Selection of rhymes for counting

Here you can find some songs and rhymes for counting. They are useful for learning numbers, colours, animals, seassons, etc. They are also a natural and easy way for the kids to get used to feel the beat and the rythm, so that they get used to wait one's turn while making any activity, too.

Five Fat Peas

A counting fingerplay especially useful in the spring and summer.

Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed
(children hold hand in a fist)
One grew, two grew, so did all the rest.
(put thumb and fingers up one by one)
They grew and grew
(raise hand in the air very slowly)
And did not stop,
Until one day
The pod went POP!
(children clap hands together)

One Little Flower, One Little Bee

One little flower, one little bee.
One little blue bird, high in the tree.
One little brown bear smiling at me.
One is the number I like, you see.

Five cookies

Five little cookies in the bakery shop.
Shinning bright with the sugar on top.
Along comes (child's name) with a nickel to pay.
He/she buys a cookie and takes it away.
(continue with four, three, two and one).

Ten Fingers
A fingerplay

I have ten fingers hold up both hands, fingers spread
And they all belong to me, point to self
I can make them do things-
Would you like to see?

I can shut them up tight make fists
I can open them wide open hands
I can put them together place palms together
I can make them all hide put hands behind back

I can make them jump high hands over head
I can make them jump low touch floor
I can fold them up quietly fold hands in lap
And hold them just so.

Three Balls
Action poem

Here's a ball make ball with thumb and index finger
And here's a ball make ball with other thumb and index
A great big ball, I see put arms up and touch fingers over head

Shall we count them?
Are you ready?
One, Two, Three make all three balls in succession

Three Little Nickels
A fingerplay

Three little nickels in a pocketbook new,
hold up three fingers
One bought a peppermint, and then there were two,
bend down one finger
Two Little nickels before the day was done,
One bought an ice cream come, and then there was one
bend down another finger
One little nickel I heard it plainly say,
"I'm going into the piggy bank for a rainy day!"

Turtles
Poem

One baby turtle alone and new.
Finds a friend, and then there are two.
Two baby turtles crawl down to the sea.
They find another, and then there are three.
Three baby turtles crawl along the shore.
They find another, and then there are four.
Four baby turtles go for a dive.
Up swims another, and then there are five.

Birds
Poem

There was one little bird in a little tree,
He was all alone, and he didn't want to be.
So he flew far away, over the sea,
And brought back a friend to live in the tree.

Five Little Bees

One little bee blew and flew.
He met a friend, and that made two.

Two little bees, busy as could be--
Along came another and that made three.

Three little bees, wanted one more,
Found one soon and that made four.

Four little bees, going to the hive.
Spied their little brother, and that made five.

Five little bees working every hour--
Buzz away, bees, and find another flower.

Ten In A Bed
Action poem

There were ten in a bed and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over." rolling motion
So they all rolled over and one fell out.
There were nine in the bed and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over."
So they all rolled over and one fell out....

This is repeated until you get to the number one. Each time "roll over" is said, rolling motion is dramatized.

There was one in the bed and the little one said,
"Good night!"