When I Was One
Video (For the tune – words are a bit different)
When I was one I had some fun on the day I went to sea
I jumped aboard a pirate ship, and the captain said to me
“Now you go this way, that way, forward, backward
Over the deep blue sea!”
Additional verses:
- When I was TWO I tied my SHOE
- When I was THREE I climbed a TREE
- When I was FOUR I shut the DOOR
- When I was FIVE I learned to DIVE
(sometimes they like to go past 5 – usually we just make it up together)
Here are the hand motion instructions…
When I was one I had some fun on the day I went to sea (hold up one finger)
I jumped aboard (jump) a pirate ship (hold one hand over your eye)
And the captain said to me (salute with same hand that was the “patch”)
“Now you go this way, (lean right) that way, (lean left)
forward, (lean forward) backward (lean backward)
Over the deep blue sea!” (make ocean waves with both hands in front of you)
This Old Man
This old man, he played one
He played knick-knack on my thumb [some versions use “drum”]
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a 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 paddywhack, give a 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 paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man, he played four
He played knick-knack on my door
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a 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 paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man, he played six
He played knick-knack on my sticks
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man, he played seven
He played knick-knack up in heaven
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man, he played eight
He played knick-knack on my gate
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man, he played nine
He played knick-knack on my spine [some versions use “line” here]
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
This old man, he played ten
He played knick-knack once ag’n [some versions use “on my hen” here]
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
Two Little Blackbirds
Two little blackbirds
Sitting on a hill
One named Jack
One named Jill
Fly away, Jack
Fly away, Jill
Come back, Jack
Come back, Jill
There is a longer version of this done by Carole Peterson.
Baker’s Truck
The Baker’s truck drives down the street. (pretend to drive)
Filled with everything good to eat. (pretend to eat)
Two doors the baker opens wide. (outstretch arms)
Let’s look at the shelves inside. (cup hands around eyes to look)
What do you see? What do you see?
Three big cookies for you and me!
(you can change what is in the truck and how many – sometimes I have kids pick the item and the number)
Circle
Here’s a circle. (make a circle with index finger and thumb)
And here’s a circle, (make a circle by touching both index fingers and thumbs together)
And a great big circle I see! (make a circle with both arms)
Now let’s count the circles…
1, 2, 3. (make each corresponding circle again as you count)
Wake Up, Jack-in-the-Box
Jack in-the-box, Jack in-the-box,
Wake up, wake up, somebody knocks.
One time, two times, three times, four
Jack pops out of his little round door.
Five Dancing Dolphins
One dancing dolphin on a sea of blue,
She called her sister;
Then there were two.
Two dancing dolphins swimming in the sea,
They called for mother;
Then there were three.
Three dancing dolphins swimming close to shore,
They called for daddy;
Then there were four.
Four dancing dolphins in a graceful dive,
They called for baby;
Then there were five….five dancing dolphins on a sea of blue.
Three Straight Sides
Three straight sides, three straight sides,
See how they meet, see how they meet,
They follow the path that a triangle makes,
Three straight sides and that’s all it takes.
Three straight sides, three straight sides.
Five Little Fingers
One little finger standing on its own,
Two little fingers, now they’re not alone.
Three little fingers, happy as can be.
Four little fingers go walking down the street.
Five little fingers, this one is the thumb.
Wave good-bye ‘cause now we’re done.
Little Bird
One little bird with lovely feathers blue
Sat beside another one, then there were two.
Two little birds singing in the tree, another came to join them
Then there were three.
Three little birds wishing there were more, along came another bird
Then there were four.
Four little birds glad to be alive, found a lonely friend
Then there were five.
Five little birds picking up sticks, along came a helper
Then there were six.
Six little birds looking up to heaven, another bird joined them
Then there were seven.
Seven little birds just as happy as can be,
Seven little birds singing songs for you and me.
Little Bird (with 8)
One little bird with lovely feathers blue
Sat beside another one, then there were two.
Two little birds singing in the tree, another came to join them
Then there were three.
Three little birds wishing there were more, along came another bird
Then there were four.
Four little birds glad to be alive, found a lonely friend
Then there were five.
Five little birds picking up sticks, along came a helper
Then there were six.
Six little birds looking up to heaven, another bird joined them
Then there were seven.
Seven little birds think they are just great, one more came
And now there are eight.
Eight little birds just as happy as can be,
Eight little birds singing songs for you and me.
Ten Little Birdies
Ten little birdies chirping just fine,
One flew away, then there were nine.
Nine little birdies wait, wait, wait,
One flew away, then there were eight.
Eight little birdies, not quite eleven,
One flew away, then there were seven.
Seven little birdies in a nest they fix,
One flew away, then there were six.
Six little birdies see a busy hive,
One flew away, then there were five.
Five little birdies watching others soar,
One flew away, then there were four.
Four little birdies, sitting in a tree,
One flew away, then there were three.
Three little birdies love a sky of blue,
One flew away, then there were two.
Two little birdies warm in the sun,
One flew away, then there was one.
One little birdie having little fun,
The birdie flew away, then there was none.
5 Little Monkeys
(Both of these are chants but if you want a turn or just the words, see videos)
5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed
5 Little Monkeys Swinging in a Tree
Oh Dear, What Can the Pattern Be?
For Tune: Video
Oh dear, what can the pattern be?
Oh dear, what can the pattern be?
Oh dear, what can the pattern be?
Let’s look at the pattern and see.
5 Little Ducks
Five little ducks went out one day, over the hills and far away.
Mother duck said, “Quack, Quack, Quack and only 4 little ducks came back.
Keep repeating going down in number.
More Songs!
Two Little Robins (Really focuses on the number 2, but might be nice to introduce this concept in isolation)
One Bottle of Pop (A counting UP song – hard to find!)