“Happy” Summer: Dance Around the World!

No summer travel plans? Kids with lots of energy?

A globally-minded, after dinner dance party could be your lifesaver!

Pharrell William’s “Happy” song has spread like wildfire, even appearing on Oprah, but that doesn’t mean it’s old news. With cover videos continually uploaded from around the globe, people everywhere are using the song to show the “Happy” in their lives and in their country.

We believe it’s something to celebrate!

Happy Week Dance Party

Explore the world virtually by choosing a nightly “Happy” video from a place you’ve never been or a place you loved to visit. (That’s what we did, and how we ended up with this curated list, including a “Happy” video from every One Globe Kids country!)

Put it on widescreen, crank up the volume, and DANCE! Kids will love watching people around the world dancing in their own styles and in their own environments. And enjoy dancing with them and with you!

Learn While Moving

To get even more from this peppy fun-ness, ask your kids a few simple questions:

  • Which video is your favorite? Why?
  • What is different between one video and another?
  • What is the same?
  • Did you see anything in the video that you also saw in the One Globe Kids story from that country?
  • Which of these countries would you want to visit the most?

One Globe Kids Happy Video List

Our favorite “Happy” videos curated from the hundreds (thousands by now?) available on youtube.  We chose a one from every One Globe Kids featured country!  (Plus a few extras that we like just because they’re fun, unique, and from someplace we’ve been or hope to visit with our families!) Guaranteed kid-friendly, and as diverse as we could find.

Happy by Pharrell Williams

It might seem crazy what I’m about to say

Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break

I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space

With the air, like I don’t care baby by the way

Burundi (Home to Jenissa!) 

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

The Netherlands (Home to Floor and Lars!)

Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah,

Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold it back, yeah,

Well, I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine, yeah,

No offense to you, don’t waste your time

Here’s why

Haiti (Home to Valdo and Gabou!)

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

Indonesia (Home to Aji and Larasati!)

Hey, come on

(happy)

Bring me down

Can’t nothing bring me down

My level’s too high

Bring me down

Can’t nothing bring me down

I said (let me tell you now)

Bring me down

Can’t nothing bring me down

My level’s too high

Bring me down

Can’t nothing bring me down

I said

New York City (Home to Luna and Lucian!)

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

Israel (Home to Maya and Asher – coming soon!)

(First, Happy in Tel Aviv then Happy in Jerusalem)

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

Palestine (Home to Bara’a and Laith – coming soon!)

(First, Happy in Nablus, then Happy in Gaza)

Hey, come on

(happy)

Bring me down… can’t nothing…

Bring me down… my level’s too high…

Bring me down… can’t nothing…

Bring me down, I said (let me tell you now)

Democratic Republic of Congo

(Added ’cause we lived Kinshasa for several years and have great memories of it!)

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Yemen

(Added ’cause I met my husband in Sana’a and it’s beautiful!)

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

World Compilation

(Features “Happy” clips from 157 different countries! And they’re listed alphabetically – have your kids guess which country comes next! Oh, and FYI: it’s 22 minutes.)

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

And for fun: Happy on Homemade Instruments

(Performed by Dan Newbie, a Congolese living in Arkansas, USA. Guaranteed to spark your child’s imagination!)

Come on

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