Nursery Rhymes, Songs, Poems etc

[alicesmum]

Hi everyone!!
Just wondering if you might help us start up a little list of your favourite songs we sing to our babies/children. I'm getting a little sick of singing the same ones over and over to Alice and was thinking earlier that I must know *heaps* more, but just can't remember them all!! I looked on the web for a bit, but many of the overseas sites list songs i don't know the melody for.

I'll start the list with some I find myself singing. PLEASE add yours.....

- Twinkle Twinkle (of course!)
- 1, 2, 3, 4,5, Once i caught a fish alive
- Little Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his nose
- Shortenin' Bread (mamma's little baby loves....)
- Sesame Street theme song (sunny days.....)
- Kookaburra sits in the old gumtree
- Three Blind Mice
- I'm a little teapot short and stout

(I also sometimes say the poem "They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice"...of course!!! :p )


I look forward to building our list!
Rachel

[draught]

Our favourites are from the ABC 50 Favourite Nursery Rhyme CDs - volume 1 and 2 - the two I use to sing my eldest to sleep are
- My Grandfather's Clock
- I went to the animal fair

but because we listen to all 100 we have many favourites that we sing without the CDs, and some new ones I didn't know from my childhood.

[kiara]

Hi Rachel

Here are the songs I sing with the children at work

-Glumph went the little green frog (we all know frogs go (clap) laa di daa di daa)
-5 Cheecky monkeys (swinging in th trees teasin mr crocodile)
-Miss polly had a dolly
-Open shut them
-Incy wincy spider
-Humpty Dumpty
-Baa Baa black sheep
-Down in the meadows
-5 little ducks (went out one day)
-The wheels on the bus
-row row row your boat
-hickory dickory dock
-It's raining its pouring
-The grand old duke of york
-build them up
-little miss muffet
-Upsy down town

There is a variation to baa baa black sheep called moo moo jersy cow it goes

Moo moo jersy cow have you any milk?
Yes sir yes sir 3 buckets full
1 for the dog, 1 for the cat, and 1 for the little boy who wants to grow fat.

Hope that helps you

[Chickadee]

This may sound very odd... when dd was very young and I would exhaust my list of rhymes and songs I would switch to christmas carols. I figured that it was the rhythm and sound as much as the words. Of course it does get you some odd looks in the grocery stores in June :)

[draught]

Not odd at all - I do the same - "Away in the Manger" is a good sleepy time one and "jingle Bells" always makes my daughter laugh.

[alicesmum]

That's hilarious! 'Deck the Halls' coming from isle 4 in mid-June.... yes, that would sound a little funny!!!!

Thanks ladies. My list has doubled already, though I don't know tunes for a few of those. I might have to buy that CD.

(Keep 'em coming folks! :) )

[Rell]

Hi All
Looks like Kiara said most of our favourites. I don't think its strange to sing christmas songs all year round we often have christmas songs playing at our house. My daughters favourite at the moment is also a little different, its the Sydney Swans chear song . i often get strange looks at the shops especialy since we live in QLD. Here are a few action songs most of them come from playschool
Ring a ring a rosy
The scarecrow song
The frog jumped out of the pond
Heads sholders knees and toes
Teddy bear teddy bear
rock a by your bear - wiggles
Hokey pokey
If your happy and you know it

Look forward to reading others favourites

[emmaandhayleysmum]

Good idea! I'd forgotten about heaps of these songs!!

My two daughters love this one, sung to freres Jacques

Lions, Tigers
Lions, Tigers
Monkeys Too
Monkeys Too
Long Nosed Elephants
Long Nosed Elephants
Jumping Kangaroo
Jumping Kangaroo

They especially love it when I do the actions too!!

Look forward to hearing some more!!!

Anna 26
DP - Jason 30
DD#1 - Emma 29/09/02
DD#2 - Hayley 29/09/04

[mummyb]

hi all
i sing the basic ones that all children love but sometimes in the car he wont stop crying unless im singing and i get sick of singing the same song, so i just make up new lyrics to the tune of classics ,i throw his name in every now and then which he seems to like .
if im really desprete my sister and i sing our conversations the whole way home .
if he grows up to be a muso i want some credit :D

[Rell]

just rememberd these two as my 3year old was singing it to my 6mth old this morning

Round and Round the garden
this little piggy

Great for babys

[LoniVV]

We picked up from the ABC Shop a boxset of three CDs with nursery rhymes one is the 50 favourite CDs and another is called Traditional Nursery Rhymes and the third is from Playschool with a mixture of nursery rhymes and other songs from the show (I assume since some I don't know).
My 5 months old son loves the CDs.

He rolls around and laughs when I play them, and it allows me some free time since he will entertain himself on his play mat for a few minutes so I can do the dishes or put clothes away as long as I keep singing to him at the same time.

Leonie and Dominic (2-12-2004)

[shellbell]

somewhere over the rainbow and california dreaming (don't laugh !) are favourites in our house. as long as its musical, our kids don't care :D

[Chickadee]

I realised this morning that I was singing some that weren't listed yet! I dont' know the actual titles so these are the first lines.

- This old man he played one, he played knick-knack on his thumb...

- Hush little baby don't say a word, momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird.. (test your creativeness at rhyming and see how long you can go on for!)

- There was an old lady that swallowed a fly. The order I know is fly, spider, bird, cat, dog, goat, hog, cow, horse. Tickling every time you come back down to spider.

[moggs]

Hiya,

I'm glad to know there are others out there learning songs for their kiddies! Except my child tells me 'no mummy, no singing', doesn't fill me with confidence lol.
We do:
- Wind the bobbin up (with actions)
- Tommy thumb
- abc song (she can actually say the letters now)
- Never smile at a crocodile
- There's a house (playschool)
- old macdonald (she chooses the animal and then change old macdonald had a farm to him having a jungle when we run out of animals)
- wheels on the bus
- Rainbow song
- 5 little ducks
- 5 green speckled frogs
- Ants go marching

There is probably more but i can't remember any.

Moggs xx ;)

[Rell]

Hi Moggs
If you get time can you poast all the words to never smile at a crocodile. I often start singing it but don't know all the words, my daughter gets upset if I can't remember all the words to songs. Had a laugh at the "no singing" I often get this from my duaghter too I'm also told "no dancing". Oh i remember when she thought mummy was a great singer and dancer, I guess the rose coloured glasses are off now.

[moggs]

Hi Rell,

Maybe our singing and dancing can't be compared to playschool or the wiggles lol!!!

I pretty much make up words that go but i'll try with the croc:
'Never smile at a crocodile,
No you can't get friendly with a crocodile,
Don't be taken in by his welcome grin,
He's imagining how well you'll fit beneath his skin,

Never smile at a crocodile,
No you can't get friendly with a crocodile,
Never walk - run away,
Say goodbye - not good day,
Never smile at a crocodile'

That is how I sing it but i'm not positve it's right. You'll probably be told off by your little one not to sing anyway lol

moggs xx

[Rell]

Thanks very much Moggs
I actualy have some other words. Between us we might just get the whole song.

Never smile at a crocodile
Never dip your hat or stop to talk a while
Never run, walk away
Say goodnight, not good day
Clear the aisle but never smile at mister crocodile

Not sure where this fits in the song. Your right I probably won't be allowed to sing anyway, at least Nathan (7 1/2mths) still enjoys my singing.

[Chickadee]

just rememberd these two as my 3year old was singing it to my 6mth old this morning

Round and Round the garden
this little piggy

Great for babys

Chloe is 1.5 yrs and we still do "round and round the garden" except she now does the circling on my hand. She gets the tickles still.

Another one, possibly for older kids who like yucky stuff - the Worm song ("nobody likes me...")

Martha

[madvoice]

I often have mental blanks of the nursery rhymes I learned as a child so I googled it and came up with heaps. I also googled up the Sesame Street Songs for when I ran out of nursery rhymes. It helps that I remember a lot of popular songs as well. I often sit with Music Max playing and singing along to whoever's on and I get the biggest grins when I'm singing to that :)

[camstar]

my 7yr old taught us this one she learnt at school it's from babe (where the man sings to the pig)


if I had words to make a day for you
I'd sing you a morning golden and new
I would make this day last for all time
give you a night bathed in moonshine

(repeat)




another one I love is baby of mine from dumbo


Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part, baby of mine
Little one when you play
Don't you mind what you say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear, baby of mine
If they knew sweet little you
They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for
The right to hold you
From your head to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Cute as can be, baby of mine

[petster]

Hi guys!

Can someone please help me with me the words for "Away in a Manger"? I know it's a Christmas carol, but my daughter loves it... It's driving me mad though, 'cause I can't remember the last line...

"I love thee Lord Jesus, and I ask thee to stay, close by me forever..........."

Aaarrgghh!!! Help please!!!

Some other fave songs in our house are:
"The ants go marching..."
"The wheels on the bus..."

They are both great sung really loudly in the car when Eleni is throwing a tanty - not quite sure who benefits most!!

Cheers!

[Chickadee]

I had to look this up (I love Google! :D ). Apparently there's another verse, which I don't remember at all!

Away in a manger,
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side,
'Til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to heaven
To live with Thee there


As for the singing loud, we do do it too. Singing "I can scream louder than you can" back at my dd generally gets her attention :)

[petster]

Thanks MarthaM! I really had it quite wrong - we'll just blame it on baby brain...

Cheers!

[Chickadee]

Thanks MarthaM! I really had it quite wrong - we'll just blame it on baby brain...

Cheers!

Eleni will never know that you had it wrong, and that's one of the things I love most about babies :)

[Graeme]

We often make up new words to to simple tunes (e.g. Twinkle Twinkle little star, galoomp went the little green frog, Freres Jacques). They are normally based on our girls.

For ages Alexa loved a song we made up to Galoomp little green frog. In the car, if she started crying we would sing it and she would stop.

To prove you don't need to be any good at writing words with great embarassment :o here are the words:

Alexa's a little bright girl
Alexa's a little bright girl
Alexa's a little bright girl we know
and she lives with Jasmine Claire

And we all know she's a (clap) little cutie pie
(clap) little cutie pie,
(clap) little cutie pie,
we all know she's a (clap) little cutie pie
and she lives with Mum and Dad.

Happy composing!!
Graeme

[razzle]

That's so cute Graeme! :p

When I was pregnant we realised we knew NO nursery rhymes at all so we sang show tunes and old tv show themes to my bump. DP made up his own words to the Flinstones theme which still makes her smile - he sang it to her as a bump every night. The Mork and Mindy theme makes her sleepy too! :rolleyes:

[draught]

This morning I found myself singing a "mummy" version of "Great Balls of Fire" ...."too much love drives a mummy insane....etc"
- my 8 month old was bopping along in her highchair so obviously there was a good rhythm there while she was being fed her breakfast!

["keyansmum"]

Hi! Iam a child care worker who loves singing different songs heres a collection. If you want the other word email me and I would be happy to send you the words
few diffent ones

the Barnie song

I love you
you love me
where a happy family
with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you
wont you say you love me to!

zoom zoom astronautZoom zoom atronaunt are you having fun
with the stars and the moon and the great big sun
are you up there all alone
would'nt you rather be at home
zoom zoom astronaunt
are you having fun with the stars
the moon and the great big sun.

another fun one you can change and have some fun with
spoty song
put a spot over here and a spot over there put a spot in the air
in the air everywhere
its a spotty time of the day

you can change to stripes,splashes, zig zags whatever pleases you

Alice the camel has five humps is another fun one

The animal fair

Miss polly had a dolly

All the fishes swimming in the water

open shut them

10 little indian girls and boys

soft kitty furry kitty

Bingo

yellow butterfly

rainbow song

glumph went the little green frog

Here is the sea

[alicesmum]

thanks for letting me know about "Alice the camel has five humps".

i just found an mp3 of it on the web!!! now i can sing it to Alice and she'll love it once she knows her own name, I'm sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rachel :)

[red crayon]

Thanks for this thread. I've recently realised that I've forgotten my nursery rhymes and this thread has jogged my memory. Spencer quite likes Waltzing Matilda and Click Go the Shears. When he was a newborn, I used to sing Dusty Springfield songs and that always helped with the crying.

[shed]

does anyone know the words to the Rainbow song?

[elissas]

Which one? The Rainbow Connection?

DS loves Hey Diddle Diddle.

His favourite song though is Songbird by Eva Cassidy. I sang it while I was pg and he recognised it from day dot. Settles him down easily, and he smiles when I sing it.

[Chickadee]

Sessions at Gymbaroo have stuck this one in my head :( or at least this is how I sing it...

Red and yellow and pink and green,
Purple and orange and blue
I can sing a rainbow
sing a rainbow,
Sing a rainbow too.

Listen with your eyes
Listen with your eyes
and sing everything you see
Now you can sing a rainbow
sing a rainbow,
Sing a rainbow too.

Repeat till 2 year old yells Stop!

[kiwibird27]

The New McDonalds Farm music CD, it's really bouncy and happy!!!! And something different - Incy Wincy spider with actions!!! Galloomph went the little green frog - Anyone found it hard to find original Australian songs on CD for children - other than the wiggles etc, we should write our own!!!!

[Oscar's mum]

Anyone found it hard to find original Australian songs on CD for children - other than the wiggles etc, we should write our own!!!!


What about good ole Peter Coombes!

It's a newspaper mama newspaper mama lol:o :p

[shed]

Thanks MarthaM, thats the one. A little boy who I used to look after used to sing it all the time but I only had a couple of words of it stuck in my head.

I always sing it saying "Wainbow" coz that's how he said it. I can't help it. So my poor kid will learn it with a speech impediment from the get-go!! :laughing:

[KiLLaKaZ]

can't think of who it was - maybe someone else can help, but remember the guy that sings the aussie animal songs such as:

"she's a little aussie mozzie
& she's looking for a cozzie
on your unprotected skin.
when she's finished her inspection
she will give you an injection..."

(that's all i can remember - but i think that's pretty good for not hearing it in about 15 years! lol.)

and...

"penguins walk in a funny way
why don't you try & do it to?"

(can kind of remember more words, but not acurately...)

i remember growing up with "newspaper mama" ;)

i alsoremember, the "michael j fox" song (& probably the lyrics to many of the others if i could remember the titles! :rolleyes: )

michael j fox
lives in a box
on the runway
of the airport.
when a plane takes off
he gives a little cough
& moves his box
right out of the way"

[PinkBinkie]

What a fun and useful thread, I found myself remembering all these old and loved songs.....here's some more

Bob The Builder...
What do you think my name is I wonder if you know...
A sailor went to sea sea sea to see what he could see see see...
Here is the sea...
There was a Princess long ago....
Do your ears hang low?....
If you're happy and you know it...
Five little ducks that I once knew...
Five in the bed and the little one said...
Row row row your boat..
Miss Polly...
I'm a little teapot...
Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around....
12345 once I caught a fish alive...
10 green bottles standing on the wall...
We're going on a bear hunt...

Sorry for any repeats
:smiliedance:

[KiLLaKaZ]

can't think of who it was - maybe someone else can help, but remember the guy that sings the aussie animal songs


ok - remembered his name not long ago: Don Spencer. the ABC has his CDs in store.

(i just did a quick google on him & found out he's danielle spencer's (russell crowe's wife's) father!! how did i not know that?! :eek:

[Tea Lady]

He should have sung at their wedding......"She's a little Aussie mozzie in her Aussie mozzie cozzie.....". Would have gone down a treat!

I have 2 or 3 Don Spencer albums - he's tops!!

[Budgie]

Hello BH Members,

I have stumbled across your lovely website tonight in my efforts to procure the lyrics to the song "upsy down town".

I would really appreciate it if someone could post them for me. If it is not too much trouble.

TIA for any assistance you can offer.

I look forward to chatting to you all further in the future.

[SmileyBJ]

Umm...

...
You are my sunshine
Dingle Dangle Scarecrow
If your happy and you know it
Open Shut Them
Old MacDonald had a farm
Twinkle Twinkle little star
Row Row Row your boat
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Round and Round the garden
5 Little ducks
Galoomp went the little green frog
...