Summer is in full swing, and along with the heat, July brings bright sunny days, backyard fun, and plenty of reasons to sing! Just like last month’s June Tunes, today I’ll be sharing several children’s songs to sing with your little ones all month long. You can teach them to your kids and do the companion craft for fun summer activities.
From family road trips to backyard picnics, sing-along songs help create moments of connection, laughter, and learning. These songs are easy to learn, engaging for all ages, and a wonderful way to add a little melody to your family’s daily rhythm.
🎶 The Benefits of Singing with Children
Singing together is more than just fun—it plays an important role in early childhood development. Regular musical engagement helps:
- Develop language and communication skills
- Improve memory and auditory processing
- Foster creativity and emotional expression
- Encourage bonding and shared experiences
Incorporating music into your summer routine offers meaningful learning moments in a playful, stress-free way. Read more about why music matters in early childhood development here.
☀️ Sing-Along Songs + Hands-On Activities
Each of the following songs includes a craft or activity idea to help explore music in a multi-sensory, engaging way. Let’s dive into these July Tunes that bring the sunshine inside—no matter the weather!
1. “A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea”
This rhythmic clapping chant is a camp favorite—and great for hand-eye coordination!
🌊 Play Idea: Add claps, stomps, or snaps for each “sea” to make it a movement game.
🌊 Activity Idea: Create a mini ocean-in-a-bottle.
Fill a small clear plastic bottle with water and clear crafting glue, a few drops of blue food coloring, glitter, and tiny ocean-themed trinkets (like beads or foam fish). Seal tightly. As you sing, gently shake the bottle like waves.
🎵 Bonus: Use it as a calming sensory tool during quiet time.
2. “Boom Chicka Boom”
A call-and-response song that kids love because it’s loud, silly, and packed with personality.
🎤 Try This: Take turns letting kids lead the chant using different voices—robot, cowboy, underwater, etc.
🎤 Activity Idea: Make a DIY echo microphone.
Wrap an empty paper towel roll in aluminum foil, decorate it with stickers or markers, and use it during the song to “echo” back the verses. Kids love using it to take turns leading!
🎵 Tip: Encourage silly voice styles to build confidence and vocal expression.
3. “Going on a Picnic”
An easy-to-memorize rhyming song that lets everyone add to the list! (“We’re going on a picnic, we’re packing some… watermelon!”)
🍉 Memory Game: Go around in a circle adding new items to the song—how many can your family remember?
🍉 Activity Idea: Set up a pretend picnic indoors.
Lay out a blanket, gather toy food (or draw food items on paper), and “pack” a picnic as you sing. Let each child add a new food item as the song progresses.
🎵 This builds memory, turn-taking, and imaginative play.
4. “Camp Granada (Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh)”
A humorous song for slightly older kids (and adults!) about silly summer camp mishaps.
🏕️ Family Activity: Write your own “camp letters” after singing—real or imaginary!
🏕️ Activity Idea: Design a summer camp postcard.
Fold a sheet of cardstock in half, and let your child draw a funny camp scene on the front. On the back, help them write a short (real or silly) “letter home” inspired by the song.
🎵 Great for early writers and creative storytelling.
5. “There’s a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea”
A cumulative song that gets funnier and more challenging with each verse.
🐠 Learning Tip: Use visuals or drawings to help kids remember each layer (“a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea…”).
🐠 Activity Idea: Make a layered felt board scene.
Cut out felt shapes for each part of the song (hole, log, frog, etc.). As the lyrics build, have your child add each new piece to a felt board or piece of fabric.
🎵 Enhances sequencing skills and visual storytelling.
6. “The Green Grass Grew All Around”
A wonderful nature-themed song about a tree that builds up piece by piece. Great for repetition and rhyme!
🌳 Easy Coloring Idea: Have your child draw their own tree based on the song lyrics.
🌳 Activity Idea: Build a growing paper tree.
Start with a trunk cut from brown paper. With each verse, glue on new parts—a branch, a leaf, a nest, etc.—until the tree “grows” just like in the song.
🎵 Ideal for visual learners and practicing fine motor skills.
7. “Tingalayo” (Donkey Song)
This Caribbean-inspired tune has a catchy rhythm and is great for introducing multicultural music.
🐴 Movement Moment: Act out the donkey’s actions as you sing (“Tingalayo, come little donkey, come!”)
🐴 Activity Idea: Make a donkey stick puppet.
Draw or print a simple donkey face. Glue it to the top of a craft stick or paper straw. Add ears from construction paper and googly eyes if you have them. Use the puppet to “act out” the song.
🎵 Encourages movement and dramatic play.
Download a higher resolution PDF of this image below.
✨ Make Music a Daily Ritual
Here are simple ways to make music part of your everyday routine:
- Start each morning with a “song of the day”
- Use sing-alongs during transitions like bath time or clean-up
- Bring music outdoors for playdates, picnics, or nature walks
- Set up a music corner with our printable emotion cards (found in this post here) and homemade instruments
Summary
This summer, let music add rhythm, laughter, and learning to your family’s everyday moments. Whether you’re splashing in the pool, roasting marshmallows, or just enjoying a lazy afternoon, music is the perfect way to connect, play, and make memories. These songs can help turn an ordinary July into something truly memorable. Happy singing—and happy summer! 🎶☀️
Let’s Hear from You!
Thank you so much for checking out July Tunes. I hope you found some inspiration for activities to do with your kids this month. If you want to check out last month’s June Tunes, click here. I’ll be writing one of these for each month of the year, so be sure to check back each month for the latest monthly tunes!
Share this post with other parents, teachers, or caregivers to spread the musical fun this July. Which song will you be singing with your kids? Let me know in the comments below—or come say “hi” over on our Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest pages! I’d love to hear from you 😊
Until next time! May your life’s melody lead you toward peace and love.
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About the Author
Julie Perley is the author of The Melody of Life and is a board-certified music therapist, wife, and mom to three wonderful children. Her goal is to provide informative, fun, and supportive resources for any parent, educator, or caregiver of children. Read more about the author here.
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