Language focus: Emotions (happy, angry, sleepy, scared). Actions (clap your hands, stomp your feet, say "oh-no!", take a nap).

Classroom benefits: If You're Happy is great for helping young learners express emotions. This version is another traditional song we have made SUPER simple. The traditional version of this song can be a little tough for younger learners. If you visit an EFL or ESL class, or even a class of younger native-speakers, you’ll often hear the children singing something like:

If you’re happy (mumble, mumble, mumble) clap your hands!
If you’re happy (mumble, mumble, mumble) clap your hands!
If you’re happy (mumble, mumble, mumble),
(mumble, mumble, mumble)
If you’re happy (mumble, mumble, mumble) clap your hands!

The tempo is often too quick and phrases like “and you know it” and “then your face will surely show it” aren’t easy for young children to sing or understand through gestures and expressions.

So, since we like to use this song to teach emotions, we’ve slowed it down a little and simplified the lyrics to just the emotions and the body language that express those emotions. This version allows even very young kids to sing all the lyrics and act them out with gestures.

Lyrics and actions:

If you’re happy happy happy (Smile and put your index fingers on your cheeks.)
clap your hands. (Clap your hands.)
If you’re happy happy happy
clap your hands.
If you’re happy happy happy
clap your hands, clap your hands.
If you’re happy happy happy
clap your hands.

If you’re angry angry angry (Make an angry face and cross your arms over your chest.)
stomp your feet. (Stomp your feet.)
If you’re angry angry angry
stomp your feet.
If you’re angry angry angry
stomp your feet, stomp your feet.
If you’re angry angry angry
stomp your feet.

If you’re scared scared scared (Make a scared face and place your hands on your cheeks.)
say, “Oh no!” (Say, “Oh no!”)
If you’re scared scared scared
say, “Oh no!”
If you’re scared scared scared
say, “Oh no!”, say , "Oh no!"
If you’re scared scared scared
say, “Oh no!”

If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy (Make a sleepy face.)
take a nap. (Rest your head on your hands and pretend to sleep.)
If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy
take a nap.
If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy
take a nap, take a nap.
If you’re sleepy sleepy sleepy
take a nap.

If you’re happy happy happy (Smile and put your index fingers on your cheeks.)
clap your hands. (Clap your hands.)
If you’re happy happy happy
clap your hands.
If you’re happy happy happy
clap your hands, clap your hands.
If you’re happy happy happy
clap your hands.

Activity ideas:

Before or after this song, explore emotions by making faces in the mirror. Or tell your students to make a happy/angry/scared/sleepy/sad/etc. face and take their pictures with a camera phone or a digital camera and then show them their pictures!

For extra fun make an emotions book with those pictures. Just print out the pictures and write the emotion under each one.

If you work with autistic children, an emotions book is great for helping the children to recognize other people's feelings. You may not be able to have your students pose for the pictures, but if you can make an emotions book with pictures of other people, you may find your kids fascinated by it.


Picture cards:

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