This origins of this song are hard to pinpoint, although most sources seem to indicate that this is a Moroccan folk song. Whatever the case may be, it is a great song and the kids love it!
You might ask, what exactly are the kids learning when they sing a song with words that don’t make sense? Lots! They are developing their speech and language capabilities with every song they sing, whether or not it is in a language we understand. The hand and arm movements also help developing fine and gross motor skills.
This version is the closest I could find to what we sing at the daycare. There are many different versions of this song, so you may see slight variations in the movements or words when your child sings it.