Factors to take into account:

1.    Are the gestures you want to use the same in

English speaking countries as in the country of

countries the kids come from? If not, will you want to

 use the one they know to reinforce the meaning and

 avoid misunderstanding or teach them the British or

American gestures as a kind of cultural training?

2.    Is the first gesture you think of (e.g. rolling arms

around each other for “roll over” in “There was one in

the bed” song) something that might be better used

 with another meaning in a later song or in classroom

 instructions (e.g. the rolling arms gesture could be

the best gesture for “repeat”)?

3.    Can the students still use the same gestures if

you speed the song up for a bit of variety?

4.    Do the gestures build up to a climax, e.g. leaving

 the most amusing or energetic gesture for the last

verse of the song?

5.    Are the gestures fun?

6.    Will some of the kids, e.g. the older ones, be

embarrassed by doing any of the gestures, e.g.

looking camp if they have to mime being a woman.