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Rhyme Library

Singing songs, saying rhymes and playing games are natural ways to develop children’s language skills. They are enjoyable activities that help children to relax and learn more easily. When adults do these things with children, it builds a sense of trust and strengthens the bond between them. Try our multilingual rhymes below.

English

1. Pat-a-cake

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man,

Bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Pat it and prick it, and mark it with B

And put it in the oven for baby and me.

 

Do simple hand-clapping with your child as you say the rhyme.

2. Diddle diddle

Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John

Went to bed with his trousers on,

One shoe off and one shoe on,

Diddle diddle dumpling, my son John.

3. Five currant buns

Five currant buns in the baker’s shop,

Big and round with a cherry on top.

Along came a boy with a penny one day,

Bought a currant bun and took it away.

 

Replace five with four, three, two, one.

Replace boy with girl.

4. Five little monkeys

Five little monkeys jumping on a bed,

One fell off and bumped his head.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,

"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

 

Replace five with four, three, two. When you get to one, replace the last line with:

"Put those monkeys straight to bed!"

Replace Mama with Papa.

5. Hey diddle diddle

Hey diddle diddle,

The cat and the fiddle,

The cow jumped over the moon.

The little dog laughed to see such fun,

And the dish ran away with the spoon!

6. Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

7. I’m a little teapot

I’m a little teapot short and stout,

Here's my handle, here's my spout.

When I get all steamed up, hear me shout,

"Tip me over and pour me out."

 

Place hand on hip for handle. Make spout with other arm.

8. Incy Wincy spider

Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out.

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,

And Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again.

 

Place the thumb of one hand on the little finger of the other hand. Swap thumb and little finger as you say the first and last line.

9. It's raining, it's pouring

It's raining, it's pouring,

The old man is snoring.

He went to bed and bumped his head,

And couldn't get up in the morning.

10. Jack and Jill went up the hill

Jack and Jill went up the hill,

To fetch a pail of water.

Jack fell down, and broke his crown,

And Jill came tumbling after.

11. Little Bo-Peep

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,

And doesn't know where to find them.

Leave them alone, and they'll come home,

And bring their tails behind them.

12. Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider,

Who sat down beside her,

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

13. The house is burning

The house is burning, the house is burning.
Fetch the engines, fetch the engines.
Fire, fire, fire, fire!
Pour on water, pour on water.

14. Mary had a little lamb

Mary had a little lamb,

Its fleece was white as snow.

And everywhere that Mary went,

The lamb was sure to go.

 

It followed her to school one day,

Which was against the rules.

It made the children laugh and play,

To see a lamb at school.

15. One potato, two potato

One potato, two potato,

Three potato, four.

Five potato, six potato,

Seven potato, more!

16. One, two, buckle my shoe

One, two, buckle my shoe.

Three, four, knock at the door.

Five, six, pick up sticks.

Seven, eight, lay them straight.

Nine, ten, a big, fat hen.

17. One, two, three, four, five

One, two, three, four, five,

Once I caught a fish alive.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,

Then I let it go again.

Why did you let it go?

Because it bit my finger so!

Which finger did it bite?

This little finger on my right!

18. Polly, put the kettle on

Polly, put the kettle on,

Polly, put the kettle on,

Polly, put the kettle on,

Let's all have tea.

 

Sukey, put it off again,

Sukey, put it off again,

Sukey, put it off again,

They've all gone away!

19. Ring-a-ring o' roses

Ring-a-ring o' roses,

A pocketful of posies.

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!

We all fall down!

20. Round and round the garden

Round and round the garden,

Like a teddy bear.

One step, two steps,

Tickle you under there.

 

Trace your finger in a circle on child's palm. Walk two steps up arm and then tickle child under chin, arm, or on tummy.

21. This little piggy

This little piggy went to market.

This little piggy stayed at home.

This little piggy had roast beef.

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy cried, "Wee, wee, wee!"

All the way home.

 

Point to thumb as you say line one. Then, point to index finger, middle finger, ring finger and finally the little finger as you say each line.

22. Two little dickey birds

Two little dickey birds sitting on a wall,

One named Peter, one named Paul.

Fly away Peter, fly away Paul.

Come back Peter, come back Paul!

23. There was a little frog

There was a little frog,
That lived in a bog,
Who climbed on a lilypad
And jumped on a log.
 

It snapped at a mosquito,
It snapped at a bee,
It snapped at a cricket,
And it snapped at me!
 

It caught the mosquito.
It caught the bee.
It caught the cricket.
But it didn't catch me!