Lesson Plans

Compère Lapin Play Party Game

Gumbo Zydeco Recipe Collecting

Je veux marier
Cajun Wedding Traditions

Louisiana Animals
Scavenger Hunt/Matching Game

Fais do dos and Dancehalls

Resource Links

Lapin Lapin Album Details

Lapin Lapin ­
Cajun & Creole Children’s Program

Lesson 1
Compère Lapin Play Party Game

Compère Lapin is a simple song about the characteristic things that animals do. 

Our version has three verses with instrumental breaks in between.  The first verse talks about Lapin (rabbit) who loves to dance.  The second is about Chaoui (raccoon - Native American word) who washes his hands.  The third verse is about Crapaud (frog) who jumps.  You can make up other verses with other Louisiana French animal names - cocodril (alligator), maringouin (mosquito), rainette (tree frog), etc.  

Here’s a simple game/dance you can play while you sing Compère Lapin. It is perfect for little people, ages 4 - 7.     

1. Everyone hold hands in a circle.  Choose a boy and a girl to come to the center and act out the first animal.  They rejoin the circle after their verse.   

2. First line of the song - Walk 8 steps around the circle on the downbeat in one direction.  

3. Second line of the song - Walk 8 steps in the other direction and stop after the last word (danser), facing the center.   

4. Third line of the song - Now the children in the center act like the animal. Children in the circle take three steps and swing their right foot on the shout “You”, then swing their left foot on “You” and so on until the refrain of the song is finished.  

5. If you are doing this with the Lapin Lapin CD, stop after each verse.  Allow the children in the center to choose the next pair of children to be the animals.  (Boy chooses boy, girl chooses girl works well.)  After the children have done it a few times, they will switch quickly and come up with suggestions for more animals and the things they do.