Nursery Rhymes with Actions
Few things hold a small child's attention like a song they can move to. Action rhymes pair a simple tune with claps, wiggles and big whole-body movements, so a child is singing, listening and burning off energy all at once. That mix of rhythm, language and physical play is what makes them such a useful early-learning tool, and such a reliable way to get a restless group involved.
Here are 21 action rhymes with the movements set out step by step. Each title links to the full lyrics.
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Touch each part as you name it, working top to bottom, then back up. Speed the tune up every round until nobody can keep up. A warm-up disguised as a body-parts lesson.
If You're Happy and You Know It
A new action each verse: clap hands, stamp feet, nod your head, shout hooray. Children copy on cue, which makes it a first lesson in following instructions.
The Wheels on the Bus
Roll the arms for the wheels, swish them side to side for the wipers, press a palm for the horn, and open and shut your hands for the doors. Every verse has its own move.
The Hokey Cokey
Left foot in, left foot out, shake it all about, then turn around and clap. The circle rushes in and back out again on "oh, hokey cokey, cokey".
I'm a Little Teapot
One hand on the hip for the handle, the other arm bent out for the spout, then tip right over to pour. The tip is the bit toddlers wait for.
Wind the Bobbin Up
Roll the hands over each other to wind, pull them apart twice, then point to the ceiling, the floor, the window and the door. Big, forgiving movements for wobbly coordination.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Sit facing each other, hold hands and rock back and forth like pulling on oars. Lean further on "merrily, merrily" and add a scream for the crocodile verse.
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Walk thumb to finger up an imaginary drainpipe, sweep both hands down for the rain, then lift them wide into a circle for the sun. Slow it right down for babies.
Sleeping Bunnies
Curl up on the floor and lie completely still, which is half the fun, then spring up and hop on "wake up, bunnies". The pause before the jump is the whole game.
Ring a Ring o' Roses
Join hands and circle round, then everyone drops to the floor on "we all fall down". Usually the first group game a toddler manages.
The Grand Old Duke of York
Stand up tall when they are up, crouch down when they are down, and jump halfway on "only halfway up". Marching on the spot keeps the beat.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
One instruction per line: turn around, touch the ground, show your shoe, run upstairs. Slow enough that a two year old can keep up with every command.
Open, Shut Them
Open and close both hands, give a little clap, then creep the fingers slowly up to the chin and stop before they reach the mouth. The creeping builds lovely suspense.
London Bridge Is Falling Down
Two children raise their arms into an arch, the rest file underneath, and the bridge comes down to gently catch whoever is passing as the verse ends.
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Circle round holding hands for the chorus, then break to mime the chore in each verse: washing clothes, brushing hair, sweeping the floor.
Going on a Bear Hunt
Slap knees to march, then act out each obstacle: swish through grass, splash through water, squelch through mud. Then run the whole route backwards at speed.
Five Little Monkeys
Hold up five fingers and bounce them, wag a finger for the doctor's telling-off, then drop one each verse. Early subtraction with a bump on the head.
Johnny Works with One Hammer
Start with one fist hammering, then add the other, then a foot, then the other foot, then nod the head, until all five are going at once and everyone collapses.
Clap Hands
Pure clapping to a steady beat, with a pause before Daddy comes home. One of the easiest first action rhymes for a child just learning to clap.
Jelly on a Plate
Wobble the whole body like a jelly, then swap in sausages that go pop and candles that blow out. Very short, endlessly repeatable, and always ends in giggles.
The Ants Go Marching
March in a line, swinging arms, and hold up fingers for each number. The little one always stops to do something silly, so mime that too.
How to Teach a Rhyme with Actions
Children learn the moves by copying, not by being told, so the trick is to make yourself easy to copy.
- Do it before you explain it. Sing the whole rhyme once with the actions while they watch. Most children will join the last line without being asked.
- Keep the actions identical every time. Predictability is what lets a child anticipate the next move, and anticipating is where the fun is.
- Slow down and make it bigger. Exaggerated, slow movements are far easier to copy than accurate ones. Speed comes later, and speeding up on purpose is its own game.
- Leave a gap. Pause before the tickle, the jump or the last word and let them fill it. That beat of suspense does more for engagement than any extra verse.
- Expect them to join in halfway. A toddler doing one action out of six is doing it right. Copying, repeating and moving in time are the skills; the performance is not the point.
Finger Plays for Smaller Hands
When there is no room to run about, or the child is too young for whole-body songs, finger plays do the same job at close range. They build fine motor control and work well one to one, at a nappy change or in a pushchair.
- Pat-a-Cake - clap, roll, pat and mark it with a B
- This Little Piggy - wiggle each toe in turn, then tickle all the way up
- Two Little Dickie Birds - hide a finger behind your back and bring it back
- Here Is the Beehive - a closed fist, then one bee out per finger
- Round and Round the Garden - circle the palm, then creep up for the tickle
- Where Is Thumbkin? - each finger pops up, bows and disappears
- Tommy Thumb, Where Are You? - name and wave each finger in turn
- Peekaboo - cover your face, then reveal it on cue
Circle Games for a Group
These need three or four children at minimum and work best with a whole class. They add turn-taking and waiting to the mix, which is why they are the backbone of circle time in nurseries and preschools.
- The Farmer in the Dell - one child picks the next into the middle
- Here We Go Looby Loo - in and out of the ring, a new limb each verse
- Did You Ever See a Lassie? - one child leads a move, everyone copies
- Skip to My Lou - partners swap places around the circle
- In and Out the Dusty Bluebells - weave under raised arms, tapping shoulders
- Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow - mime sowing, standing and stamping
- Go In and Out the Window - thread through the arches, then choose a partner
Why Action Rhymes Are Worth the Effort
Pairing a word with a movement gives a child two ways to remember it, which is why "head, shoulders, knees and toes" teaches body parts faster than pointing at a picture ever will. The actions also carry the beat, and a child who can move in time to a song is doing the groundwork for hearing syllables in words.
There is a practical payoff too. An action rhyme gives a restless group something to do with their hands and feet, which is why nursery staff reach for them before a story and not after. Two minutes of Sleeping Bunnies settles a room better than asking it to settle.
Where to Go Next
- All Action Nursery Rhymes: the full collection of 60+ movement songs with lyrics.
- Finger Play Rhymes & Hand Games: 28 hand and finger rhymes for close-up play.
- Nursery Rhymes for Toddlers (1-2 Years): the action songs that suit one and two year olds best.
- Preschool Circle Time Rhymes (3-5 Years): group games and counting songs for a whole class.