Looking Back and Looking Forward

As Ella Jenkins and the children from the St. Vincent DePaul Center of Chicago look forward to the outdoor activities of spring, Ella looks back to the springtime games and activities of her childhood. Ella begins by leading the chorus of children through a variety of chants to accompany games such as jump rope, jacks, marbles, and top spinning. She then introduces piano and guitar accompaniment, singing a few songs by herself and also having the children join in for several call-and-response and clapping songs.

This album was originally released in 1981 by Educational Activities, Inc. and was acquired in 2014 by Smithsonian Folkways.