Hailey's Picks: Some great songs to sing with your toddler part 1 of 2 (ok…maybe more)

I went a little crazy on compiling the list of songs…it’s just so hard to only come up with a few. When I started this I thought it’d be no problem to only do a few, but quickly found out that my list had gotten out of control (as I was writing them down…I kept thinking of more)!

Singing songs and nursery rhymes to our kids is fun for them and us…not to mention all the benefits for your little one. They not only help language development but are great for introducing learning in a fun way!

Most of these songs can be started before they even understand the ideas behind them  (they’re just that much fun). You’ll find that they start to associate with the song as you sing.

When Hailey was a newborn I would sing to her while putting her down to sleep or soothing (heck, I still do it…especially now that she’s figuring out how to postpone bedtime). For toddlers the songs that get them involved are the ones with dancing and/or hand motions; these work much better at keeping their attention.

I made sure to include the words and hand motions for a one stop shop…woot, woot!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

The itsy, bitsy spider climbed up the water spout (touch the thumb of one hand to the index finger of the other and alternate like you’re climbing)

Down came the rain and washed the spider out (hold both hands up and wiggle the fingers then swish to the side as you lower your hands).

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain (Make the sunshine by circling your arms up to form a sun…then wiggle fingers for drying rain)

So the itsy, bitsy spider climbed up the spout again (repeat the climbing finger movement)

Five Little Monkeys

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed (hold up the number of fingers to match the verse & then bounce your fingers up and down on your other hand)
One fell off and bumped his head. (Hold up 1 finger & then hold head with both hands and rock head back and forth)
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said, (pretend holding a phone)
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!" (Shake finger like saying no, no)

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head. Mama
called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

One little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
"Put those monkeys straight to bed!"

*Do same hand motions for each verse

 

The Beehive

Here is the beehive, but where are the bees

(Make a fist with you palm down)

Inside the hive where nobody sees

(Peek into your hand)

Watch them come out, come out of the hive

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

(As you count you stick up a finger for each number…when finished counting take your first finger and buzz into their belly or nose, etc.)

 

Baby Bumblebee

I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Won't my mommy be so proud of me,
(Cup hands together as if holding bee)

I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee,
Ouch! It stung me!
(Shake hands as if just stung)

I'm squishing up the baby bumblebee,
Won't my mommy be so proud of me,
('Squish' bee between palms of hands)

I'm squishing up a baby bumblebee,
Ooh! It's yucky!
(Open up hands to look at 'mess')

I'm wiping off the baby bumblebee,
Won't my mommy be so proud of me,
(Wipe hands off on shirt)

I'm wiping off the baby bumblebee,
Now my mommy won't be mad at me!
(Hold hands up to show they are clean)

Old MacDonald

Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O
With a "moo-moo" here and a "moo-moo" there
Here a "moo" there a "moo"
Everywhere a "moo-moo"
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a pig, E-I-E-I-O
With a "oink" here and an "oink" there
Here an "oink") there an "oink"
Everywhere an "oink-oink"
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a horse, E-I-E-I-O
With a "neigh, neigh" here and a "neigh, neigh" there
Here a "neigh" there a "neigh"
Everywhere a "neigh, neigh"
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a chicken, E-I-E-I-O
With a "cluck, cluck" here and a "cluck, cluck" there
Here a "cluck" there a "cluck"
Everywhere a "cluck, cluck"
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

*Keep adding animals and their sounds – we end up with all kinds of non-farm animals!