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Sing- Sing hymns, sing silly songs, sing scripture, sing folk songs, sing word play songs. Sing.
I write down a list of some song titles I know most of us know and I take it with me (on an index card in my wallet) because I know we are going to forget what we know and draw a blank at some point. We can't use hymnals in the car because several of us get motion sick, but we can sing along together without them, and we can listen to tapes. Most of the following ideas are for children who can talk, but if yours don't talk, they probably still enjoy listening to you sing. Even if you think you can't.
Hymns: Write down the first lines of each verse to help you remember the words without requiring that you follow along in a hymnal. Get a good tape to sing along with. Learn the books of the Bible by song, as well as several Bible verses. Set the Bible verses you already know to music together while traveling. Take turns letting the children choose the hymns to sing. You can also pick a theme (perhaps suggested by something you pass on the road, a flock of sheep, a bridge, a gate, a hillside of cattle) and ask your young travelers if they can think of a hymn about that topic or with that word in it.
Action Songs: These are fun in the car when you can't leave your seat. We sing "If you're happy and you know it," and we add gestures like 'tweak your beak (nose)' and flap your arms, and bounce up and down, and wave out the window.
This looks like a great site for learning the old Sunday School songs. I love it!
Folk songs: Wee Sing has several of these that are easy to sing along with (Silly Songs; Sing Alongs, and others). I also like American Folk Songs for Children by Mike and Peggy Seeger. Try to include some rounds.
Word Play Songs- These are important- and fun! Click on the link above (the American Folk Songs CD). Scroll down on that page to 'listen to samples.' Click on 'see all 44 tracks.' You want number 20- There was a man and he was mad. I think there's enough there to give you the idea of the tune. You don't need all the lyrics because you're going to make up some of your own.
Here's the gist of it:
There was a man and he was mad
So he jumped into a pudding bag.
The pudding bag is was so hot
That he jumped into a cooking pot
The cooking pot it was so hard
That he jumped into a bucket of lard
That bucket of lard it was so ???
And so on and on and on- as long as you like. What makes it fun is that you stop at each of the nouns or adjectives (the italicized words above) and let the kids shout their suggestions. I usually begin by letting them shout out the next place the old man jumped, and then I make up a rhyming line with the adjective. As they mature, they get to figure out the rhyming lines, too. When you all get tired of singing this song, you can wrap it up by singing:
Another song would take too long
So we're going to sing this same old song
There was a man and he was mad
so he jumped into a pudding bag
The pudding bag it caught on fire
And blew him up to Jeremiah.
Or, if you'd rather:
Another song would take too long
So we're going to sing this same old song
There was a man and he was mad
So he jumped into a piece o' cornbread.
The piece o' cornbread was sitting on a shelf
If you want anymore you can sing it yourself!
Another one we like is Hey Lolly Lolly as sung on one of the older Wee Sing tapes- we use the names of our family and friends and make up lyrics like this:
Refrain: Hey Lolly, Lolly, Lolly
Hey Lolly, Lolly Lo
Hey Lolly, Lolly, Lolly
Hey Lolly, Lolly Lo.
I know a girl, her name is Judy
Hey Lolly, lolly, lo.
Judy is just such a cutie
Hey Lolly, lolly lo
Refrain
I know a boy, his name is Joseph
Hey Lolly, Lolly Lo
He'll read by three, oh Sho' Enuff
Hey, Lolly, Lolly, Lo
And so forth. Sometimes I stop and wait for the Progeny to fill in the name, and then the older Progeny have to think of a rhyme- since it's off the cuff, obviously the rhymes will not be of the highest quality. The rules are- you have to be quick, and it must be nice.=)
If you don't already know any folk and riddle songs and you can't go buy a good tape, The Contemplator's website is a good place to learn some.
Aiken Drum is an easy one to learn, and it lends itself well to some word romps.
The Fish of the Sea is a slightly more difficult tune to figure out, but the beauty of this sort of word play in song is that it doesn't matter if you get the tune right. Who's going to know?
Sample verses:
Up jumps the lobster with his heavy claws,
Bites the main boom right off by the jaws!
and it's...
Chorus
Up jumps the halibut, lies flat on the deck
He says, 'Mister Captain, don't step on my neck!'
and it's...
Chorus
Up jumps the herring, the king of the sea,
Saying, 'All other fishes, now you follow me!'
and it's...
Let the children chime in with their own fish and actions, and then you or older Progeny can insert the rhyming line.
If this is intimidating, don't let it be. Just pick a song from each category, or three or four songs from the category you like best, and start with those. Children really do not mind repetition. Start slow and small and slowly build up your repertoire.
