Hey Diddle Diddle! Drama Activity

It was fun watching the students come into the library this week. The teachers want them to be in straight lines, but their bodies just have to keep mooooving. I decided it was time to do some drama with the little ones so they had permission to "act out." Here is the nursery rhyme I used with the actions:

Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

Actions while sitting:
Hey diddle diddle
***lift eyebrows to open eyes wide
the cat & the fiddle
***hold left arm out to side palm up, curve fingers; pretend to draw a bow across with right arm
***one hand forms round moon; other hand w/ fingers down (legs) jumps over moon
the little dog
***hold up two fingers close together
laughed
***“la a a a gh gh d”
to see such sport
***fingertips by eyes
dish ran away w/ spoon
***fingers (both hands) run away from the body

Body actions for more movement:
Divide class into at least 3 groups. One group “performs” while others watch. Each group gets a turn.

Create 4 “stations”:
1
Hey diddle diddle
***lift eyebrows to open eyes wide; body gyrates down then up
the cat & the fiddle
***hold left arm out to side palm up, curve fingers; pretend to draw a bow across with right arm

2
the cow jumped…
***jump over object (garbage can on side)

3
the little dog
***hold up two fingers close together
laughed
***“la a a a gh gh d” (laughter yoga activity:
bend over – head to knees - while laughing)
to see such sport
***fingertips by eyes; pretend to follow cow jumping over the moon with eyes

4
dish ran away w/ spoon
***run in sl o w m o t I o n around a table

Students walk back to where sitting. Continue until all groups have had the opportunity to participate.

Here are a few learning/memorizing/reviewing hints:
1. Repeat as desired by rows, individual students or other small groups like boys then girls.
2. Strategy:
Say it aloud
Whisper it
Think it (can mouth words as a stage before doing it in head only)

Have fun!