Nursery Rhymes, Songs, and Fingerplays for Kids
Banana
Form banana
Form, form banana
Peel banana
Peel, peel banana
Go bananas!
Go, go bananas!
Orange
Form the orange
Form, form the orange
Peel the orange
Peel, peel the orange
Squeeze the orange!
Squeeze, squeeze the orange!
Potato
Form potato
Form, form potato
Peel potato
Peel, peel potato
Mash potatoes!
Mash, mash potatoes!
Here is the engine on the track (hold up thumb)
Here is the coal car, just in back (hold up pointer finger)
Here is the boxcar, to carry freight (hold up middle finger)
Here is the mail car, don’t be late! (hold up ring finger)
Way back here at the end of the train (hold up little finger)
Rides the caboose through the sun and the rain.
(Tune: “She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain“)
The Good-bye train is leaving.
See you soon. Choo! Choo!
The Good-bye train is leaving.
See you soon. Choo! Choo!
The Good-bye train is leaving.
The Good-bye train is leaving.
The Good-bye train is leaving.
See you soon. Choo! Choo!
Pumpkin, Pumpkin is an interactive chant for you and your little one. Hold your baby or toddler on your lap and gently bounce as you chant the words. Sitting on a wall: perch child right on your knee. Tip and fall: rock child side to side, dipping as far as is comfortable. Rolling down the street: Holding child’s hands, roll them like you would in Pat-a-Cake. You’re so sweet: bring child in for kisses or tickles.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin sitting on a wall
Pumpkin, Pumpkin tip and fall
Pumpkin, Pumpkin rolling down the street
Pumpkin, Pumpkin you’re so sweet!
(Tune: “I’m a Little Teapot“)
I’m a little pumpkin short and round.
I grow on the vine and on the ground.
I start as a seed and grow and grow.
Soon I’ll be carved and then I’ll glow!
Five little witches sitting on a gate.
The first one said, “I’m glad it’s getting late.”
The second one said, “There are spiders in my hair!”
The third one said, “Well, I declare!”
The fourth one said, “Trick or treating would be fun!”
The fifth one said, “Let’s run and run and run!”
So, Wooo oooo went the wind.
And out went the light!
And the five the little witches flew out of sight!
I’m a little witch with a big black cat (pretend to pet cat)
Here is my broomstick. (Hold imaginary broom)
Here is my hat. (Pretend to place hat on head)
You’d better be careful. (wag finger)
You’d better beware.
Three jellyfish, three jellyfish. (hold up hands by head)
Three jellyfish sitting on a rock.
One fell off. (drop one hand)
Two jellyfish, two jellyfish. (wave hand by head)
Two jellyfish sitting on a rock.
One fell off. (drop other hand)
One jellyfish, one jellyfish. (wiggle head)
One jellyfish sitting on a rock.
One fell off. (fall to the floor)
No jellyfish, no jellyfish.
No jellyfish sitting on a rock.
(Tune: “Down by the Station”)
Down in the ocean Early in the morning.
See the little lobster. Crawling around.
See the little lobster. Crawling in the ocean.
Crawl, crawl, pinch, pinch. Off it goes.
Down in the ocean. Early in the morning.
See the little octopus. Waving around.
See the little octopus. Waving in the ocean.
Wave, wave, squirt, squirt. Off it goes.
Down in the ocean. Early in the morning.
See the little dolphin. Jumping around.
See the little lobster. Jumping in the ocean.
Jump, jump, splash, splash. Off it goes.
Down in the ocean. Early in the morning.
See the little diver. Looking around.
See the little diver. Looking in the ocean.
Look, Look, swim, swim. Off she goes.
I’m a witch
Boom! Boom! (clap, clap)
I’m a witch
Boom! Boom! (clap, clap)
With a pointed hat on my head…. (hands point over head…forming a hat)
I jump on my broom (pretend to jump on broomstick)
And I sweep the sky (sweeping motion)
While children are in bed (head resting on hands)