Give Said the Little Stream
 


 (Credit Unknown) When I was the Primary President, the kids sang this song with added "actions" that are SO fun.  I'm not sure who taught it to them, but it goes like this...

(1st verse only):
 

For every word that begins with a G, clap hands once (i.e. Give, Go, Grows, Greener, etc.)
 

For every word that begins with an S, stand up and sit back down (i.e. Stream, Small, Still, Singing)

 

Obviously, everyone sings this sitting down, so that they can stand and sit at the appropriate times--you'll need your own chair at the front.  The kids LOVE this.  Start out slow when they're first learning, but as they get to know it better, the second time through they just love going FAST, and you get a workout on the chorus, especially!  I have done this every time I was a chorister, and it's always a hit.  I've since added snaps for words that begin with R (rain, raise).  (Idea by Peggy North)
 


 When we sing this song, we clap instead of singing the word "give." I usually have them sing normally first, then do the first verse again with clapping. They really have to concentrate.  (Idea by Marianne in Preston, Idaho)
 


 We did "Give, Said the Little Stream" some years before in a variety show.  The smallest kids were the flowers, the CTR's & girls the rain and the bigger boys the stream itself.  The song is quite easy to teach & sing, and we did some props.  
 

The littlest kids wore flower head dresses (we made them out of big boxes, shaped them into flowers, painted them, put holes in the middle to put the child's face through & fastened by rubber garters that go in the back of the head).  But since there's little time & an abundance of flowers the kids can hold bunches of real flowers.
 

 The stream: just blue & white crepe paper cut into long strips about 1-1/2 inch wide, running from one end of the "stage" to the other.  Two boys hold each end of the strips (5 strips of combined blue & white per set) and swish them up & down alternately.  We had 2 sets so there were 4 boys. 
 

The rain: just clear plastic (the ones we use to cover books with) or cellophane combines with silver plasti-foil attached to the arms (about 2 feet) so when they put their arms forward they fall like rain. 
 

First the little ones sing the first verse just seated in the front just swaying side to side and the "stream" boys in the background.  Then the "rains" enter and go behind the flowers and rain on them while singing.  The 3rd verse they all sing and if there are additional kids with no props they can enter as people, and everyone sings acting out the words of the 3rd verse (we just made up the actions).  The "stream" boys remain being streams until the end.  Idea from K. (Manila, Philippines)
 

 

ACTIONS FOR GIVE SAID THE LITTLE STREAM  (Idea by Tanya)  For "I'm small, I know..." use your pointer and thumb to show 'small' - "but wherever I go..." spread arms in front of you.

 

"Give said"....'give'

"the little stream"....wavey arm

"give, oh, give".... 'give'

"give, oh, give".... 'give'

"Give, said".... 'give'

"the little stream"....wavey arm

(as it) "hurried down the hill".... slide right arm down left

"I'm small I know".... show 'small' with fingers

"but wherever I go.... spread arms in front

"the grass grows greener still"..wiggle fingers up like growing grass

"Singing, singing all the day"... 2/4 pattern, both arms

"Give away, oh, give away"... 'give' 2x

repeat


 

This page was  last  updated: 
January 6, 2007

 

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