The 10 Best Action Songs of All Time For Preschoolers

Kids love songs that get them moving, especially when they come with fun actions to match the music. Not only are these action songs enjoyable, but they also provide valuable educational benefits.

By combining music and movement, action songs help children develop a wide range of skills, including:

• Sound awareness
• Rhythm
• Counting and other concepts
• Rhyming and syllables
• Vocabulary
• Memory
• Gross motor skills
• Listening skills and ability to follow instructions
• Concentration
• Balance and coordination

Below are 10 fantastic action rhymes with lyrics that your children will love learning and singing along to. (P.S. There’s a printable with lyrics at the end of the post!)

1. I’m a Little Teapot

I’m a little teapot
(Point to self)
Short and stout,
(Round arms and touch fingertips together in front of body)
Here is my handle,
(Left fist on hip)
Here is my spout.
(Bend right elbow, lift forearm and lower wrist to look like the spout of a teapot)
When I get all steamed up
Hear me shout,
(Remain in same position and nod head)
Tip me over,
And pour me out!
(Tip sideways towards the extended arm)

2. Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Turn around.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Touch the ground.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Tie your shoes.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
That will do.

Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Go upstairs.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Say your prayers.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Turn out the light.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Say good night.

3. Hop a Little, Jump a Little

Hop a little, jump a little
One, two, three;
Run a little, skip a little
Tap on knee;
Bend a little, stretch a little,
Nod your head;
Yawn a little, sleep a little,
In your bed.

4. Miss Polly Had a Dolly

Miss Polly had a dolly,
Who was sick, sick, sick,
(Cradle baby in arms)
So she called for the doctor,
To be quick, quick, quick.
(Hold phone to ear)
The doctor came,
With his bag and his hat,
(Point to bag and hat)
And he knocked at the door,
With a rat-a-tat-tat.
(Pretend to knock in air)

He looked at the dolly,
And he shook his head,
(Shake head)
He said “Miss Polly,
Put her straight to bed.”
(Hands on hips and nod head)
He wrote out a paper,
For a pill, pill, pill,
(Write on hand with finger)
“I’ll be back in the morning,
With the bill, bill, bill.”
(Wave goodbye)

Here are some fun finger plays for children.

5. The Hokey Pokey

You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out,
You put your right foot in
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about.

Repeat the entire verse with each of these movements:

You put your left foot in…
You put your right hand in…
You put your left hand in…
You put your right shoulder in…
You put your left shoulder in…
You put your right hip in…
You put your left hip in…
You put your whole self in…
You put your hair in…
You put your tongue in…

Try these nursery rhymes with actions too!

6. The Elephant Goes

The elephant goes
Like this, like that.
(Walk on all fours, moving slowly, like an elephant)
He’s terribly big,
(Stand up, reach high with arms)
And he’s terribly fat.
(Arms out to sides, to show how fat elephant is)
He has no fingers,
(Make fist)
He has no toes,
(Wiggle toes)
But goodness gracious,
What a nose!
(Make a trunk with arm)

7. The Wheels on the Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
The wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town.
(Roll hands)

Repeat the entire verse with each of these movements:

The wipers on the bus go “Swish, swish, swish”
(Make windshield wipers with arms)

The door on the bus goes open and shut
(Stretch out arms, open and close them)

The horn on the bus goes “Beep, beep, beep”,
(Honk horn)

The gas on the bus goes “Glug, glug, glug”,
(Fill gas tank)

The money on the bus goes “Clink, clink, clink”,
(Put money in cash box)

The baby on the bus says, “Wah, wah, wah!”
(Hands in fists rub eyes)

The people on the bus say, “Shh, shh, shh”.
(Pointer finger to mouth)

8. One Grey Elephant Balancing

Play this with siblings or a group of friends. 

Have the children sit in a circle. Choose one child to be the first elephant pretending to balance on a string going around and around the inside of the circle.

One grey elephant balancing,
Step-by-step on a piece of string.
Thought it was such a wonderful stunt,
That he called for another elephant.
(The first elephant chooses another child to join him)

Two grey elephants balancing,
Step-by-step on a piece of string.
Thought it was such a wonderful stunt,
That they called for another elephant.

Continue until all of the children are balancing on the string.

(Total number) grey elephants balancing,
Step-by-step on a piece of string.
All of a sudden the piece of string broke,
And down came all the ‘ele-folk’.

Find more counting songs here.

9. If You’re Happy and You Know It!

If you’re happy and you know it,
Clap your hands. (Clap twice)
If you’re happy and you know it,
Clap your hands. (Clap twice)
If you’re happy and you know it,
Then your face will surely show it,
If you’re happy and you know it,
Clap your hands. (Clap twice)

Repeat the entire verse with each of these movements:

If you’re happy and you know it,
Tap your toe. (Tap twice)

If you’re happy and you know it,
Nod your head. (Nod head)

If you’re happy and you know it,
Do all three. (Clap twice, tap twice, nod head)

If you’re happy and you know it,
Clap your hands. (Clap twice)

10. Open, Shut Them

Open, shut them
(separate hands and put together again)
Open, shut them
(separate hands and put together again)
Put them in your lap
(tap hands twice on lap)

Open, shut them
(separate hands and put together again)
Open, shut them
(separate hands and put together again)
Give a little clap
(clap hands twice)

I hope you’ve enjoyed these action rhymes for preschoolers. Your kids will love moving and singing along with you.

There are more action songs, counting rhymes and fingerplays included in the Free Activity Pack below so don’t forget to sign up for that too!

Need more ideas? These movement songs for kids will get the heart rate up and bodies moving and these good morning songs are the top picks recommended by teachers.