September is SAVE THE KOALA MONTH in Australia

TREES FOR KOALAS
Tune: Frere Jacques

Trees for Koalas (Echo) Trees for Koalas
In the bush (Echo) In the bush
A koala is a leaf eater (Echo) A koala is a leaf eater
Save Koala Trees (Echo) Save Koala Trees

Koala is a leaf eater
In our bush
They are very choosy
Eating gum leaves.

Forest Red Gum
A koala food tree
Koalas like to eat them
Save these trees!

The following trees are recognised as important food trees for koalas in SE Queensland:
Substitute names of koala food trees in the song.
Tallow wood
Small fruited grey gum
Red stringbark
Spotted gum tree
Scribbly gum tree
Queensland Blue Gum
Ref: Planting for Wildlife: Trees for Koala QPWLS Qld Government

Birth to six months: Holding your baby gently rock him side to side as you sing this koala rhyme.  Touch and stroke your baby gently as you chant the song as if they were a precious koala!

Six months to 5+ years: Sitting on the floor facing your child, sing the song to them looking at them to gain eye contact. Older children can begin to “echo” the words to the song – this is a very simple way for children to improve their vocabulary. Introduce the name of one new koala food tree every time you sing this song.

LEARNING LANGUAGE
Singing this song enriches your child’s vocabulary. Technical vocabulary is learnt as children sing the names of koala food trees. It helps to develop and enhance speech in very young children as they echo the song when they are ready.  Children will gain more confidence as they participate in the singing of the song. If they enjoy this rhyme your child will eventually say it independently and lead the singing of the song!

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Singing the “Trees for koalas” song helps young children to become aware of an endangered Australian species, an Australian icon, making them more environmentally aware.  It also helps them to understand

that the Koala is a fussy, leaf eater and only eats the leaves of some gum trees so it is very important to conserve koala food tree areas in our community. The koala is a ‘flagship’ species for other lesser known parts of our ecosystem. Singing the song could spark an interest in the natural world.

FUN “SAVE THE KOALA MONTH” ACTIVITIES

• Borrow Koala books from the library – both fiction and non-fiction and read them to your children. Koala Lou by Mem Fox is a popular picture book about a koala – you can hear Mem Fox reading this book on her website.
• Subscribe to Koala News or become a Koala Campaigner at the Save the Koala website.
• Both you and your child pretend to be koalas, grunting and climbing up and down trees all around your house and garden!
• Make up your own Koala rhyme using a familiar nursery rhyme tune – send it to the Butterfly Wings email address – butterflywings@powerup.com.au

• Make up your own Koala story using a koala puppet – the koala can go on all sorts of adventures or wants to find its mum or is a bit concerned because all the koala food trees are being chopped down.  The stories are endless!  Encourage your child to contribute.

• Visit the Australian Koala Foundation website to find lots more koala and other Australian animal songs and rhymes.

• Plant a koala food tree (check the local nursery for suggestions) in your garden.
• Older children can paint, draw, or collage a koala.
• Make a koala puppet and have the puppet sing the songs.
• Visit koala habitat and go koala spotting.  Visit a local wildlife sanctuary or Daisy Hill Koala Centre with your child.
• Download the information sheet called “Trees for koalas” from the Queensland Government Parks and Wildlife Service website which provides information about Koala food trees and how and where to plant the trees.

ANOTHER KOALA SONG TO SING WITH YOUR CHILD

THE KOALA IN THE TREE
Tune: Wheels on the bus

The koala in the tree goes climb, climb, climb
Climb, climb, climb. Climb, climb, climb
The koala in the tree goes climb, climb, climb
All night long!!!

The koala in the tree goes munch, munch, munch
The koala in the tree goes scratch, scratch, scratch
The koala in the tree goes yawn, yawn, yawn,
The koala in the tree goes stare, stare, stare
The koala in the tree goes comb, comb, comb
The koala in the tree goes stretch, stretch, stretch
The koala in the tree goes sleep, sleep, sleep
Sleep, sleep, sleep. Sleep, sleep, sleep
The koala in the tree goes sleep, sleep, sleep
All day long!!!

Most importantly have fun with your child.  Laughter helps to release endorphins in the brain which assists everyone to learn better and develop stronger family relationships.