The Amazing Read

Try these finger and counting action rhymes when playing with your baby or toddler.  Attend a rhyme time or baby bounce session at your local public library to share the fun with others.

Five Little Ducks

Using one hand as mother duck, use your fingers and thumb on your other hand as the five little ducks. At the start of each verse, show your child the number of ducks with your fingers, subtracting one finger each time.

Five little ducks went out one day

Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said quack, quack, quack, quack
But only four little ducks came back

Repeat for Four, Three, Two, then…

One little duck went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother Duck said quack, quack, quack, quack
And all of the five little ducks came back!

Five Green and Speckled Frogs

Start by showing the five frogs using your fingers and thumb on one hand. As you sing through each verse, subtract the number of frogs by holding down one of your fingers, until there are none left.

Five green and speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating the most delicious grubs – Yum, Yum!
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Now there are four green speckled frogs – Glub Glub!

Repeat for Four, Three, Two, and One…

Ten Little Monkeys

Hold up both hands showing all ten fingers and thumbs. As you sing through the song, subtract one at a time until there are no monkeys left. As you sing the last line of each verse, shake your pointer finger as if the doctor is cross with the monkeys.

Ten little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped her head
Called up the doctor and the doctor said
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

Repeat for Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One…

Five in the Bed

Use your fingers to count down through each verse. You might even like to help your child act out this song using five toys.

There were five in the bed
And the little one said
“Roll over, roll over”
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Repeat for Four, Three, Two, then…

There was one in the bed
And the little one said
“Goodnight!”

This Old Man

Use your fingers to count upward in this song. There is also room for actions and tapping along to the beat.

This old man, he played one
He played knick-knack on my thumb
With a knick-knack paddiwack
Give the dog a bone
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played two
He played knick-knack on my shoe
With a knick-knack paddiwack
Give the dog a bone
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played three
He played knick-knack on my knee
With a knick-knack paddiwack
Give the dog a bone
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played four
He played knick-knack on the floor
With a knick-knack paddiwack
Give the dog a bone
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played five
He played knick-knack on my hive
With a knick-knack paddiwack
Give the dog a bone
This old man came rolling home.

Five Little Monkeys

Use your fingers and thumb on one hand and act out this rhyme using a swinging action and both arms to make the crocodile’s jaws.

Five little monkeys swinging in a tree
Teasing Mr Crocodile
“You Can’t Catch Me!”
Along comes Mr Crocodile as hungry as can be
And….. SNAP!
Uh oh…

Repeat for Four, Three, Two, and One.

One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Simply hold up your fingers for each number and wiggle your pinky at the end.

One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Once I caught a fish alive
Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten
Then I let it go again
Why did I let it go?
Because it bit my finger so
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on my right

The Pirate Song

Count upwards using your fingers and acting out the forwards/backwards motion of the song.