When I Grow Up

When I grow up, in a long, long time,
When I grow up, in a long, long time,
When I grow up, in a long, long time,
Just you watch me, I’ll go far.
I’m gonna’ be a superstar.

When I am ten, I’ll learn to cook.
When I am ten, I’ll read chapters books.
When I am ten, I’ll play guitar.
Just you watch me, I’ll go far.
I’m gonna’ be a superstar.

When I’m sixteen, I’ll go on dates.
When I’m sixteen, I’ll stay up late.
When I’m sixteen, I’ll drive a car.
Just you watch me, I’ll go far.
I’m gonna’ be a superstar.

When I’m thirty-five, I’ll fly a plane.
When I’m thirty-five, I’ll have a big brain.
When I’m thirty-five, I’ll own a car.
Just you watch me, I’ll go far.
I’m gonna’ be a superstar.

When I’m one hundred and one, my skin’ll be bumpy.
When I’m one hundred and one, I might be grumpy.
When I’m one hundred and one, put my teeth in a jar.
Just you watch me, I’ll go far.
I’m gonna’ be a superstar.

When I grow up, in a long, long time,
When I grow up, in a long, long time,
When I grow up, in a long, long time,
Just you watch me, I’ll go far.
I’m gonna’ be a superstar.

© 2000, Stuart Stotts, Barbara Chusid, kindergarten students at Lakeview School, Madison

This is a call and response song with an ending that’s sung in unison. You can sing along with the tape, or learn it as it is. It’s also very useful as a zipper song, putting in each person’s idea for when they grow up. Use just the first verse for that, “When I grow up, I’ll …’ Don’t worry about rhymes or the rhythm. Just cram in people’s ideas.

When I grow up, I’ll be a baseball player.
When I grow up, I’ll be a teacher
When I grow up, I’ll have some kids.
Just you watch me, I’ll go far.
I’m gonna’ be a superstar.

On recording Celebrate

You can change it to “When we grow up” and add lines about things you have, or hope to have in common. “We’ll still be friends, we’ll have a job.” etc.

The motions that I use only come in on the unison part. I ask people to wag their fingers on “just you watch me, I’ll go far. For “I’m gonna’ be a superstar” I have people raise their hands way over their heads, a big shining star with faces glowing. It is usually their favorite part, being stars. And it looks great from my perspective, too.