice, need a day to teach without a ton of extra planning, or a class walks in and they are just too rambunctious to successfully follow the lesson I had planned.
My suggestion is to use these videos to create your own Huzzaz playlist, or make your own slideshow with links to the videos. Or…you can save yourself some time, and purchase the slideshow with all of the links included on TPT here: Ultimate Substitute Slideshow. If you need a little help on how to use YouTube videos in the classroom commercial-free, check out my post here: Top Ways To Use YouTube Without Adds in the Classroom.
Always a classic. I lead students with motions for each place we walk. Students love acting walking, climbing, rowing, and tiptoeing.
This great song from Laurie Berkner will have your students marching, napping, eating, and roaring!
This song is a great way to practice low to high. I always have students put their hand out and sing low to high with the cow moo, then have them hold their hands out every time an animal brings something to the cow. The hey, hey, hey chorus is a great opportunity to dance to the beat.
Kate Kuper has a couple songs on my list. This first one has some great movements for students to do while listening.
Students grab an egg shaker, or pretend to shake an egg with this action song. The song will direct the eggs to be shaken fast, slow, around, up, and down.
There are so many freeze songs…the students never get tired of them.
Littles love firetrucks and firemen. This song has a solid, steady beat that lends itself to leg pats. I usually act out putting on the boots, coat, and sliding down the pole when stated in the song.
I love how the drum sounds are interpretted with body movements.
Students grab a scarf and are encouraged to dance slowly with the scarf. I usually ask them to make their bodies look the way the music sounds.
Go Fish is on the top of my favorite children’s groups list. Hit the Drum says “hit the drum” multiple times throughout the song. Students are instructed to hit the floor, tap their legs, or hit a drum every time the phrase is used in the song.
Music K-8 has so many great songs! This one is about a snowman who keeps jumping. Students are directed to dance throughout the song and jump every time they hear the word in the song.
Another freeze song. As stated earlier, the kids never seem to get tired of these.
Students echo the phrases throughout the song and add movements with each verse. The tricky part is, you keep doing the current motion while adding the next motion: Wooden Shoe-Tap Foot, Fan-Wave Hand, Shears-Make Scissors with hand, Hula Hoop-circle hips Rocking Chair-Rock back and forth.
Students love participating in this silly song about goldfish who take showers, brush their teeth, ride bicycles, and swim.
I know I already have a chicken dance on this list, but this one is a medley of The Chicken Dance, Head, Shoulders, Knees, And Toes, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Another great listening song with some unique movement suggestions.
Students listen and act out what they hear.
Students love trying to keep track of whether they are supposed to sit or stand, over and over and over!
This video has a little dude on the screen doing a movement. Students do the same movement in their spot.
One Comment on “The Best Songs for a Substitute in Elementary Music Class (Littles Edition)”
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Making Music Class Fun 
This blog is a gem for any music teacher! The song recommendations are perfect for keeping little ones engaged when a sub is in. Super helpful ideas—thanks for making music class fun.
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