There’s something about the end of the school year that makes all of my brain cells go dead. Anyone else? The ideas don’t flow as freely as they do earlier in the school year. So when I put together this lesson plan and it worked like a *charm* in my preschool and kindergarten music classes, I had to share!

Here are the songs for the Going on a Picnic music lesson plan. And more importantly, HOW I use them.

1. Use the Hello Song of your choice! (Here’s a packet of some of my hello + goodbye songs, which you can download for free, or watch the video below for 3 other favorites!)

2. Going On A Picnic by Raffi is a PERFECT song to use in a group. You can play the theme of the song and then challenge the kids to choose what they would like to bring on the picnic and add them to the song.

3. Watermelon, Watermelon has been a HUGE hit with my preschool and kindergarten groups. It includes a hand clapping pattern and there are other opportunities to challenge kids with an optional “C” section. (Scroll down to download this song for FREE! 🍉)

4. The Ants Go Marching is a perfect picnic song. We tried to find FOODS for the ants to eat, (“The ants go marching one by one, the little one stopped to eat a plum!”) and it was TRICKY, but tons of fun. There may have been some ants eating shoes, plates, etc. It had us laughing and it really got them thinking out of the box!

5. Silly Dance Contest by Jim Gill is one of the best movement songs out there, hands down! Here’s how I use it.

6. A picnic isn’t complete without Peanut Butter & Jelly! Here’s Lisa Loeb’s version that translates perfectly to a group setting.

Free Download 🍉

You can find a professional recording and the chords + lyrics of the song “Watermelon, Watermelon” in our “5 Most Popular Children’s Songs” Songbook!

Download the songbook for FREE here ↓

Did you know I create new preschool and kindergarten lesson plans every months for the Music For Kiddos Community members? If you liked this lesson plan, you might love my library of more than 400 early childhood music resources, including lesson plans with original songs and visuals. The Community welcomes new members twice a year. Learn more about it and sign up for the waitlist HERE.