Sing a Sea Shanty
Learn and perform a simple sea shanty by practicing melody, rhythm, and call-and-response. Add hand percussion and sing together confidently.
Step-by-step guide to sing a sea shanty
The Wellerman - A Twinkl Sea Shanty for Kids ! | Twinkl Kids Tv
Step 1
Warm up your voice by humming gently and sliding from low to high for about 20 seconds.
Step 2
Read the sea shanty lyrics out loud slowly so you know all the words.
Step 3
Sing the first line of the lyrics using a simple melody and repeat it until it sounds smooth.
Step 4
Sing each next line one at a time until you can sing all the lines from memory.
Step 5
Choose one line to be the "call" and the next line to be the "response."
Step 6
Tap a steady beat by clapping or tapping your knees once on each beat.
Step 7
Sing the call then the response slowly in time with your steady taps.
Step 8
Pick one hand percussion instrument to use during the song.
Step 9
Practice playing a simple rhythm on your percussion while keeping the steady beat with your taps.
Step 10
Sing the whole shanty from start to finish with your singing buddy while keeping the beat and playing percussion.
Step 11
Add big smiles and clear words and sing with energy and confidence.
Step 12
Share your finished sea shanty on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a hand percussion instrument or can't tap knees as instructed?
If you don't have a hand percussion instrument, use a wooden spoon tapped on a plastic bowl and if you can't tap your knees, clap your hands once on each beat to keep the steady beat.
I'm losing the rhythm and words when singing together—how can we fix that?
Slow the tempo, return to the humming warm-up and read the sea shanty lyrics out loud, then practice the call and response lines in time with slow taps or claps before adding the percussion.
How can this activity be adapted for younger or older children?
For younger kids, shorten the shanty to two lines, use simple clapping for the steady beat and repeat one melody line, while older children can add harmony parts, a more complex percussion rhythm, and sing the whole shanty with a buddy.
How can we personalize or extend the sea shanty once we've learned it?
Personalize the song by changing a line to include the child's name, build a percussion arrangement with your chosen instrument, add hand choreography for the taps, and record the performance to share on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to sing a sea shanty
The Shantyman And His Crew | Children's Sea Shanty With Lyrics By Singalong School Songs
4 Videos
The Shantyman And His Crew | Children's Sea Shanty With Lyrics By Singalong School Songs
The Wellerman Sea Shanty - Kid's Song - Music for Children - Singaroo
How to Sing Sea Shanties 1 - learn a sea shanty - Brian of Holcombe What you can do in 3 mins.
Swashbuckle Song | Learn Parts of a Ship ⛵️Sea Shanty | CBeebies
Facts about singing and rhythm for kids
📱 A wave of sea shanty videos went viral on social media in 2021, introducing these old songs to millions.
📜 Many shanties borrowed melodies and lyrics from different cultures as sailors traded songs at ports worldwide.
🥁 Sailors often used simple hand percussion (clapping, tapping, spoons, tambourines) to keep the beat at sea.
🧭 Sea shanties were practical work songs sailors used to coordinate timing for heavy tasks like hauling ropes.
🎤 The call-and-response structure makes shanties easy to learn fast—one leader sings a line, the crew replies.
How do I teach a child to learn and perform a simple sea shanty with call-and-response?
What materials and instruments do I need for a sea shanty activity with hand percussion?
What ages is singing a simple sea shanty suitable for and how should it be adapted?
What are the benefits of singing sea shanties and adding hand percussion with my child?
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