The Acorns Roll | Autumn Singalong Song for Kids by Claudia Robin Gunn

Count the acorns as they fall and roll along the ground in this fun autumn singalong story song for children. Celebrate the timeless magic of the season.

Trading, collecting, storing, weighing, hiding, scattering, planting – this song speaks of the acorn economy of the schoolyard. The Acorns Roll echoes autumn memories of years gone by and reflects on the process of planting seeds of hope across generations in both nature and in families.
 
Our son used to bring his treasured acorn collection home from school, and one year, as they dropped from his pockets and backpack all along the path, the street, and our muddy yet-to-be-concreted driveway, several persistent saplings took root. As we had a real-life little yellow digger on the way to lay the new drive, these saplings were duly dug up and replanted in a more appropriate spot down at my grandparents farm, saved for a future generation.
 
This was also the year that same little yellow digger actually did get stuck in our drive, much to the delight of passing school children and our small children. I hope you find some delight in this sweet animation created by my friend Kitty Wade, to illustrate this song so dear to my heart.

Credits:

Songwriting/Vocals - Claudia Robin Gunn
Audio Production/Instrumentation - Tom Fox at The Sound Room
Video Illustrations and Animation - Kitty Wade
Supported by NZ On Air Music / NZ On Air Tamariki

Lyrics:

Acorns fall and roll away
School kids sift and sort and trade
Green turns brown and shades of golden
Autumn mornings out collecting
 
AND THE CHILDREN PLAY UNDER THE OLD OAK TREES
AND THE ACORNS ROLL
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL TOO FAR FROM THE TREE
BUT THE ACORNS ROLL
 
I’ll give you five that I hid right here
Milly says wait I gotta a few more there
I’m gonna fill my lunchbox full
Harry says whatcha gonna eat them too?
Polly says bury ‘em save them in the ground
Next year we’ll count the ones that sprout
Acorn fever in the senior school
 
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL TOO FAR FROM THE TREE
AND THE ACORNS ROLL
AND THE CHILDREN PLAY UNDER THE OLD OAK TREES
BUT THE ACORNS ROLL
 
Johnny says I owe you one (just one)
Mary says well we’ve just begun
Poppy says there’s too many to count
Dylan says well I’ll help you out
(1, 2 , 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
 
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL TOO FAR FROM THE TREE
BUT THE ACORNS ROLL

One time, a kid walked home
Backpack full of them acorns rolled
Dropping out pockets all the way back down
Falling in the earth on the driveway brown
Little while later on sprouted two
Mama says - little one - what we gonna do?
Concrete truck will be coming any day
Dear little oak trees just can’t stay
 
COS THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL TOO FAR FROM THE TREE
BUT THE ACORNS ROLL
AND THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL TOO FAR FROM THE TREE
BUT THE ACORNS ROLL
 
Well the little kid got a bucket and spade
Two little oak tree seedlings saved
Planted in the field by the beehives
And the years go by
 
AND THE CHILDREN PLAY UNDER THE OLD OAK TREES
AND THE ACORNS ROLL
AND THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL TOO FAR FROM THE TREE
AND THE ACORNS ROLL
 
Acorns fall and roll away
School kids sift and sort and trade
Green turns brown and shades of golden
Autumn mornings out collecting”

This song is from the album and songbook Sing Through The Year - A Little Wild Childhood
Created with support from Creative New Zealand (2020)

#autumn #gratitude #seasons