Counting Songs for Kids

Counting songs are a fun way to teach your children to count forwards and backwards and can help build their developing number concepts and early maths skills.

The rhythm in songs and rhymes, as well as the repetitive verses, help children memorise the numbers easily and an understanding of the value of numbers is built.

Here are 10 fun counting rhymes to teach your kids, with lyrics. Some are old favourites and some are newer rhymes.

For more simple, play-based ideas that build early maths skills, try the Learning Through Play Activity Pack.

P.S. This post includes a handy printable of these songs and lyrics.

1. The Ants Go Marching

The ants go marching one by one
Hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one
Hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain
Boom boom boom

Repeat the verses, changing the number of ants and the action line:

The ants go marching two by two
The little one stops to tie his shoe

The ants go marching three by three
The little one stops to climb a tree

The ants go marching four by four
The little one stops to shut the door

The ants go marching five by five
The little one stops to take a dive

The ants go marching six by six
The little one stops to pick up sticks

The ants go marching seven by seven
The little one stops to pray to heaven

The ants go marching eight by eight
The little one stops to roller skate

The ants go marching nine by nine
The little one stops to check the time

The ants go marching ten by ten
The little one stops to shout, “The End!”

2. Ten Green Bottles

Ten green bottles
Hanging on the wall
Ten green bottles
Hanging on the wall
And if one green bottle
Should accidentally fall
There’ll be nine green bottles
Hanging on the wall

Nine green bottles…

Eight green bottles…

Repeat verses until there are no green bottles left:

One green bottle
Hanging on the wall
One green bottle
Hanging on the wall
If that one green bottle
Should accidentally fall
There’ll be no green bottles
Hanging on the wall

3. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

One, two
Buckle my shoe
Three, four
Shut the door
Five, six
Pick up sticks
Seven, eight
Don’t be late
Nine, ten
Do it over again!

4. Ten Little Fingers

Ten little fingers, ten little toes,
Two little ears and one little nose
Two little eyes that shine so bright
And one little mouth to kiss mother goodnight.

Teach your kids these finger plays too!

5. Ten in a Bed

There were ten in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and
one fell out

There were nine in the bed…

There were eight in the bed…

Repeat verses until there is only one left in the bed:

There was one in the bed
And the little one said,

“Alone at last!”

Here are more number rhymes for kids.

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6. Five Fat Sausages

Five fat sausages sizzling in a pan 
The grease got hot – and one went “BANG”!

Four fat sausages sizzling in a pan 
The grease got hot – and one went “BANG”!

Three fat sausages sizzling in a pan 
The grease got hot – and one went “BANG”!

Two fat sausages sizzling in a pan 
The grease got hot – and one went “BANG”!

One fat sausage sizzling in a pan 
The grease got hot – and it went “BANG”!

No fat sausages frying in a pan.

7. Five Little Speckled Frogs

Five little speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs.
YUM! YUM!
One jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were four speckled frogs!
GLUB! GLUB!

Four little speckled frogs…

Three little speckled frogs…

Repeat verses until there are no speckled frogs left:

One little speckled frog
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious bugs.
YUM! YUM!
He jumped into the pool,
Where it was nice and cool,
Then there were no speckled frogs!

8. 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.

9. Five Little Snowmen

Five little snowmen standing in a line
One, Two, Three, Four, Five
So fine
Melt in the sunshine with a sigh
We’ll see you next year
Bye Bye!

Four little snowmen standing in a line
One, Two, Three, Four
So fine
Melt in the sunshine with a sigh
We’ll see you next year
Bye Bye!

Repeat verses until there are no snowmen left:

One little snowman standing in a line
One
So fine
Melt in the sunshine with a sigh
We’ll see you next year
Bye Bye!

10. Rabbits

Rabbits rabbits 1 2 3
Will you come and play with me?
Camels camels 4 5 6
Why do you have a hump like this?
Monkeys monkeys 7 8 9 
Will you teach me how to climb?
When I have counted up to ten 
The elephant says now start again.

Those are 10 of my favourite counting rhymes but there are many more to choose from!

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

Check out this awesome list of preschool songs, as well as the best music and movement activities for preschoolers and kindergarteners.