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You are here: Home / Musical Activities For... / 5+ / There Was a Princess Long Ago: Storytelling Circle Game

There Was a Princess Long Ago: Storytelling Circle Game

August 5, 2013 By Sara Mullett 23 Comments

There Was A Princess Long Ago is a wonderful storytelling circle game, which combines one or two well known fairy tales with actions and imaginative movement, and is best suited to children of 3 years and over. It’s full of fairytale romance and magic!

Let's Play Music : There Was a Princess Long Ago - Songs for Storytelling

 There Was A Princess Long Ago

There was a Princess long ago, long ago, long ago,

There was a Princess long ago,  long ago! (hold hands in a circle)

*

And she lived in a big high tower, a big high tower, a big high tower,

And she lived in a big high tower, long ago.  (arms up high for tower)

*

One day a bad Queen cast a spell, cast a spell, cast a spell,

One day a bad Queen cast a spell, long ago. (cast spell with fingers)

*

The Princess slept for a hundred years, a hundred years, a hundred years,

The Princess slept for a hundred years, long ago. (rest head asleep on hands)

*

A great big forest grew a round, grew around, grew around,

A great big forest grew around, long ago. (mime tall swaying trees)

*

One day a Prince came riding by, riding by, riding by,

One day day a Prince came riding by, long ago. (mime riding a horse)

*

 He cut the trees down with his sword, with his sword, with his sword,

He cut the trees down with his sword, long ago. (mime chopping with a sword)

*

And when he kissed her she woke up, she woke up, she woke up,

And when he kissed her she woke up, long ago. (kiss the back of your hand)

*

So everybody’s happy now, happy now, happy now,

So everybody’s happy now, HAPPY NOW! (go round in a circle very fast)

 

How to Play the storytelling circle game

  • First you need to choose your princess, this can cause obvious problems, but you just have to reassure the rest that everyone will have a turn!
  • The others hold hands and go round in a circle, with the princess in the middle, singing the first verse.
  • Follow the actions as described alongside the words of the song above.
  • The children get very involved in acting out the story, and everyone is so delighted with the happy ending!

There Was a Princess Long Ago Craft

After singing the song you could explore the fairy tale theme further by trying the simple craft activity in the picture above.

What you need:

  • A rectangular piece of cardboard
  • A wooden spoon
  • Yellow wool 
  • Thinner cardboard in a fan shape for the roof
  • Sharpie markers for decoration
  • Stickers for the princesses features

How to:

1. Using the sharpie marker, draw a brick pattern on your rectangular piece of cardboard

2. Cut a hole into one side of the tower, which will be the princess’s window

3. Roll the cardboard into a tower shape

4. Fold the fan shaped piece of cardboard for the roof into a cone shape and secure with sellotape

5. Use the marker to draw the princess features onto the wooden spoon

6. Plait the yellow wool and secure onto the top of the wooden spoon for the princess’s hair.

This game offers plenty of scope for all sorts of improvisation, depending on the age of the children making it, the materials you have to hand, and the time that is available.

Follow Sara @ Let’s Play Music’s board Circle Games on Pinterest.

Filed Under: 5+, Action songs, Circle Games, Creative Role Play, Imaginative Play, Literacy, Preschoolers Tagged With: Fairy Tales, Princess

Please note, the posts on Let’s Play Music include affiliate links for your convenience.

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Comments

  1. Chenai says

    November 17, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    The craft is very fun and I love acting and singing

    Reply
    • Sara Mullett says

      November 18, 2014 at 11:02 am

      Thanks, I love the songs and crafts that are attached to fairy tales too, they are so good for little imaginations!

      Reply
  2. Lauren says

    September 28, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing at our #PinningforPlay link up.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 29, 2013 at 12:43 am

      Thanks for hosting and pinning our pins Lauren! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Stephanie @ Twodaloo says

    September 12, 2013 at 8:43 pm

    Love this! Great posts, as usual- your site is just awesome! Thanks for linking up to Discover & Explore!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 13, 2013 at 12:23 pm

      Thanks Stephanie! You are very kind 🙂 We love Twodaloo too! So many great ideas!

      Reply
  4. Jill says

    September 11, 2013 at 1:56 am

    Telling stories through song is very fun. I know my daughter Elizabeth loves to make art projects and I think that this a great way to include the forgotten art of storytelling too. Thank you for linking up this week to the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop 🙂

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 13, 2013 at 12:25 pm

      Thanks Jill! Yes, Fairy tales are an essential part of every childhood! Thanks for hosting 🙂

      Reply
  5. Little Green says

    August 19, 2013 at 8:50 am

    Thank you so much for this great post. I came by your blog via Pinterest, and have included this post in my weekly round-up of great pins. If you’d like to have a look, here is the link: http://littlegreenteacher.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/pins-of-week-area-game-animal-movement.html

    Reply
    • Sara_LetsPlayMusic says

      August 19, 2013 at 10:43 am

      Thank you for including us in your weekly round up! It is a great song – I love fairy tales 🙂

      Reply
  6. Carrie says

    August 17, 2013 at 12:27 am

    Oh, my daughter will love this one!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!

    Reply
  7. Mummygadgetgeek says

    August 14, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    Oh, we love singing in this house. I think my two will really enjoy this song, thanks for the inspiration 🙂

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 14, 2013 at 11:18 pm

      Thanks, I hope you all enjoy the fairy tale!

      Reply
  8. Jackie @My Little Bookcase says

    August 10, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    I just love this. Pinned for my princess-obsessed daughter and friends

    Reply
    • Sara_LetsPlayMusic says

      August 11, 2013 at 11:09 am

      Thanks! My little girls loved being princesses too!

      Reply
  9. Debbie says

    August 9, 2013 at 1:39 pm

    This is great! Pinned it! Thanks for sharing at TGIF!

    Reply

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