Sing along (with lyrics)
Top 52 nursery rhymes with lyrics
These are the rhymes most English-speaking children meet before they can read, in the forms that are in the public domain. Words vary a little from family to family; these are the common versions.
Chosen from standard collections of English nursery rhymes and checked against Wikipedia's article for each. Public-domain texts only; checked Oct 2026. Checked 2026-10-25. Nobody paid to be here. The buy links are plain search links, not affiliate links, so Peabody earns nothing from them.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Jane Taylor (words), French folk tune · Ages 1-6
The first song many children learn; the tune is also the ABC song and Baa Baa Black Sheep.
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Words
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!
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Traditional · Ages 1-7
Animal sounds make it easy for toddlers to join in; new animals are easy to add.
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Words
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O! And on that 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!
The Wheels on the Bus
Verna Hills (1939 version), traditional · Ages 1-6
Each verse comes with motions: wipers swish, babies cry, horn goes beep.
Watch for: Copyright status of the best-known 1939 text is unclear, so the words are linked rather than printed here.
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Itsy Bitsy Spider
Traditional · Ages 1-6
Finger-play song about a spider and the rain; teaches sequence and persistence.
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Words
The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the waterspout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and dried up all the rain, And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Traditional · Ages 2-8
Short enough for a first round; sung in parts, it is a child's first taste of harmony.
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Words
Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream.
Humpty Dumpty
Traditional · Ages 1-6
A riddle-rhyme: the answer is an egg, though the poem never says so.
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Words
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Jack and Jill
Traditional · Ages 2-7
A short story with a fall and a tumble, easy to act out on a hill of cushions.
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Words
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.
London Bridge Is Falling Down
Traditional · Ages 3-8
A singing game: two children make an arch and catch whoever passes under on the last line.
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Words
London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady. Build it up with wood and clay, Wood and clay, wood and clay. Build it up with wood and clay, My fair lady.
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Sarah Josepha Hale, 1830 · Ages 2-7
A school story in four lines; rhyming pairs are good for early readers.
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Words
Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow; And everywhere that Mary went The lamb was sure to go. It followed her to school one day, Which was against the rule; It made the children laugh and play To see a lamb at school.
Hickory Dickory Dock
Traditional · Ages 1-6
Counting up to one on the clock, then a quick run down; good for learning o'clock.
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Words
Hickory, dickory, dock, The mouse ran up the clock. The clock struck one, The mouse ran down, Hickory, dickory, dock.
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
Traditional · Ages 1-6
Sung to the Twinkle tune; the three bags of wool give a natural counting beat.
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Words
Baa, baa, black sheep, Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, Three bags full. One for the master, And one for the dame, And one for the little boy Who lives down the lane.
Little Miss Muffet
Traditional · Ages 2-6
Eight short lines with a spider scare that most small children find funny, not frightening.
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Words
Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating her curds and whey; Along came a spider, Who sat down beside her And frightened Miss Muffet away.
Jack Be Nimble
Traditional · Ages 2-6
Four lines and a jump: a good rhyme for small bodies that need to move.
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Words
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over The candlestick.
Hey Diddle Diddle
Traditional · Ages 1-6
Pure nonsense, which is the point; every line is a silly picture.
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Words
Hey, diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon; The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Pat-a-Cake
Traditional · Ages 0-4
A clapping rhyme for babies and toddlers; the child's initial can be 'marked' on the cake.
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Words
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man, Bake me a cake as fast as you can; Pat it and prick it and mark it with B, And put it in the oven for baby and me.
Little Bo Peep
Traditional · Ages 2-6
Lost-and-found story with a gentle ending: the sheep come home on their own.
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Words
Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep, And doesn't know where to find them; Leave them alone, and they'll come home, Wagging their tails behind them.
Little Jack Horner
Traditional · Ages 2-6
A thumb-in-the-pie rhyme that pairs well with pretend cooking play.
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Words
Little Jack Horner Sat in a corner, Eating his Christmas pie; He put in his thumb, And pulled out a plum, And said, "What a good boy am I!"
Sing a Song of Sixpence
Traditional · Ages 3-7
A longer rhyme with a king, a queen and a blackbird pie; first verse shown.
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Words
Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish To set before the king?
Pop Goes the Weasel
Traditional · Ages 2-7
Children crouch down and spring up on the 'pop'; the tune is also a jack-in-the-box favourite.
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Words
All around the cobbler's bench The monkey chased the weasel; The monkey thought 'twas all in fun. Pop! goes the weasel.
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Traditional · Ages 0-3
A very old cradle song, still used for rocking babies.
Watch for: The cradle falls in the last line. Most children are fine with it, but some babies' parents skip it.
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Words
Rock-a-bye, baby, on the treetop, When the wind blows, the cradle will rock; When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, And down will come baby, cradle and all.
Three Blind Mice
Traditional · Ages 3-8
A four-part round, so it is also a first lesson in singing in canon.
Watch for: The farmer's wife cuts off their tails; some parents swap in a gentler line.
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Words
Three blind mice, three blind mice, See how they run, see how they run! They all ran after the farmer's wife, Who cut off their tails with a carving knife, Did you ever see such a sight in your life As three blind mice?
Ring Around the Rosie
Traditional · Ages 1-5
A circle game that ends with everyone falling down; toddlers ask for it again and again.
Watch for: Often said to be about the plague; historians say that story is not supported.
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Words
Ring around the rosie, A pocket full of posies, Ashes, ashes, We all fall down.
Oranges and Lemons
Traditional · Ages 4-9
Church bells of London in a game: two players make an arch and the 'chopper' tag ends the song.
Watch for: The last line is about being beheaded; it is a game cue and not a story.
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Words
Oranges and lemons, Say the bells of St. Clement's. You owe me five farthings, Say the bells of St. Martin's. When will you pay me? Say the bells of Old Bailey. When I grow rich, Say the bells of Shoreditch. When will that be? Say the bells of Stepney. I do not know, Says the great bell of Bow. Here comes a candle to light you to bed, And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!
The Muffin Man
Traditional · Ages 1-5
Ask-and-answer song; put in the child's own name and street for a bigger laugh.
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Words
Oh, do you know the muffin man, The muffin man, the muffin man? Oh, do you know the muffin man Who lives on Drury Lane?
Pease Porridge Hot
Traditional · Ages 2-8
A clapping rhyme with a partner; the beat goes faster each time round.
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Words
Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot, Nine days old. Some like it hot, Some like it cold, Some like it in the pot, Nine days old.
Georgie Porgie
Traditional · Ages 3-7
Short and rhythmic, with a name that children enjoy saying.
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Words
Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie, Kissed the girls and made them cry; When the boys came out to play, Georgie Porgie ran away.
Jack Sprat
Traditional · Ages 3-7
A clean-plate rhyme that opens a chat about how people eat differently.
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Words
Jack Sprat could eat no fat, His wife could eat no lean; And so between them both, you see, They licked the platter clean.
Peter Piper
Traditional · Ages 5-9
The classic tongue twister; try it three times fast.
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Words
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers; A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Wee Willie Winkie
Traditional · Ages 1-5
A bedtime rhyme about a night-time runner checking that children are in bed.
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Words
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown, Rapping at the window, crying through the lock, "Are the children all in bed, for now it's eight o'clock?"
Polly Put the Kettle On
Traditional · Ages 2-6
Round-and-round call-and-answer: Polly puts it on, Sukey takes it off.
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Words
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.
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Traditional · Ages 3-7
A garden rhyme; fits spring planting days.
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Words
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row.
Old King Cole
Traditional · Ages 2-7
A merry king with a pipe, a bowl and three fiddlers; a good chance to play pretend instruments.
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Words
Old King Cole was a merry old soul, And a merry old soul was he; He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl, And he called for his fiddlers three.
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Traditional · Ages 2-6
Counts to ten in pairs and rhymes at the same time.
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Words
One, two, buckle my shoe; Three, four, knock at the door; Five, six, pick up sticks; Seven, eight, lay them straight; Nine, ten, a big fat hen.
This Little Piggy
Traditional · Ages 0-4
A toe-counting game; the last piggy runs the tickle up the leg.
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Words
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.
I'm a Little Teapot
George Harold Sanders and Clarence Kelley, 1939 · Ages 2-6
Short song with actions: handle, spout, tip and pour.
Watch for: A 20th-century song, so the words are not printed here.
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Three Little Kittens
Eliza Follen, 1843 · Ages 2-7
A story in verse: lose the mittens, find them, wash them, hang them out.
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Words
Three little kittens, they lost their mittens, And they began to cry, "Oh, Mother dear, we sadly 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." "No, you shall have no pie."
Ten in the Bed
Traditional · Ages 2-6
A counting-down song: one rolls over and one falls out until the last is alone.
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Hot Cross Buns
Traditional · Ages 3-8
The first tune many children play on a recorder or xylophone, using only three notes.
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Words
Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns!
Rub-a-Dub-Dub
Traditional · Ages 3-7
Three men in a tub, each with a job; children can guess the trades.
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Words
Rub-a-dub-dub, Three men in a tub, And who do you think they be? The butcher, the baker, The candlestick-maker; Turn them out, knaves all three!
Lavender's Blue
Traditional · Ages 2-7
A soft song for the end of the day, with a very old tune.
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Words
Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green; When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen.
Goosey Goosey Gander
Traditional · Ages 3-7
Nonsense that sounds good aloud; the fourth line is where children stumble.
Watch for: The older text is rough on the old man; skip the last four lines for small children.
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Words
Goosey Goosey Gander, Whither shall I wander? Upstairs and downstairs And in my lady's chamber. There I met an old man Who wouldn't say his prayers; I took him by the left leg And threw him down the stairs.
The Grand Old Duke of York
Traditional · Ages 3-8
Stand up on 'up', sit down on 'down'; the whole song is an action game.
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Words
Oh, the grand old Duke of York, He had ten thousand men; He marched them up to the top of the hill, And he marched them down again. And when they were up, they were up, And when they were down, they were down, And when they were only half-way up, They were neither up nor down.
Little Boy Blue
Traditional · Ages 2-6
Pastoral scene; the child who is asleep under the haystack is the surprise ending.
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Words
Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn, The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn; Where is the boy who looks after the sheep? He's under the haystack, fast asleep.
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Traditional · Ages 2-6
What many children chant at the window on a wet day.
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Words
Rain, rain, go away, Come again another day.
Solomon Grundy
Traditional · Ages 4-8
A week in eight lines; a handy way to learn the days.
Watch for: Ends with the character's death.
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Words
Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, Christened on Tuesday, Married on Wednesday, Took ill on Thursday, Worse on Friday, Died on Saturday, Buried on Sunday. This is the end Of Solomon Grundy.
Bye, Baby Bunting
Traditional · Ages 0-3
A short rocking rhyme about a father off to hunt a rabbit skin.
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Words
Bye, baby bunting, Daddy's gone a-hunting, Gone to get a rabbit skin To wrap the baby bunting in.
Old Mother Hubbard
Traditional · Ages 3-8
A bare cupboard and a dog who gets the last laugh; first stanza shown.
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Words
Old Mother Hubbard Went to the cupboard, To fetch her poor dog a bone; But when she came there The cupboard was bare, And so the poor dog had none.
The Queen of Hearts
Traditional · Ages 3-7
A short tale of a theft, a trial and a promise; the same story Lewis Carroll later expanded.
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Words
The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts, All on a summer's day; The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts, And took them clean away.
Simple Simon
Traditional · Ages 3-8
A gullible boy meets a pieman; the rhyme has many more verses.
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Words
Simple Simon met a pieman, Going to the fair; Said Simple Simon to the pieman, "Let me taste your ware."
Doctor Foster
Traditional · Ages 2-6
A puddle rhyme that ends with a splash; perfect for rainy-day boots.
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Words
Doctor Foster went to Gloucester In a shower of rain; He stepped in a puddle, Right up to his middle, And never went there again.
Ding Dong Bell
Traditional · Ages 4-8
One of the oldest English rhymes recorded; the story is a rescue.
Watch for: The cat is in danger.
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Words
Ding, dong, bell, Pussy's in the well. Who put her in? Little Johnny Green. Who pulled her out? Little Tommy Stout. What a naughty boy was that, To try to drown poor pussy cat, Who never did him any harm, But killed the mice in his father's barn.
There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
Traditional · Ages 3-7
Silly image of a shoe-house with too many children.
Watch for: The old text says the children are whipped; many modern books change it.
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Words
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, She had so many children, she didn't know what to do; She gave them some broth without any bread; Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.
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