Nursery Rhymes, Songs, and Fingerplays for Kids
Round and round the garden
Goes the teddy bear
One step, two steps
Tickle under there!
Directions: pretend your fingers are the teddy bear and use them to “walk” around either the child’s tummy or back, then tickle under their chin or their armpit at the end. This is a great rhyme for building anticipation as little ones know what is coming and can get very excited for the end tickle.
Old MacDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o
And on that farm he had a cow, e-i-e-i-o
With a moo, moo here
And a moo, moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo, moo
Old MacDonald had a farm, e-i-e-i-o
Repeat with various farm animals: chicken, horse, pig, duck, dog, cat, rooster, goat, etc.
Group activity idea: hand out stuffed animals or little figurines of farm animals, sit in a circle, each verse the next child holds their animal up and everyone sings that animal.
Higglety pigglety pop
The dog has eaten the mop
The pig’s in a hurry
The cat’s in a flurry
Higglety pigglety pop!
Five little bats came flying in the door,
one flew away and that left four!
Four little bats hiding in a tree,
One flew away and that left three!
Three little bats looking down at you,
One flew away and that left two!
Two little bats looking down at you,
One flew away and that left one!
One little bat hanging all alone,
He flew away and then there were none!
This is the way the witches fly, the witches fly, the witches fly
This is the way the witches fly: Swish! Swish! Swish!
This is the way the ghosts go by, ghosts go by, ghosts go by
This is the way the ghosts go by: Boo! Boo! Boo!
This is the way the black cats howl, black cats howl, black cats howl
This is the way the black cats howl: Meow! Meow! Meow!
This is the way the pumpkins laugh, the pumpkins laugh, the pumpkins laugh
This is the way the pumpkins laugh: Hee! Hee! Hee!
This is the way the night owls cry, night owls cry, night owls cry
This is the way the night owls cry: Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
The witch on the broom goes hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee
The witch on the broom goes hee, hee, hee,
All through the night.
Other verses:
(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.
5 little monkeys sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr Alligator “You can’t catch me!
No you can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey right out of the tree.
4 little monkeys sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr Alligator “You can’t catch me!
No you can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey right out of the tree.
3 little monkeys sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr Alligator “You can’t catch me!
No you can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey right out of the tree.
2 little monkeys sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr Alligator “You can’t catch me!
No you can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey right out of the tree.
1 little monkey sitting in a tree,
Teasing Mr Alligator “You can’t catch me!
No you can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey right out of the tree.
This is my book; it will open wide
To show the pictures that are inside.
This is my ball, so big and round,
To toss in the air or roll on the ground.
Here’s my umbrella to keep me dry
When the raindrops fall from a cloudy sky.
This is my kitty; just hear her purr
When I pet her soft, warm fur.
Whisky, frisky, hippity-hop,
Up he goes tot he treetop.
Whirly, twirly, round and round,
Down he scampers to the ground.
Furly, curly, what a tail–
Tall as a feather, broad as a sail!
Where’s his supper? In his shell.
Snappity, crackity, out it fell.