Baby Bones

Baby Bones
lyrics by Ms. Therkildsen’s 3rd graders with help from Mr. G
may be sung to the tune of Hot & Cold by Katy Perry et al

When I was born I had three hundred bones
I was so incomplete, couldn’t stand on my own
The skull in my head wasn’t fused, I could tell
It was just six plates of bone and six fontanelles

(chorus) I had soft baby bones but they started to grow
They were weak, now they’re strong
They were short, now they’re long
I’d lie there all day but I now run and play
I climb and I jump, I fall, I get up

My bones were soft, some were just cartilage
But they grew and some fused, formed sutures at the edge
They absorbed calcium, and some joined into one
Now I’ve got two hundred six in my skeleton

(chorus) I had soft baby bones but they started to grow
They were weak, now they’re strong
They were short, now they’re long
I’d lie there all day but I now run and play
I climb and I jump, I fall, I get up

(bridge) Someone call a doctor, tell me how to prevent a fracture
Wear a helmet and some kneepads when my board I ride….

Milk and some kale have so much calcium
They can build healthy bones along with collagen
If I eat healthy food and I get exercise
Then my bones are gonna grow before your eyes

(chorus) I had soft baby bones but they started to grow
They were weak, now they’re strong
They were short, now they’re long
I’d lie there all day but I now run and play
I climb and I jump, I fall, I get up

(coda) You got a lot of bones, oh
Now you know how they grow, oh (note different words this time)
You really got a lot of bones, oh
Now you know how they grow!

Notes

This song came from a virtual songwriting residency where I met with the kids via Zoom. The class was studying the human musculoskeletal system, and this group wanted to focus on how a baby's bones develop. They did a pretty great job!