Props in Storytelling Clarify Folk Song Lyrics for Preschoolers
Often, when we teach songs, we need props for storytelling because song lyrics are not as easy to follow as the spoken words of a regular story. For instance, when we want to introduce a folk song to our preschool group, the lyrics may contain words and ideas that are new to young children. The best way to help children understand something new is by telling them a story.

Props in storytelling make the meaning crystal clear
In this post, I explain how I use props in storytelling to make the meaning crystal clear in this Australian folk song about shearing — ‘Click Go the Shears’. What’s happening in this song is that the Old Shearer decides to beat the young shearer, the fastest shearer, also known as The Ringer. The Old Shearer wins by one stroke of his shears, a ‘blow’.
My intention in writing this is to answer the bigger question: “How can I incorporate storytelling into music lessons for preschoolers?”
Videos in storytelling also aid meaning-making
I also made a video because photos of real shearing practices are another quick way to convey the meaning. The first part of the video is for the children. In the second part, I share notes for educators, and I show you the props I use to make the meaning clear in the story. You can watch the video on our YouTube channel. The link is at the end of this article.
Educators’ Notes: ‘Click Go the Shears’ + Props to Tell the Story
This Australian Folk Song is great for Drama activities. Here are the story elements to help the children play the drama game”
Contents
- characters
- story
- vocabulary
- props
- instruments
- activities
- drama game
Characters
The Old Shearer and
The Ringer
Story
The Old Shearer wants to find an easy sheep to shear so he can win a race against The Ringer!
Vocabulary
‘Shears’ are like scissors or hedge-clippers. We’re pretending our castanets are ‘shears’.
A ‘bare-bellied joe’, and a ‘blue-bellied joe’ are exactly the same! This is a kind of female sheep or ‘ewe’ with not much wool on its belly so it’s easy to shear.
A ‘blow’ is one stroke of the shears, or one cut of wool.
Props
- two small toy sheep
- two pieces of wooden board or boxes for children to stand on
- two strands of ‘raw wool’
- a ball of knitting yarn
Instruments
- at least one castanet for each child
Activities
- Invite all children to get one or a pair of castanets and experiment with the sounds.
- Watch the video and join in by playing in time with the beat and singing ‘Click, click, click.’
- Pass around balls of knitting yarn, and talk about warm clothes and other woollen items (blankets, floor rugs).
- Pass around the strands of ‘raw wool’ and ask the children to describe the ‘feel’.
The Drama Game
- Model how you pretend your castanet is a pair of shears and run it over one of the toy sheep, each pass is a ‘blow’.
- Ask for two children to stand out the front on the ‘boards’ and show us how they pretend to shear a sheep with their castanet.
- Sing the song while the two children have a race.
- Ask the children who won. Was it The Ringer or the Old Shearer?
- Clap your applause at the end of the song because both shearers worked hard to shear their sheep.
- Repeat once with two different children if there is time.
Conclusion
And that is my brief answer to the question “How can I incorporate storytelling into music lessons for preschoolers?” Using props in storytelling is an excellent way to help preschoolers make meaning from lyrics and really enjoy learning a folk song
Watch the YouTube Video
Click Go the Shears Song: How to use Story Props for Drama
Where to find ‘Click Go the Shears’ Drama and Music Activity Using Props in Storytelling
- It’s in the Preschool Music Program Sing and Play 1
https://www.musicalchild.com.au/product/sing-and-play-1-preschool-music-program/
- It’s in the Preschool and Junior Music Course
https://learn.musicalchild.com.au/course-preschool-and-junior-music-curriculum
- And it’s also available if you join the Early Childhood Music Educator’s Hub
https://learn.musicalchild.com.au/course-early-childhood-music-hub-1828
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