Using Rhyme and Rhythm to Teach Preschoolers Their Numbers
There are some wonderful nursery rhymes and songs for kids that have been passed down through generations. We use them for playtime fun, but it’s also a fabulous way to learn colors, shapes, and numbers. Most people know the classics – Ants Go Marching, One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, and Ten Green Bottles, so we’ve compiled a list of songs for preschoolers that may be new to you.
Use the natural rhythm built into each song to create actions too! Movement songs increase hand-eye coordination skills and make it easier to remember. Use the videos below to add the music to the rhyme. Music, coupled with the movement, can help build strength, coordination, body balance, and awareness for the child.
Counting Forward
These rhymes will help the child start to learn numbers one through five and one through ten by counting forward. After they have mastered counting forward, they start learning math through songs by counting backward.
1. One Little Elephant Went Out to Play
One elephant went out to play
On a spider web one day.
It was such enormous fun
That he called for another elephant to come. Two elephants went out to play
On a spider web one day.
It was such enormous fun
That he called for another elephant to come.
Continue adding elephants to numbers five or ten. The simple repetition of the refrains helps the toddler to memorize the numbers themselves.
Learn More: YouTube
2. Pirate Counting Song
Yoho,
One, two, three, four,
Five, six, seven, eight,
Nine, ten, eleven, twelve,
Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen.
Learn More: YouTube
3. Finger Plays Number Song
One!
Let’s think about it.
Two!
Scissors.
Three!
I’m okay.
Four!
I can comb my hair.
Five!
Go, high five!
If your kiddies loved Baby Shark, they’ll love this counting song from the same people! They’ll be able to follow along with the simple actions as they pick up the numbers one to five!
Learn More: YouTube
4. One, Two, Zoo!
One, one: the zoo is lots of fun.
Two, two: see a kangaroo.
Three, three: see a chimpanzee.
Four, four: hear the lions roar.
Five, five: watch the seals dive.
Six, six: there’s a monkey doing tricks
Seven, seven: there’s an elephant named Evan.
Eight, eight: a tiger and his mate.
Nine, nine: all the penguins in a line.
Ten, ten: I want to come back again!
Combine your little learners’ love of animals and the zoo with counting to ten using this fun counting song!
Learn More: YouTube
5. How Many Fingers?
How many fingers on one hand?
How many fingers on one hand?
How many fingers on one hand?
Let’s all count together.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
This simple song from Super Simple Songs has repetitive lyrics that’ll let your preschoolers pick up the words quickly so they can sing along as they learn to count from 1 to 5!
Learn More: YouTube
6. Three Jellyfish (to the tune of Three Blind Mice)
Three jellyfish, three jellyfish,
Three jellyfish sitting on a rock,
One fell off.
Continue removing jellyfish until you reach zero. The repetition will have your kiddos counting down from three in no time!
Learn More: YouTube
7. Ten Apples on My Head
One apple on my head,
Two apples on my head,
Three apples on my head,
Wibbly wobbly, wibbly wobbly…
I will not let them fall.
The melody then keeps going all the way up to 10. Your preschoolers will be asking for this song again and again as they join in with the actions pretending to balance the apples on their heads!
Learn More: YouTube
8. One Big Balancing Hippo
ONE big hippo balancing,
step by step on a slippery rock,
he thought it was such tremendous fun
he called for another hippo to come. TWO big hippos balancing,
step by step on a slippery rock,
he thought it was such tremendous fun
he called for another hippo to come. Keep adding hippos until you reach ten.
With more complicated words, this rhyme will help build vocabulary as well!
Learn More: BBC
9. The Singing Walrus
One, two, three (One, two, three),
Four, five, six (Four, five, six),
Seven (Seven),
Eight (Eight),
Nine and ten (Nine and ten),
Do you know, how to count?
Yes I know, how to count
Do you know (Do you know),
How to count (How to count),
Yes I know (Yes I know),
How to Count (How to Count),
The call-and-answer style of this song makes this an excellent choice as your kiddos will just need to listen to you to know what to sing next. What a fun way to learn how to count from 1-10!
Learn More: YouTube
10. Singing Walrus: Funky Counting Song
One, two, three, four (One, two, three, four)
Five, six, seven, eight (Five, six, seven, eight)
Nine and ten (Nine and ten)
Do it all again! (Do it all again!)
This one combines learning numbers and colors together. It also introduces another language concept by using ordinal numbers (first) for the numbers one, two, three, four, and five.
Learn More: YouTube
11. Five Little Flowers
Five little flowers growing in a row.
The first one said, “I’m purple you know.”
The second one said, “I’m pink as pink can be.”
The third one said, “I’m blue like the sea.”
The fourth one said, “I’m a very red fellow.”
The fifth one said, “My color is yellow.”
Then out came the sun, big and bright,
And the five little flowers smiled in delight.
Not only is this rhyme perfect for learning numbers 1-5, but it’s also a great way to introduce your preschoolers to some different colors too!
Learn More: Pinterest
12. Bounce Patrol Counting Song
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
Count!
1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
There’s so many things to count,
Won’t you help us count them?
Let your kiddies dance along with this fun song that combines numbers, animals, rhyming, and more all with a super catchy tune!
Learn More: YouTube
13. Ten Little Snowflakes
One little, two little, three little snowflakes,
Four little, five little, six little snowflakes,
Seven little, eight little, nine little snowflakes,
Ten little snowflakes falling.
Then count back down from ten to one. This is a sweet and gentle song that’s perfect for getting your preschools to practice their numbers in a calming way.
Learn More: YouTube
14. Counting Up and Counting Down: Blastoff
Space travel- check!
Astronauts ready- check!
1 – space helmets on,
2 – space boots on,
3 – safety gloves on,
4 – space belt locked,
5 – space ice cream taste,
Mmmm, chocolate
Ready for blastoff!? Let your little ones pretend they’re astronauts as they sing this fun song that’ll have them counting to five in no time!
Learn More: YouTube
Counting Backward
These rhymes will help the child start to learn that numbers have value and begin learning math while having fun! It is an essential building block for addition and subtraction.
15. Ten Little Monkeys
TEN 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! NINE 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!
Continue counting backward with your little learners until all of the monkeys have fallen off of the bed.
Learn More: YouTube
16. Five Little Men in a Flying Saucer
Five little men in a flying saucer, flew round the Earth one day,
They looked left and right but they didn’t like the sight, so one man flew away,
Four little men in a flying saucer, flew round the Earth one day,
They looked left and right but they didn’t like the sight, so one man flew away.
You can continue this one until all the little men in saucers have flown away!
Learn More: YouTube
17. 5 Little Dinosaurs
FIVE little dinosaurs trying to roar,
One stomped away and then there were four.
FOUR little dinosaurs hiding near a tree,
One stomped away and then there were three.
THREE little dinosaurs peeking out at you,
One stomped away and then there were two.
TWO little dinosaurs ready to run,
One stomped away and then there was one.
ONE little dinosaur not having any fun,
He stomped away and then there were none.
What preschooler doesn’t love dinosaurs? Combine their love for these prehistoric creatures with a fun counting rhyme for a fun-filled math activity!
Learn More: Facebook
18. Five Scoops of Ice Cream
I had FIVE scoops of Ice Cream, no less, no more,
One fell off and that left four!
I had FOUR scoops of ice cream, as yummy as could be,
One fell off and that left three.
I had THREE scoops of ice cream, yes it’s true
One fell off and that left two.
I had TWO scoops of ice cream, in the melting sun,
One fell off and that left one!
I had ONE scoop of ice cream, sitting on the cone,
I ate it up and that left none!
Not only is this counting rhyme fun (and about ice-cream!) but there are also a bunch of preschooler-friendly resources that go along with it! Perfect for your next math lesson.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
19. Count Back Cat
I once had a cat named Count Back Cat who never counted up and that’s a fact,
I said, “Count up,” Count Back Cat,
She said I’ll never ever, never ever do that!
Then she counted back from ten like this:
10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1
Count Back!
This one’s for the feline-lovers! This song tells a funny story about a cat that refuses to count up, but will only count back from ten!
Learn More: YouTube
20. Six Teddy Bears Asleep in Bed
SIX teddy bears asleep in bed,
six teddy bears with sleepy heads.
One teddy bear fell out of bed,
how many teddy bears were left in bed? FIVE teddy bears asleep in bed,
five teddy bears with sleepy heads.
One teddy bear fell out of bed,
how many teddy bears were left in bed?
Let your little ones continue until there are no more teddy bears in the bed!
Learn More: Let’s Play Kids Music
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