Seems like the chilly fall weather is settling in, and that means children are eating more soup. I love to use songs that reflect what children are actually doing in their daily life – not that I have anything against tuffets or four-and-twenty blackbirds, but it’s nice not to have to explain what the song is talking about. And it’s so much fun when I introduce this song and my students call out excitedly, “We have soup at my house!” Everybody wants to tell me their favorite kind of soup, so the expressive-language part of this activity is already underway!

Sometimes I have the children pretend that shakers are spoons and use them to stir the imaginary soup. But it works just fine holding an “air spoon.”

Stir Up My Soup

          (tune – “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean”)

          Stir up, stir up, oh, stir up my soup for me, for me,
         Stir up, stir up, oh, stir up my soup for me.
         (stir in an imaginary pot)

          First put in some carrots and celery,
Some chicken and noodles and peas, (pretend to put in ingredients)
          But please don’t put into much pepper, (shake head “no”)
          ‘Cause pepper will make you sneeze!  – Ah-CHOO!

(The “Ah-Choo!” at the end of the song is spoken – or should I say sneezed. Remember to pretend-sneeze into your elbow!)

When your students are familiar with the song, the fun really starts with some improvisation. Ask them to think of other kinds of food. (You’ll need four, to substitute for “carrots,” “celery,” “chicken,” and “noodles.” You have to keep the peas in, to rhyme with “sneeze.”) This may result in singing about some strawberries and ketchup, some ice cream and hot dogs and peas. Or some broccoli and cereal, some fish and spaghetti and peas! With each new combination, be sure to say “yuck” or “oh my goodness!” or in some other way notice what a silly soup they’ve created. Young children think this is totally hilarious!