Summer Verses

I sure do! Here are a few of our favorite verses, games and even a Midsummer's Eve story! Enjoy!

It's Midsummer Day
and they're cutting the hay
Down in the meadow just over the way
The children all run
for a frolic, and fun
For hay time is playtime out in the sun

It's Midsummer Day
and they're making the hay
Down in the meadow all golden and gay
They're tossing it high
Beneath the June sky
And the hay rakes are spreading it out to dry

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Full early in the morning
Awakes the summer sun
The month of June arriving
The cold and night are done
The cuckoo's a fine bird
She whistles as she flies
And as she whistles "cuckoo"
The bluer grow the skies

* * * * * * * *

Raindrops, raindrops!
Falling all around
Pitter patter on the chimney
Pitter patter on the ground
Here is my umbrella
It will keep me dry
When I'm walking in the rain
I hold it up so high

* * * * * * * *

Come out, come out this sunny day
The fields are sweet with new mown hay
The birds are singing loud and clear
For summer time once more is here
So bring your rakes and come and play
And toss and tumble in the hay
The sweet wild roses softly blow
All pink and white the roses grow
The nodding daisies in the grass
Lift up their heads to hear you pass
Upon this happy, sunny day
When you come out to make the hay.

* * * * * * * *

The summer's warm showers are falling like mist
My face and my hair by their soft touch are kissed
The dry thirsty ground becomes fragrant and cool
On every green leaf lies a small shining pool
Earth blossoms again
I do love the rain.

* * * * * * * *

Come bright butterfly, close to me
Your beautiful wings I should like to see
You fly like a bird, you sip like a bee
But you're really a flower the wind set free

* * * * * * * *

When woods awake and trees are green
And leaves are large and long
'Tis merry to walk in the forest fair
And hear the small birds' song

* * * * * * * *

Daisies so bright, grasses so green
Tell me I pray, how do you keep clean?
Summertime showers, summertime rain
Wash dusty flowers all clean again

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Movement or Circle Games

Sunshine Fairies

We are the sunshine fairies
And with our sparks of light
We shimmer and glimmer in the air
Hugging flowers with colors so bright

(Begin standing in a circle, children hold out their arms at their sides and turn in place clockwise as fairies. Stop and flick fingers as sparks. Hold out arms at sides, flutter fingers, then turn in place counterclockwise; hug self and rub hands up and down over folded arms.)

* * * * * * * *

The Fairy Ball

In the East the Sunshine Castle sparkled with golden light
A Fairy Ball for one and all was scheduled for that night
The fairy folk cleaned the hall and dressed all to a "T".
Suits and dresses, curling tresses, from the biggest to the most tiny
But one little fairy, Chloe, in a rosebud, took a rest
While her fairy sisters and brothers prepared for each guest.
The clock struck nine, the party began and the fairy folk danced through the door,
The rosebud opened for a look at the fun and Chloe fell Plop! on the floor!
"Oh My! Oh My!" she began to cry"
I'm not ready for the ball!"
But from a Wise One's wink, Chloe changed in a blink
to the fairest fairy of all!

(Improvise this fairy ball with Chloe and rosebud in the center of a circle and all of the fairy folk around them enacting out the verses.)

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Butterfly

Dancing among the flowers with dainty painted wings
Flits the golden butterfly, joy to my heart she brings
Stopping only for a rest to sip the morning dew
Then flits and flutters off again
Butterfly, I can't catch you!

(Children sit in a circle with hands held up and cupped on top of head acting as flowers. Butterfly dances inside the circle, flitting in and out of the space between seated children. Butterfly stops behind one child in circle for a rest, bends, and sips dew by tickling a flower in the child's palms. Flower child jumps up and chases butterfly back to his place, then becomes the next butterfly. Repeat game with new butterfly.)

* * * * * * * *

Stories

Midsummer's Eve

Once upon a time beside a stream there stood a mill. But the rain did not fall to the stream, so the stream could not flow to turn the mill and the mill could not grind the corn to make bread. And the miller was sad.

Mary wanted to help the miller. On Midsummer's Eve she went out and walked beside the stream She walked until she reached the top of the hill.

On the hilltop was a fairy ring where the fairy folk came to dance. When the sun went down the King of Fairies led his fairy folk to dance in the ring. He saw Mary standing there. He greeted her and said: "What do you wish for, Mary?"

"I wish that the rain may fall to fill the stream, that the stream may flow to turn the mill, that the mill may grind the corn to make bread, and that the miller may be happy again."

"Your wish shall be granted, Mary" said the King of the Fairies. And the fairy folk began to dance. All night long they danced and when morning came the rain began to fall to fill the stream, and the stream began to flow to turn the mill, so the mill could grind the corn to make bread. And the miller was happy.

"Thank you, fairy folk" said Mary. "Thank you, Mary" said the miller.