All Around the Mulberry Bush

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Age
0-2 years
Child Development
Proprioception, understanding body parts, imagination.
Equipment
None
How to Play

Lay the infant on the blanket or mat on the floor, or have the child stand and do the actions on their own. Sit at the feet of the infant or stand in front of the child and sing the song below to the tune of “The Mulberry Bush” (additional verses with actions have been added). Manipulate the arms and/or legs of the infant carefully to mimic the actions, or model the appropriate actions and encourage the child to copy.

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (Adapted) - Song

Here we go round the mulberry bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Here we go round the mulberry bush

On a warm and sunny morning.

 

This is the way we stretch our arms

Stretch our arms, stretch our arms

This is the way we stretch our arms

On a warm and sunny morning.

 

This is the way we catch a ball

Catch a ball, catch a ball

This is the way we catch a ball

On a warm and sunny morning.

 

This is the way we kick a ball

Kick a ball, kick a ball

This is the way we kick a ball

On a warm and sunny morning.

Change it up / Alternatives / Additional Options
  • Come up with a variety of actions to do in this song (jump rope, climb a ladder, log roll, swing a bat, swim, ski, fly a kite, dig a hole).
  • For older children, try adding props and encourage their input for actions.
  • For children who are deaf or hard of hearing, act out the actions or provide pictures of the intended movements.
  • If you have a child with another type of disability not mentioned above, they may be able to participate in this activity without adaptations or modifications.
Notes

This activity works on the fundamental movement skills of balance and coordination. This  game can be played with children 0-2 years old, as well as 3-5 year olds (see introduction).

Adapted from a Hop, Skip and a Jump