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Activity & Movement Songs

The Animal Hokey Pokey

Teaching Listening and Direction-Following Skills
Jack Hartmann

This song is available on Jack Hartmann's Alphabet Zoo.

All the animals are ready to sing and move
And do the Hokey Pokey at the Animal Zoo

Go elephants go!
You swing your big trunk in
You swing your big trunk out
You swing your big trunk in
Then you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
Then you swing your trunk around
That’s what it’s all about.

You stomp one big leg in
You stomp one big leg out
You stomp one big leg in
Then you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
Then you stomp all around
That’s what it’s all about

You stomp the other leg in
You stomp the other leg out
You stomp the other leg in
Then you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
Than you stomp all around
That’s what it’s all about

Go gorillas go!
You pump one big arm in
You pump one big arm out
You pump one big arm in
Then you flex it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
Thump your chest all around
That’s what it’s all about

You pump the other arm in
You pump the other arm out
You pump the other arm in
Then you flex it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
Thump your chest all around
That’s what it’s all about

Now, snakes!
You wiggle your tongue right in
You wiggle your tongue right out
You wiggle your tongue right in
Then you slither all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you ssss all around
That’s what it’s all about

You rattle your tail right in
You rattle your tail right out
You rattle your tail right in
Then you slither all about
And you ssss all around
That’s what it’s all about

Cheetahs go!
You prowl with one paw in
You prowl with one paw out
You prowl with one paw in
Than you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you growl all around
That’s what it’s all about

You prowl with both paws in
You prowl with both paws out
You prowl with both paws in
Then you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you growl all around
That’s what it’s all about

You run, run right in
You run, run right out
You run fast like a cheetah
Than you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
And run fast all around
That’s what it’s all about

Sloths go – slow
You move slowly in
You move slowly out
You move slowly in
Then you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
Then you slowly move around
That’s what it’s all about

Dolphins do the Hokey Pokey
You flap your flippers in
You flap your flippers out
You flap your flippers in
Then you shake them all about
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you swim all around
That’s what it’s all about

Teaching Tips from Jack Hartmann:
Have fun with this new original version of the Hokey Pokey. Children will learn how the different animals move. And they can do some creative thinking and writing by discussing what other animals could do the Hokey Pokey and how they would move.

This song is available on Jack Hartmann's Alphabet Zoo.