Mister Turkey and Mister Duck
Song of the Month · 2010
Traditional
Downloads
(S tart with hands behind back) out one day (one hand is turkey, and comes out to front) He met Mr Duck along the way (other hand is duck, and comes out ) And then they (hands go back behind back) Quack! (spoken) ducks waddle. Have children practice doing each. VARIATION 1 (This version is great as a performance piece for school programs. It VARIATION 2: Same as above, but with only one pair of children at a time. If your class isn't too large, you can have them switch animals and sing again.. This can be done in a circle, with a pair of children from opposite sides of the circle standing up and walking to the middle to face each other, then walking back. Have the rest of the children clap in time and sing the song- except for the gobbles and quacks! Those lines will belong to the 'actors!'
Lyrics
This is one of my all-time favorite finger plays! Children always join in the motions, and always sing! I use it around Thanksgiving time, but it's great year-round. Read below for additional ideas about how to use this song in the classroom.
Mr. Turkey and Mr. Duck
Begin with hands behind your back
Mr. Turkey went out one day
In bright sunshiny weather
He met Mr. Duck along the way
They stopped to talk together
Gobble, gobble, gobble, quack, quack, quack
Gobble, gobble, gobble, quack, quack, quack
And then they both went back
Quack! (Spoken)
The variations below are a great way to use this song as a simple dramatic play. Before you do them, talk about how turkeys strut and ducks waddle. Have the children practice doing each.
VARIATION 1: This first version is great as a performance piece for school programs. It takes next to no practice, and parents will see their child's full character come to life!
Have half the children standing in a line facing the other half of the children. One side will be the turkeys, and the other side will be ducks. Demonstrate how the turkeys will "strut" halfway and stop. Then the ducks waddle to meet them. Have the turkeys practice their lines (gobble, gobble, gobble) and the ducks… (quack, quack, quack). Repeat, and then they all turn and walk back to where they started.
Free for any non-profit use. Please credit Nancy Stewart and link to nancymusic.com.