Singing Our Waiting Song

By Priyanka Lamichhane

Apr 21, 2021

15 min activity

Donkey Hodie is very excited to open a special present from Harriett Elizabeth Cow! She’s ready to open it right away, but Harriet asks Donkey to wait. Why? The present is also for Duck Duck, Bob Dog and Purple Panda. They all need to be there so everyone can open it together. Donkey promises she will wait, but sometimes waiting can be hard! To help pass the time, Donkey and her pals try different ways to keep themselves busy. They play superheroes and do magic. Then they imagine what could be inside the box by singing a song about the amazing possibilities!

Encourage your child to use their imagination to make up a song when they need to pass the time. Using items you have on hand, like pencils or spoons (or your head, hands and feet!), you and your child can bop, tap, clap or stomp along to the beat while you sing together. Sharing this time may not only make a special memory, but it can also show your child that waiting can be fun!

Materials

Your voice for singing, head for bopping, hands for clapping and feet for tapping
If you’re waiting away from home, use items you have in a personal bag or backpack such as a pen, pencil, paper or keys. A hairbrush makes a great pretend microphone.
If you’re waiting at home, use items such as a hairbrush, a wooden spoon, a bowl, paper, pillows or books — the options are limitless.

Directions

While waiting with your child, invite them to make up a song with you! Encourage your child to think about what they like to do or what excites them. Ask them what they’d like to do when the waiting is over. Would they like to imagine playing at a park or going to the pool? Or maybe play a board game or read their favorite book?

Once your child has shared their “after-waiting” activity, talk with them about how they might turn it into a song that you can sing together. What would they like to say in their song? What will the rhythm be? Would they like to clap their hands or stomp their feet to a beat? If you’d like, invite your child to gather any items you have on hand that can be used as instruments. A pen and notebook, or wooden spoon and bowl, are possible options. But head, hands and feet work perfectly, too!

Once you have your instruments (or yourself!) ready, encourage your child to sing their song! You can share in the fun by taking turns making up words and singing different verses. If your child is hesitant, try starting the song for them and asking them to add on to your lines or sing the second verse.

Explore Further

Keeping your child engaged while you wait is a great opportunity to share time together. When the waiting is over, invite your child to draw a picture of the activity that inspired their waiting song. What a great way to remember the fun you had!

Want more “Donkey Hodie” activities? Check out the Make a Donkey Hodie Puppet craft and the Make Flying Flapjacks for Breakfast recipe to continue the fun!