I Want To Go Outside

by Teresa Jennings

As we usually do in an all-school revue, we provide at least one song that can be sung by your youngest students. For this revue (The Great Outdoors), that song is "I Want To Go Outside." However, while working on the tune, it soon became clear to us that the happy plucking of the mandolin, guitar, and banjo along with the upbeat strumming and hip hop groove also appealed to older kids. And yeah, us really older kids, too. Nonetheless, it remains true that your little ones will find it easy to learn and remember.

It's all unison and has some nifty "na na's" to belt out, as well as snaps to add movement and rhythmic interaction. The essence of the lyrics is pretty basic – going outside is fun. And it matters little if there is green grass or snow on the ground. It's still joyful. And what an important message to reinforce at a time when kids are spending more and more time inside, notably in front of electronic devices. For the purposes of the revue, this song is a reminder that our own yards, parks, and neighborhoods are also a part of the great outdoors. We just have to notice.

Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.