Songs and rhymes

to support Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy

Contents
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The value of counting and shape songs and rhymes Counting songs Five little fishes Five little froggies Five little leaves Five little men in a flying saucer Five little monkeys jumping on the bed Five little snowmen Five little spacemen Five little speckled frogs Fruit chant Greedy crocodile Peter hammers with one hammer The ant song Three crows Three little monkeys climbing a tree

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Shape songs Mystery bag 2D shapes Mystery bag 3D shapes Circle Triangle Square Lets draw a 9 9 9 10 10 10

The value of counting and shape songs and rhymes

In addition to the usual benefits to children of songs and rhymes, many also provide opportunities for counting, adding, subtracting or recognising shapes. These will help children make progress in Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy.

Well known rhymes can be used in the following ways;

Five little buns in a bakers shop Stop at appropriate intervals to discuss how many buns have been bought? How many are left? Five little ducks went swimming one day How many swam away? How many stayed with mummy duck? Five brown teddies sitting on a wall Five/ten green bottles Stop at appropriate intervals to discuss how many have fallen? How many are left? There were ten in a bed and the little one said roll over Change the number of children who fall out, Count those on the floor Count the children left in bed.

Counting Songs Five little fishes

Five little fishes searching for some more, One got left behind And then there were four. Four little fishes swimming out to sea, One met a shark! Then there were three. Three little fishes wondering what to do, One hid in a great big shell And then there were two. Two little fishes looking for some fun, One chased after a wave And that left only one. One little fish with all his friends gone, Went back home to find his mum ... And that left none!
(Glenda Banks)

Five little froggies

Five little froggies sitting on a well One looked up and down he fell! Froggies jumped high, Froggies jumped low; And four little froggies searched high and low But they couldnt find him! Four little froggies

Five little leaves

Five little leaves so bright and gay Were dancing about on a tree one day. The wind came blowing through the town Whoooooooo Whoooooooo And one little leaf came tumbling down. Four little leaves
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Five little men in a flying saucer

Five little men in a flying saucer Flew round the earth one day. They looked left and right, But they didnt like the sight, So one man flew away. Four little men in a flying saucer Flew round the earth one day. They looked left and right, But they didnt like the sight, So one man flew away. Continue until there is one man. One little man in a flying saucer Flew round the earth one day. He looked left and right, And he did like the sight, So he decided to stay.

Five little monkeys jumping on a bed

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed, One fell off and bumped his head. Mummy phoned the doctor, And doctor said, No more monkeys jumping on the bed. Four little monkeys jumping on the bed, One fell off and bumped his head. Mummy phoned the doctor, And the doctor said, No more monkeys jumping on the bed. Continue until there is only one left. One little monkey jumping on the bed, He/she fell off and bumped his/her head. Mummy phoned the doctor, And the doctor said, Thats what you get for jumping on the bed! Point and wag finger
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Five little snowmen

There were five little snowmen, Each with scarf and woolly hat, Out came the sun and melted one Its sad but that was that! There were four little snowmen, Each with scarf and woolly hat, Out came the sun and melted one; Its sad but that was that! (Continue until there are no snowmen left.) There are no little snowmen, Just scarves and woolly hats, Sitting in a puddle, in a very wet muddle, Its sad, but that is that!

Five little spacemen

There were five little spacemen Going to the moon, One stayed to close the door And that left only four So There were four little spacemen Going to the moon, One stopped to make some tea And that left only three So There were three little spacemen Going to the moon, One couldnt find his shoe And that left only two So There were two little spacemen Going to the moon, One couldnt get his spacesuit on And that left only one ... Now One little spaceman Did go to the moon Then say: Ten, Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, BLAST OFF! But he didnt like it Shake head sadly. And he came back quite soon!
(Brenda West & Elizabeth Matterson) 5

Five little speckled frogs

Five little speckled frogs sat on a speckled log, Eating some most delicious grubs, yum, yum! One jumped into the pool, Where it was nice and cool. Then there were four green speckled frogs, glub, glub! As each frog jumps into the pool, encourage the children to count. If one frog is in the pool and four frogs are on the log, are there still five frogs? If nought and five were added together, how many frogs are there? Continue with the song until all five are in the pool.

Fruit chant
(this song can be changed by using different fruits such as; juicy pears, yellow bananas or prickly pineapples)

Five rosy apples on the tree, One for you and four for me. Four rosy apples on the tree, Two for you and two for me. Fruit templates can be used for each type of fruit.

Greedy crocodile
(to the tune of What shall we do with a drunken sailor?)

I am a greedy crocodile, Sparkling teeth and a charming smile, Come too near and in a while, You will be my dinner! Crocodile sings, One, two, three, four, five, One, two, three, four, five, One, two three, snap, snap, Now Ive had my dinner! Crocodile decides how many children to eat by singing snap for each child eaten. Can the other children say how many have been eaten? How many children are left? With younger children it might be appropriate if they sit when the crocodile has snapped them.
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Peter hammers with one hammer

Peter hammers with one hammer, one hammer, one hammer, Peter hammers with one hammer, all day long. Make a fist and hit thigh Peter hammers with two hammers, two hammers, two hammers, Peter hammers with two hammers, all day long. Make two fists and hit thighs alternatively Peter hammers with three hammers, three hammers, three hammers, Peter hammers with three hammers, all day long. Make two fists and hit thighs alternatively, hit floor with foot Peter hammers with four hammers, four hammers, four hammers, Peter hammers with four hammers, all day long. Make two fists hit thighs alternatively, hit floor with two feet) Peter hammers with five hammers, five hammers, five hammers, Peter hammers with five hammers, all day long. Make two fists and hit thighs alternatively, hit floor with two feet, nod the head Peter is getting tired now, tired now, tired now, Peter is getting tired now, all day long. Sing and make movements slowly Peter is going to sleep now, sleep now, sleep now, Peter is going to sleep now, all day long. Mime sleep Peter is waking up now, up now, up now, Peter is waking up now, all day long. Sing and do actions very quickly

The ant song

(to the tune of John Browns Body)

The ants went marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah, The ants went marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah, The ants went marching one by one, The little one stopped to suck his thumb, And they all went marching, Across the floor, under the door Down the drain, out in the rain With action) The ants went marching two by two, Fasten his shoe The ants went marching three by three, Climb a tree The ants went marching four by four, Knock at the door The ants went marching five by five Do a dive This time sing and do the actions much faster.

Three crows
Three crows sitting on a wall, Sitting on a wall, sitting on a wall, Three crows sitting on a wall, On a cold and frosty morning. The first crow couldnt fly at all, Couldnt fly at all, couldnt fly at all, The first crow couldnt fly at all, On a cold and frosty morning. The second crow flapped his wings and tried, Flapped his wings and tried, flapped his wings and tried, The second crow flapped his wings and tried, On a cold and frosty morning. The third crow flew away and cawed, Flew away and cawed, flew away and cawed, The third crow flew away and cawed, On a cold and frosty morning.

Three little monkeys climbing a tree

Three little monkeys climbing up a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, You cant catch me! Along came Mr. Alligator, slowly as can be, And snap! Two little monkeys climbing up a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, You cant catch me! Along came Mr. Alligator, slowly as can be, And snap! One little monkey climbing up a tree, Teasing Mr. Alligator, You cant catch me! Along came Mr. Alligator, slowly as can be, And snap! How many monkeys are left? How many monkeys did Mr. Alligator eat?

Shape songs Mystery bag - 2D shapes

(to the tune of This Old Man) Mystery bag, whats inside? Whats the shape you try to hide? Is it a circle, triangle, oblong or square? Feel the shape, describe whats there.

Mystery bag - 3D shapes

(to the tune of This Old Man) Mystery bag, whats inside? Whats the shape you try to hide? Is it a cube, cuboid, cone or sphere? What is it? We want to hear.

Circle
(to the tune of Round and round the garden like a teddy bear)

Round and round the circle, Draw one in the air, Stop look find one, Circles are everywhere.
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Triangle
(to the tune of Three blind mice)

Triangle, triangle, Three straight sides, three straight sides, It isnt a circle, it isnt a square, You can see triangles everywhere, You can even hear if you listen with care, A triangle. TING!

Square
(to the tune of Frre Jacques)

Find four corners, find four corners, Sides the same, sides the same. Put them all together, put them all together, Squares my name, squares my name. Can you see me? Can you see me? Anywhere? Anywhere, Hiding in the room, hiding in the room, Over there! over there!

Lets draw a
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)

Lets draw a circle, lets draw a circle, In the air, in the air. Make the curved edge go round, make the curved edge go round, No points there, no points there. Lets draw a square, lets draw a square, In the air, in the air, One, two, three, four sides, one, two, three, four sides, All the same, all the same. Or four corners there, four corners there. Lets draw an oblong, lets draw an oblong, In the air, in the air, Two long and two short sides, two long and two short sides, Four corners there, four corners there. Lets draw a triangle, lets draw a triangle, In the air, in the air, Three straight sides, three straight sides, Three points there, three points there.

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Produced by: Early Years Teaching and Learning Team November 2008

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