Introduction:
“Apples and Bananas” is a beloved children’s song that is both playful and educational. Known for its vowel sound repetition, this song helps children learn vowel pronunciation in a fun and engaging way. As the song progresses, the vowels in the words “apples” and “bananas” are humorously changed, creating silly but instructive lyrics. This makes it a favorite in classrooms, at home, and in early childhood music programs. In this blog post, we’ll explore the song’s lyrics, its educational benefits, and why it remains a favorite for kids and teachers alike.
Lyrics of “Apples and Bananas”:
Here is a common version of the “Apples and Bananas” lyrics:
Verse 1:
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas,
I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas.
Verse 2 (A sounds):
I like to ate, ate, ate ay-ples and ba-nay-nays,
I like to ate, ate, ate ay-ples and ba-nay-nays.
Verse 3 (E sounds):
I like to eat, eat, eat ee-ples and bee-nee-nees,
I like to eat, eat, eat ee-ples and bee-nee-nees.
Verse 4 (I sounds):
I like to ite, ite, ite i-ples and bi-ni-nis,
I like to ite, ite, ite i-ples and bi-ni-nis.
Verse 5 (O sounds):
I like to ote, ote, ote o-ples and bo-no-nos,
I like to ote, ote, ote o-ples and bo-no-nos.
Verse 6 (U sounds):
I like to ute, ute, ute u-ples and bu-nu-nus,
I like to ute, ute, ute u-ples and bu-nu-nus.
Educational Value:
“Apples and Bananas” is more than just a fun and silly song—it’s a valuable tool for helping children develop important language and phonetic skills. Here’s how:
- Vowel Sound Recognition:
The core of the song is its focus on vowel sounds. By singing each verse with different vowel substitutions, children are able to practice the long vowel sounds (A, E, I, O, and U) in a playful and memorable way. This repetition of vowel sounds helps kids recognize the unique sounds vowels make, aiding in reading and pronunciation skills. - Language Development:
Singing along to “Apples and Bananas” helps young children improve their pronunciation, listening skills, and vocabulary. As the words change with each verse, children learn to adapt the sounds while maintaining the rhythm and structure of the song. - Engagement through Humor:
The song’s playful tone and humorous vowel changes keep children engaged. They find the nonsense words like “ee-ples” or “bo-no-nos” funny, which encourages them to keep singing and experimenting with language. This makes learning fun and memorable. - Memorization and Repetition:
The song’s repetitive structure reinforces memorization. As kids sing the song over and over with different vowel changes, they naturally internalize the correct sounds and rhythms of the English language.
Cultural and Educational Impact:
“Apples and Bananas” has been a staple in early childhood education for decades. Its combination of fun and educational content makes it ideal for use in classrooms, preschools, and daycare settings. The song has been recorded by various children’s performers and featured on popular children’s music albums. It has also been adapted into many different languages and versions, making it a global hit for young learners.
Why Kids Love It:
Children are naturally drawn to songs that are silly, repetitive, and interactive, and “Apples and Bananas” fits that mold perfectly. The nonsensical words make them giggle, while the repetitive structure allows them to sing along confidently after just a few listens. The opportunity to “play” with language by changing the sounds makes it an active learning experience that kids love to repeat.
How Parents and Educators Can Use the Song:
- Phonics Practice:
Use the song to teach vowel sounds in an interactive and fun way. After singing the song, ask children to identify the vowel sounds they sang and provide examples of other words that contain those vowel sounds. - Creative Exploration:
Encourage children to come up with their own funny words by swapping out vowel sounds in other simple words. For example, they can change “cat” to “cot” or “cut” to see how vowel changes affect meaning and pronunciation. - Movement and Music:
Add movement to the song to further engage children. Have them clap or stomp along with the beat, or act out the process of eating apples and bananas as they sing.
Conclusion:
“Apples and Bananas” is a delightful, silly song that doubles as an educational tool for teaching young children about vowels and phonetics. Its catchy tune and humorous lyrics make it a timeless favorite among kids, parents, and educators. Whether used at home or in the classroom, the song makes learning about language fun, interactive, and memorable.
Fun Facts:
- Multiple Versions: Over the years, “Apples and Bananas” has been adapted and performed by many children’s musicians, including Raffi, Barney, and others.
- A Global Favorite: The song has been translated into various languages, making it a fun and educational tool for children worldwide.
- Endless Variations: In some versions of the song, kids also change the consonants, creating even more funny and imaginative combinations of words.
“Apples and Bananas” remains a playful way for kids to engage with language and phonics, and its timeless appeal continues to make it a go-to for learning and fun.