Ian Rae a.k.a. "Badly Drawing Grandpa", is a Scottish musician/writer/teacher living in London. His music has been used on TV, radio, adverts and theatre and he is now producing silly songs and (badly drawn) videos to amuse & teach little children, & creating songs to help introduce KS1 topics. His songs and videos are also available free on his Thoughtz4Totz website and Thoughtz4Totz and Thoughtz4kidz Youtube channels for preschool & primary children (& parents & grandparents)
Ian Rae a.k.a. "Badly Drawing Grandpa", is a Scottish musician/writer/teacher living in London. His music has been used on TV, radio, adverts and theatre and he is now producing silly songs and (badly drawn) videos to amuse & teach little children, & creating songs to help introduce KS1 topics. His songs and videos are also available free on his Thoughtz4Totz website and Thoughtz4Totz and Thoughtz4kidz Youtube channels for preschool & primary children (& parents & grandparents)
Rather silly little animation and song about washing your hands. The pack contains and mp3 of the song, an mp3 of the backing track, lyrics of the song and sheet music of the song with piano accompaniment
A little video/song to help children to understand the difference between sharps and flats. The sheet music for ths song may be downloaded - however the video is also a useful resource for the children to watch
A short video/song to assist children with the learning of music note values - whole note, half note, quarter note and eighth note in U.S.A. and semibreve, minim, crotchet and quaver in the U.K. The sheet music provides the main theme and the 4 parts which can be mixed and matched as much as you want. Children also fine the video to be extremely useful as a learning aid
A short video/song to help children identify where"C" and “F” are on a piano keyboard. The resource is the sheet music of the song but the video is also a useful.
A short video/song describing the format of the treble clef in music, and a useful way for children to remember the barlines and spaces. The Youtube video is also a useful resource
Short song/video to introduce KS1 topic MiniBeasts -listing some of the invertebrates likely to be found in the iar and on the ground. The pack contains a link to the video, mp3 downloads of vocal and backing track, lyrics and sheet music
The lyrics are as follows
It’s great to be invertebrate it’s great to be invertebrate
Wasps and bees worms and slugs
Ants flies ladybirds and lots of other bugs
In the air on the ground
Little minibeasts are all around
It’s great to be invertebrate it’s great to be invertebrate
Wood lice spiders moths butterflies
Minibeasts come in ev’ry shape and size
At cleaning up they are first rate
Well done minibeasts - invertebrates are great
It’s great to be invertebrate
It’s great to be invertebrate
It’s great to be invertebrate - it’s great!
A very short Remembrance Day song and video which could also be read as a poem. It was written by me in memory of my grandfather Private John Rae, a Scotsman killed in action in Belgium in 1916, serving in the Canadian Army. The video was shot on a visit I made to Ypres and the Menin Gate in 2016, and is mostly filmed around Sanctuary Wood Cemetery on the outskirts of Ypres.
I have also included jpgs of my Grandfather’s name in the Canadian Book of remembrance, and both sides of an embroidered photograph he sent to his wife and baby, only four days before his death. Also included is a PDF of background information about my grandfather and information about the shooting of the video.
The lyrics of the song / video are as follows
Shed No Tears For Me
If some day passing by you should chance on where I lie in silence
Shed no tears for me
Soldier’s grave, marked in stone
In a world where all that’s known is silence
Shed no tears for me
Only imagine me in the sunlight warm and free
Singing in the summer breeze
Floating on the restless seas till time stops
Shed no tears for me
Soaring with the skylark’s song
Dancing to the rhythm of the rain drops
Shed no tears for me
Shed no tears for me
A bouncy little children’s song suitable for most ages but designed for the KS1 topic “Let’s Go On Holiday” and offering suggestions of holidays and what to pack. You can watch the video to see if it suits your requirements, and download the voice mp3, the backing track mp3, the lyrics and the sheet music for the song.
The lyrics are as follows
Let’s go on holiday Where shall we go?
The seaside or country side or somewhere with snow?
Shall we go by aeroplane bus motor or boat?
Shall I pack my swimming costume or take a big coat?
Let’s go on holiday To France or Spain
If we take some sun tan cream it’s likely to rain
Shall we try a city break to Paris or Rome?
We’ll all have a holiday then we’ll all come home
A children’s song suitable for most ages on the subject of the circus and the acts that can be seen there You can watch the video to see if it suits your requirements, and download the voice mp3, the backing track mp3, the lyrics and the sheet music for the song.
The lyrics are as follows
Why don’t you come to the circus with me
That’s where we’ll all have some fun
Acrobats jugglers and clowns all to see
Something there for ev’ ry one
Watch the young girl on the flying trapeze
See the young men walk the tightrope with ease
Men eating fire I just hope they don’t sneeze
Something there for ev’ ry one
Come to the circus have fun
Why don’t you come to the circus with me
That’s where we’ll all have some fun
Horses and elephants there just to see
Something there for ev’ry one
People on stilts oh just look at their height
The strong man is someone I’d not choose to fight
A man throwing knives at a girl that’s not right
Missing her with ev’ ry one
Come to the circus have fun
Quite a dramatic song about the Vikings and the less publicized aspect of their lives. You can watch the video to see if it suits your requirements, and download the voice mp3, the backing track mp3, the lyrics and the sheet music for the song.
The lyrics are as follows
They sailed in their long boats from far across the seas
What were they called? The Vikings
From A D seven hundred for four centuries
What were they called? The Vikings
They robbed all the villages took all that they could take
They burned and they pillaged and they caused so much heartache
But if you think that’s all they did you’re making a mistake
What were they called? The Vikings
For fishing exploring and farming they were known
What were they called? The Vikings
In England King Canute and Harold reached the throne
What were they called? The Vikings
We see them as fighting men but they were so much more
Their Viking Gods like Thor and Odin gods we can’t ignore
And when they reached the end in burning ships they left the shore
What were the called? The Vikings
This is a very tongue in cheek song about Christopher Columbus discovering America. The lyrics are as follows
In fourteen hundred and ninety two
Christopher Columbus set sail with his crew
To reach the Indies was his intent
But without Google maps that is not where his ships went
The two month voyage didn’t go as planned
In America his three ships reached dry land
And since that day everybody knows his name
For discovering America we know now who to blame
For discovering America we know now who to blame
Feel free to change the last 2 lines to
For discovering America he’s had a lot of fame
The song pack comes with Vocal mp3, Backing track mp3, Lyrics and Sheet Music
The whole story of the KS1 topic The Pied Piper and the town of Hamelin - in quite a jazzy style. The song pack contains Vocal mp3, Backing track mp3 , music score and lyrics
A short song for children about the KS1 Topic The Gunpowder Plot, with some of the basic facts about the plot and Gut Fawkes. The lyrics are as follows
Long long ago in 1605
Some men had an evil thought
To kill King James the First they did contrive
A gunpowder treason plot
We still remember the fifth of November
And we think of the gun powder plot
To Parliament a secret letter sent
Meant Guy Fawkes and the plotters were caught
Guy Fawkes and the plotters were caught
The song could be used as an introduction to the topic of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot, as a means of memorizing the basic facts of the event, or even as the soundtrack to a little video using drawings by the children
The resource pack contains an mp3 of the song, an mp3 backing track, sheet music and lyrics
A short song for young children with some basic information about KS1 Topic Florence Nightingale, her work in Crimea and outlining her contribution to nursing. The lyrics are as follows
Florence Nightingale We must never fail
To know the things you taught the world to do
You set out to bring help to soldiers suffering
Nursing changed so much because of you
In the dead of night Your lamp brought new light
And in Crimea you showed what to do
Florence Nightingale We will never fail
To recognise the debt we owe to you
The song could be used as an introduction to the topic of Florence Nightingale, as a means of memorizing the basic facts or even as the soundtrack to a little video using drawings by the children
The resource pack contains an mp3 of the song, an mp3 backing track, sheet music and lyrics
Not to be confused with the “London’s Burning” this is a new short song for young children / teachers providing some information about the KS1 topic The Great Fire of London in 1666. The lyrics are as follows
In sixteen hundred and sixty six
There was a fire in Pudding Lane
The houses were wooden not made with bricks
And the weather was hot with no rain
London is burning, by day and by night
For four days the flames leap all around
London is burning what a terrible sight
As London is burned to the ground
London is burned to the ground
The song could be used as an introduction to the topic of The Great Fire of London, as a means of memorizing the basic facts of the event, or even as the soundtrack to a little video using drawings by the children
The resource pack contains an mp3 of the song, an mp3 backing track, sheet music and lyrics
A very silly (slightly satyrical) video, song and sheet music about some of the principal landmarks around London. More little characters from Ian Rae (a.k.a Badly Drawing Grandpa) at The Tower of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace (for orange squash and biscuits with the queen), the London Eye and The Houses of Parliament
A really silly song about the benefits of really silly songs. The chorus (which is very easy to learn) works as a counterpoint with the verse so two groups of children (or 2 soloists) can produce a really silly song in almost perfect harmony. Please watch the video to get the idea. The pack comes with vocal and backing track mp3s plus lyrics and full sheet music score for 2 parts plus piano
**In the current Covid-19 climate with many of the opportunities for primary school leaving celebrations, proms and prize-givings being curtailed a number of teachers / parents are using this song as the sound track for short videos for the children about to leave school. Be it photographs with names of the children or activities captured during their time at school this song (or a recording sung by the children using the backing track might at least provide a small memento for the children **
A primary school leavers song - ideal for primary school prize giving as a solo or choir piece - probably as near you can get to a school leavers pop anthem This song has been used in Yr6 assemblies and prize-givings. Watch the video the video to get an idea of the song. Comes with vocal track, backing track, lyrics and sheet music
Charming little song for children which can be formed as a solo, or as a choir piece - all about using your imagination when you’re on your own or with friends. The video (complete with mini conductor) gives you an idea of the song and lyrics, and you can download vocal version, backing track, lyrics and sheet music