Integrating songs in teaching is a fun way to help children strengthen their retention and recall of new concepts. With a catchy tune, they can remember better than with plain memorizing.
These ten songs on days of the week will help children remember the names of the days. Check these out and choose one that the children will like best.
1. Days of the Week (to the tune of The Addam’s Family)
Sang to the tune of The Addam’s Family, “Days of the Week” is an easy tune to recognize. The rhythm is at the right speed for children to catch up with the lyrics.
It is also an interactive song that allows children to clap their hands twice several times during the song. This is a good song for children to improve their memory, attention, and hand-coordination skills.
Let the children sing along as the music is playing. Using the video version of the song will enable children to infer when the printed words will pop up while the music is playing. This will provide a visual cue for children to say the days’ names.
Use movements other than clapping for children to remember the names better. For example, let them tap body parts from head to toe.
Tap the head for Sunday, shoulders for Monday, waist on Tuesday, thighs on Wednesday, knees on Thursdays, legs on Fridays, and feet on Saturdays.
Learning Station’s “The 7 Days of the Week Song” is a catchy and upbeat song that will help children remember the names of each day. They must participate in the song as it asks children to sing it with different actions.
Children are required to sing quietly and loudly while clapping and stomping. This song will not only help improve children’s memory but also helps them follow verbal instructions and enhance their listening skills.
Incorporate gross motor activities with this song during circle time. Have children go around in circles as they stomp their feet or clap their hands when singing the song.
Pass a ball around to the song’s beat to help children improve their coordination. Raise an object like a flag to signal each day as the song is played.
Play this song quietly during quiet time or in the calming area to introduce children to the tune. They will become more familiar with the song once it is heard several times.
LingoKids’ “Days of the Week” is sung to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down.” The familiar melody will make it easier for children to remember the different days of the week.
This song will help children recognize the names of the days and increase their vocabulary. They will become familiar with the days arranged in a particular order as they sing the song.
Help them understand that the days in a week follow a sequence. It is also essential for them to understand that Sunday signals the beginning of the week and ends with Saturday.
Let children associate activities with the days as suggested by the site. This will help children remember the order days. Inform children that Mondays to Fridays are school days, while on Saturdays and Sundays, children can have more fun.
The site suggests using the song to play the hopscotch game, just like in the video. Use chalk to mark the sidewalk or painter’s tape if it will be done indoors. Let children take turns with it. This activity will also help improve their gross motor skills.
This song opens on a positive note, a very empowering “I can” statement that will boost confidence in children. The upbeat tune will make children want to dance to the song. It also encourages them to participate in the movements.
Children will remember the days’ names and their order with “Seven Days a Week” by The Singing Walrus. The song mentions movements, such as dancing, shaking, and drumming with their hands and feet.
Doing these three will also help improve children’s gross motor skills. Modify the song by changing the movements to keep it interesting for children. This will further strengthen their coordination.
For example, use wave, clap, roll, pound, and point for hand movements. Use stomp, stand on one foot, run (jog in place), jump, and hop for feet and leg movements. These additional activities will strengthen the children’s muscles.
Change the movements every week so children will look forward to something new in class. This will become an exciting activity for children. Model out the movement before the song is played so that children will have an opportunity to practice.
“Today Is Sunday” by Dr. Jean & Friends is a song inspired by food. This is a beautiful song to use for food-themed lessons. Children will remember the days of the week by associating each day with a particular food.
Sunday is chicken, Monday is peanut butter, Tuesday is snap beans, Wednesday is soup, Thursday is ice cream, Friday is hotdogs, and Saturday is pizza.
Each day and food combination has a movement that will make the children remember the days easily. For Sunday, children will place their hands in their armpits and flap like chickens.
Children will pretend to spread peanut butter on bread on Mondays, snap their fingers on Tuesdays, pretend to slurp soup on Wednesdays, and pretend to lick ice cream on Thursdays.
They will pretend to sandwich a hotdog in a bun by slapping hands together on Fridays and pretend to carry a pizza box by lifting their hands and with open palms on Saturdays.
Combining food and movement to remember the days of the week will help children improve their attention, memory, and coordination.
“Saturday’s My Favorite Day” by Patty Shukla Kids TV puts a twist on learning the days of the week by focusing on one specific day-Saturday. The song mentions Saturday as the day for playing and having fun.
Use this idea to discuss children’s weekly routines for them to remember the sequence of days. Focus on Saturday and let children talk about their favorite fun activities that can only be done on this day.
Let children take turns explaining this to help them develop their oral language skills and social-emotional learning.
Incorporate some math activities to teach children tallying. Present the days of the week on a table and ask children what they do on these days. Tally their answers and let children practice counting.
For example, ask children who attend school on Mondays, sleep longer on Saturdays, or visits relatives on Sundays.
Children will discover that their answers are similar on weekdays and vary on weekends. Inform them that having different things to do on weekends is okay and that they do not need to be the same each time.
The song “Days of the Week” is sung to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” Changing the lyrics of familiar music to teach a new concept is ideal for young learners to remember details easily.
The song includes a movement for children to follow. They are to tap their cheek when the lyrics say, “Put your finger on your cheek, on your cheek.” Modify this to teach the different body parts.
Focus on a specific area, such as the face, to make it easier for children to identify these parts. Use a mirror for children who have difficulty locating the target body part.
Sing the song faster and let children catch up with the movements. For older children, make the song tricky by pointing at a different body part than what the lyrics say.
For example, for the lyrics “Put your finger on your cheek, on your cheek,” instead of putting your finger on the cheek, put it on the forehead. This is a great activity to test children’s listening skills and attention.
They will learn to listen to the words rather than mimic what the teacher or leader does.
Sung to the tune of “Frère Jacques,” “What’s Today?” helps children identify the current day aside from remembering all the days of the week. The question at the song’s end is meant for children to answer.
This is an excellent introduction to teaching yesterday’s and tomorrow’s concepts. Children will become familiar with the sequence of the days with this activity. Use a calendar chart to prompt children.
For example, to determine today, say the day before and after it while pointing at the calendar. This will give children an idea of which day is the correct answer. Doing this will teach children to infer and think critically.
Use visual calendars to help them remember the names of the days. Associating activities with the days will help children understand the concept of calendars. Use regular activities that help develop routines for this.
For example, place a picture of paints on Monday to signify an art activity, a picture of a ball for outdoor play on Tuesday, and so on.
Jack Hartmann’s “Rock n’ Roll Days of the Week” is a fun way to remember the names of the days. Children are required to do movements while singing.
The addition of clapping, swimming, jiving, and being a mouse will help children improve their gross motor skills and coordination. Use other movements to help children increase their repertoire, such as running, walking, jumping, galloping, etc.
Try movements that require a partner to help develop partnership and teamwork, such as high five and shaking hands. Children will understand that these movements cannot be accomplished alone but will require the help of a friend.
Next, like in the song, let children pretend to be animals.
Some easy movements are swimming like a fish with both hands together and moving from side to side, a bird with hands flapping as if flying, and a worm with a finger crawling on the other arm.
To make it more challenging, show children a picture of an animal before the song starts and let them think of the best movement to represent the animal.
“The 7 Days of the Week in Sign Language” by Music With Nancy is a different way of learning the names of the days. Using sign language allows differentiated learning for children who may have difficulties with oral language.
Learning the days with signs will also help hearing children be aware of others’ struggles. This breeds empathy and helps with their social-emotional learning.
Hand movements require accuracy, and young children may find this challenging. Use pictures to show what each day looks like using hands and fingers. Model the exact movement for children to copy. All days except Sunday are based on the first letter(s) of the word. So, discuss and show kids how to make these sign language letters with their hands. This will also help them associate beginning letters with the sounds they make.
Learning the days in sign language may take time for children. This will help develop their patience and attention. Use videos and sign language charts to help children remember the movements better.
Let children do the movements that are easy for them. Encourage them to try difficult ones and reassure them that it is okay if they cannot do it.
Conclusion
Learning the days of the week introduces children to the concept of time. This is an important skill to learn in preschool. However, it is tricky for children to remember all the days.
Consider using these songs and suggested activities to help children retain and recall these concepts better. These interactive ways of teaching the days’ names will allow children to engage while having fun.
Thank you for reading!
