Singing nursery rhymes and songs with your baby or child is a fun, free activity that both parent and child will enjoy. Your baby will delight in the sound of your voice, and respond to the face-to-face contact you share, as you sing-a-long. Your toddler will love bonding with you, and adore the special moment of singing a simple nursery rhyme together.
Words and Lyrics to Traditional Nursery Rhymes
Traditional nursery rhymes are an activity that parents have shared with their children for generations. The songs that your great-grandparents sang to their children may well be the same nursery rhymes you share with your own children today.
The words and lyrics of traditional nursery rhymes are timeless, and taught to both babies and children by their parents, grandparents, and are often used as an activity in pre-schools and day care centres.
When you become a parent it is often difficult to remember the words and lyrics of the nursery rhymes from your childhood.
Below are the words to some of the most popular nursery rhymes, shared between parents and children over the generations.
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.
One for the master,
One for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed
To see such fun,
And the dish ran away with a spoon.
Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
If ye have no daughters,
Give them to your sons.
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!
Hush Little Baby
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Poppa's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Poppa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
Jack and Jill
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
Up Jack got, and home did trot,
As fast as he could caper.
He went to bed to mend his head,
With vinegar and brown paper.
Ladybug Ladybug (also known as Ladybird LadyBird)
Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home;
Your house is on fire and your children are gone.
All but one and her name is Ann;
She hid under the frying pan.
Little Tommy Tucker
Little Tommy Tucker
Sings for his supper.
What shall he eat?
White bread and butter.
How will he cut it
Without a knife?
How can he marry
Without a wife?
Mary Had A Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow,
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure was to go.
It followed her to school one day,
That was against the rule.
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.
And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near
And waited patiently about,
Till Mary did appear.
Why does the lamb love Mary so?
The eager children cry.
Why Mary loves the lamb, you know,
The teacher did reply.
Mary Mary Quite Contrary
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.
Old Macdonald Had A Farm
Old Macdonald had a farm,
E-I-E-I-O,
And on that farm he had some ducks,
E-I-E-I-O,
With a quack quack here and a quack quack there,
Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack quack.
Old Macdonald had a farm,
E-I-E-I-O.
Repeat above words using various farm animals.
Patty Cake (also known as Pat-a-cake)
Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man,
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it, and pat it, and mark it with a B,
And put it in the oven for baby and me!
For baby and me, for baby and me,
There shall be plenty for baby and me!
Polly Put The Kettle On
Polly, put the kettle on,
Polly, put the kettle on,
Polly, put the kettle on,
We'll all have tea.
Sukey, take it off again,
Sukey, take it off again,
Sukey, take it off again,
They've all gone away.
Blow the fire and make the toast,
Put the muffins on to roast,
Blow the fire and make the toast,
We'll all have tea.
Pussy Cat Pussy Cat
Pussy cat, pussy cat,
Where have you been?
I've been to London
To visit the Queen.
Pussy cat, pussy cat,
What did you there?
I frightened a little mouse
Under her chair!
Ring a Ring of Roses
Ring a ring o' roses,
A pocket full of posies,
A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all fall down.
Row Row Row Your Boat
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
This Little Piggy
This little piggy went to market,
This little piggy stayed home,
This little piggy had roast beef,
This little piggy had none,
And this little piggy cried,
Wee, wee, wee, all the way home!
Three Little Kittens
Three little kittens they lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh! Mother dear, we greatly fear
Our mittens we have lost.
What! Lost your mittens,
You naughty kittens,
Then you shall have no pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
Then you shall have no pie.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Then the traveller in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Benefits of Singing Nursery Rhymes to Children and Babies
Singing nursery rhymes and songs is a great activity that will also enhance some areas of your child's development. Some benefits include: contributes to building an emotional bond and attachment with your child, helps to improve speech and language skills, as well as enhancing cognitive development.
For further information on the development of your child, refer to The Developmental Milestones of a Baby and Toddler Development and Milestones.
Sources:
Gaby Hanson. More Favourite Nursery Rhymes. Robert Federick Ltd: UK, 2009.
Trace Moroney. My First Book of Songs and Rhymes. The Five Mile Press: Scoresby Australia, 2008.
Christine Gillies - Christine Gillies is a freelance writer based in Sydney, Australia. She holds a Bachelor Degree of Science (Psychology) as well as a ...
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