June 2026 – Music Moments
Jungle Animals, Preschool Music Activities & Summer Adventures
June has arrived, and that means one thing around here: jungle animal music! Somehow, every year my brain immediately jumps from June to jungle, and at this point I’ve fully embraced it.
If you’re looking for fun preschool music activities, jungle animal movement ideas, music appreciation suggestions, and even a few STEM activities for preschoolers, you’re in the right place.
Be sure to check out Music Moments from last year, too. 👉 June 2025
Whether you’re a parent, homeschooler, preschool teacher, or daycare provider, here are some playful ways to bring music, movement, imagination, and learning together this month.
🎵Our Favorite Jungle Songs for Preschoolers
Some of our long-time jungle favorites are still going strong!
🦁 Lion Version – Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
A silly jungle twist on a classic movement song that gets little bodies moving while reinforcing body awareness and coordination. Plus, in Little Kiddos Music classes, we always use real music vocabulary. Using a fun, full body movement song like this is the perfect way to introduce music tempo terms to even the youngest learners! Check it out! 👉Mane, Whiskers, Claws and Paws
🐒 I’m a Little Monkey
This song has been such a hit with little kiddos that we ended up creating a second version, too! Preschoolers love pretending to swing, climb, and scamper like playful monkeys. 👉 I’m a Little Monkey and I’m (Also!) a Little Monkey!
We’ve added many new jungle songs to our preschool music classes this year. Including two new favorites:
🐛 A Tiny Bug
What a storytelling, musical adventure we experience with this song!
🥁 Drumming in the Jungle
In our jungle-themed music class, kiddos explore steady beat, rhythm, and musical expression while pretending to adventure through the jungle. When we go deep in the jungle, we get to see different animals that move at different tempos and with different dynamics. It’s such a fun way to experience these concepts in music! 👉Drumming in the Jungle
So yes… I’ve got out-of-this-world music on my mind—and I can’t wait to share it with you!
Exciting Little Kiddos Music Academy™ Updates!
At the time this post is being published, Early Access is still available for the Little Kiddos Music Academy At-Home Video Curriculum.
Forty playful, evidence-based music classes designed specifically for ages 1–6 teach real music skills through singing, movement, storytelling, and hands-on instrument play.
Price may increase as we get closer to the school year.
For Teachers and Schools
I’m also excited to share that Teacher and School Early Access licensing is now open!
Educators receive:
- Forty video music classes
- A full Educator Resource Library
- Extension activities and printables with each lesson and beyond!
- Teaching tips gathered from 25+ years of early childhood music experience
- Seasonal Show-and-Share Programs for families
- …and more!
The Show-and-Share Programs are ready-to-use performances and are often educators’ favorite resource because they make family events simple and stress-free. We love that!
The School Video License is ideal for multiple classrooms, teachers, and locations. 👉 School-Wide Music Video Curriculum License
The Teacher Video License is perfect for individual teachers and in-home daycare providers. 👉 Preschool Teacher Music Video Curriculum License It also works great as complete, ready-to-go sub plans.
Early Access allows you to begin exploring lessons and resources as they become available. The complete curriculum will be ready before the 2026–2027 school year.
I love providing additional resources, suggestions, and activities for educators and caregivers! One of my favorite ways to expand children’s musical experiences is through listening. I’m also happy to share some suggestions for you. So, let’s jump into June’s tunes!
June Music Appreciation for FOR EARS OF ALL AGES:
Here are a few of my favorite listening picks this month. These are perfect for expanding your child’s musical world!
🎧 The Elephant — Camille Saint-Saëns
Carnival of the Animals is a must-listen for young children, and The Elephant is the perfect way to begin a month of jungle-themed listening.
Listen for the heavy, lumbering sounds that make the elephant feel larger than life.
🎧 It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) — Duke Ellington
After warming up with The Elephant by Camille Saint-Saëns, how about this? SWING those arms like the trunk of an elephant. Kiddos love playing pretend. This jazzy classic lends itself well to swinging, obviously! There are loads of versions of this swingin’ tune, but the tempo of this 1943 version by Duke Ellington, himself, is the perfect tempo for stomping, trunk-swinging elephants!
🎧 The Lioness Hunt — The Lion King Broadway Cast Recording
This is one of my all-time favorite scarf dancing pieces.
The melody is beautiful, the energy builds naturally, and the exciting accelerando at the end is loads of fun for scarf-movement. Always a hit.
🎧 The Lion Sleeps Tonight — Ladysmith Black Mambazo
This beautiful version combines wonderful storytelling, rich harmonies, and is perfect for the jungle theme preschoolers love.
🎧 March of the Lions — Camille Saint-Saëns
We’ll finish our listening adventures right where we started—with another selection from Carnival of the Animals.
Listen for the proud, majestic lion strutting through the jungle.
June STEM & Extension Activities for Preschoolers 🦁
🧠Looking to extend the learning beyond music? These preschool STEAM activities and resources pair beautifully with our June jungle theme!
🐘Animal Habitat Builders
STEM Focus: Engineering
Provide:
- Blocks
- Cardboard tubes
- Craft sticks
- Leaves
- Rocks
- Natural materials
Challenge children to build:
- A monkey treehouse
- A lion den
- A bird nest
- A snake hiding spot
Questions to explore:
How can we make the structure stronger?
What does the animal need to survive?
Which materials work best?
🐍 Camouflage Hunt
STEM Focus: Observation & Nature Science
Hide toy animals around the room.
Choose some that blend into their surroundings and others that are easy to spot.
Discuss: Which animals were hardest to find? Why do animals camouflage? What animal do you think would be hardest to see?
🎵 Music Extension
Want to add music?!
Play shakers, drums, rhythm sticks, or bells pianissimo while your child searches.
Gradually play louder (crescendo) as they get closer to finding the hidden animal.
Now you’re sneaking music vocabulary into science play!
🎵 Music and Movement
Call out different jungle animals and matching music vocabulary:
- 🐍 Slither largo like a snake.
- 🐒 Run and jump presto like a monkey.
- 🦁 Stomp forte like a lion.
- 🦜 Fly pianissimo like a colorful bird.
This simple activity combines movement, imagination, listening skills, and real music learning all at once.
If these music appreciation suggestions for ears of all ages don’t give you jungle fever and make you want to jungle boogie, then I don’t know what will!
