Games to play with baby / Tickle, rocking and knee bouncing rhymes

A tickle for your toes

Big toe, tall toe

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe

Come my little darling

Criss-cross apple sauce

Dance, little baby, dance up high

Dormy, dormy dormouse

Eyes, nose, cheeky, cheeky chin

Here comes a little mouse

I found a little ladybird

Knock at the door

Mix and stir and pat in the pan

On my toe there is a flea

Peek-a-boo! Peek-a-boo!

Pitty patty polt

Round and round the garden

Round and round the haystack

Sailing, sailing

See my little hammer

See the little mousie

She didn’t dance, dance, dance

Slowly, slowly, very slowly

That’s the way the baby grows

The moon is round

This is the way the ladies ride

This little cow eats grass

This little piggy went to market

This little wind blows silver rain

Wake up little fingers

Whoops Tommy!

Up, up, up to baby’s nose

Last updated: 6/29/2020 1:40 PM

These songs are nursery rhymes and other traditional songs compiled, illustrated and music arranged by Dany Rosevear.

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A tickle for your toes 🔊

A hello and goodbye song for baby.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

Tickle baby’s toes then nose. Tickle baby’s tummy . Raise baby’s arms in high or low.

Give baby a hug. Stretch baby’s hands to tickle star and moon. Wave hand.

A tickle for your toes,

A tickle for your nose,

A tickle for your tummy where the watermelon goes.

Arms go high, arms go low,

A great big hug to say, Hello!”

A tickle for your toes,

A tickle for your nose,

A tickle for your tummy where the watermelon goes.

Arms go low, arms go high,

A great big hug to say “Goodbye!”

Tickle the stars, tickle the moon,

Wave goodbye, we’ll see you soon!

Big toe, tall toe 🔊

A foot play. Notice that each toe is a different shape and size.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

Wiggle each toe then clap baby’s foot between your hands. Older children, in a circle, could touch each toe in turn then stamp feet vigorously on the ground.

Big toe, tall toe, middle toe strong,

Funny toe, little toe,

Bongity-bong-bong!

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe O

A foot tapping song. Older children will enjoy tapping the rhythm on the knees with their fists. . Make thumb peep through fist for the toe.

Gently tap the sole of baby’s foot in time to the music; first one foot then the other. Gently squeeze the big toe in the first verse. Make up simple movements for the other three verses!

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe.

Get it done by half past two.

For my toe is peeping through,

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe.

Get it done by half past two.

Half past two is much too late!

Get it done by half past eight.

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe,

Give it one stitch, give it two,

Give it three or give it four,

If it needs it, give it more!

Cobbler, cobbler mend my shoe,

Get it done by half-past two,

Stitch it up and stitch it down,

Then I‛ll walk around the town!

Come my little darling 🔊

A baby dandling game.

Adaptation, game and second verse by Dany Rosevear.

I found this in ‘120 singing games’ by Lois Choksy and David Brummitt where it is used as a line game. They suggest it is a North American variant of the old English singing game “The bells of St. Martin” (Oranges and lemons?)

Dance baby on your lap. Hold both hands and gently rock backwards and forwards. Lift baby up high twice and finish with a big hug. Repeat for second verse but for second line cover babies eyes then cross hands and flap.

Come my little darling, a-dancing we will go,

Down in the valley where all the lilies grow.

Sweet pinks and roses and berries on the vine;

I’ll swing her/him once, I’ll swing her/him twice

And make that baby mine!

Come my little darling, a-walking side by side,

Down in the forest where the little fairies hide.

In among the streamlets flit dragonflies so fine;

I’ll swing her/him once, I’ll swing her/him twice

And make that baby mine!

Criss-cross apple sauce

A baby play game. It can also be used by older children to play on each other’s back.

1. Make an cross on toddler’s back. 2. Scamper fingers up back then gently pinch each shoulder. 3. Scamper fingers on head. 4. Blow on the child’s neck, hug child. 5. Tickle back.

Criss-cross apple sauce,

Spiders crawling up your back!

One here, one there,

Spiders crawling in your hair!

Cool breeze, tight squeeze,

Now you’ve got the shiverees!

Dance, little baby, dance up high O

Ann Taylor published this couplet in 1808 as ‘The baby’s dance’.

Find out more about her life at: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174580#about

The words of this song suggest how you should move the baby.

Dance, little baby, dance up high,

Never mind, baby, mother is by;

Crow and caper, caper and crow,

There, little baby, there you go;

Up to the ceiling, down to the ground,

Backwards and forwards, round and round;

Dance, little baby, and mother shall sing,

With a merry gay coral, sing ding-a-ding ding,

With a merry gay coral, sing ding-a-ding ding!

Dormy, dormy, dormouse 🔊

A baby rocking game. It could also be used to wake a baby gently up if needs be. Makes a change from lullabies!

Melody arranged by Dany Rosevear from a traditional tune.

Place baby sitting facing you on your lap. Hold both hands and gently rock backwards and forwards.

Dormy, dormy, dormouse,

Sleeps in his little house.

He won’t wake up

Till suppertime,

And that won’t be

Till half-past nine.

Eyes, nose, cheeky, cheeky chin 🔊

A simple fun rhyme to help identify parts of the face.

The second two verses are for those a little older who might enjoy a challenge.

Verse 1. Wih baby facing you on lap, touch each part of the face as it is sung.

Encourage baby to touch each part of your face too so they can see it or do the same with a doll.

2. Touch and wiggle nose and draw smile. Older ones can do it themselves!

3. Touch under eye then as before. Older children will love to do it with their own face.

Eyes, nose, cheeky, cheeky chin,

Cheeky, cheeky chin, nose, eyes.

Wiggle your nose and give us a little grin…

Wink one eye Mr. Cheeky cheeky chin…

Here comes a little mouse 🔊

A tickle rhyme set to music by Dany Rosevear.

Forefinger moves round palm. Move up arm and tickle under one arm and then the other.

Here comes a little mouse,

Creeping, creeping through the house;

Over hills and over dale,

Tickle, tickle with his tail!

Tickle (NAME) with his tail!

I found a little ladybird / ladybug O

Or ‘I found a little ladybug’, a tickle song for a baby or toddler.

Older children can do it to themselves or another child.

Make a small circle with thumb and forefinger. Fly ladybird up in the air then land on baby’s head. Walk fingers to shoulder, nose and then down to toes for a tickle.

I found a little ladybird,

Her wings were black and red,

She flew around the garden

And landed on my head.

She crawled onto my shoulder,

She crawled onto my nose,

She crawled on down my body

And tickled all my toes!

Knock at the door

This is the rhyme my parents and grandparents played with me and I did with my own children when they were young. My grandmother had Irish parents from Cork.

Knock at the door,

Knock forehead gently.

Peep in.

Touch top of cheeks.

Lift the latch,

Push up nose.

Walk in,

Finger on lips.

Take a chair,

Squeeze one cheek.

Sit there,

Squeeze other cheek.

And say, ‘How do you do today?

Jiggle chin.

Mix and stir and pat in the pan 🔊

Play with a baby or toddler as below or let older children mime the actions.

Melody by Dany Rosevear

1. Make stirring motion with baby’s hands. 2. Pat baby’s tummy. 3. Trace baby’s head and shoulders. 4. Touch baby’s nose.5. Trace baby’s mouth. 6. Pat baby’s feet.

Mix and stir and pat in the pan;

I’m going to make a gingerbread man.

With a nose so neat,

And a smile so sweet,

And gingerbread shoes on his gingerbread feet!

On my toe there is a flea O

Learn how to go up and down the scale from low to high and back again.

Like many of these rhymes the safe thrill of anticipation is employed ending with a satisfying resolution as the flea is caught on the foot.

Creep fingers slowly up from the toe to the head and then back down again from head to toe. Finish with a gentle slap on the foot to catch the flea.

On my toe there is a flea,

Now he's climbing up on me!

Past my tummy, past my nose,

On my head where my hair grows.

On my head there is a flea,

Now he's climbing down on me!

Past my tummy, past my knee,

On my toe... TAKE THAT YOU FLEA!

Peek-a-boo! Peek-a-boo! O

Peek-a-boo games always delight babies and toddlers.

Young children can hide to this song while a parent or carer sings this song using the child’s name.

Peek-a-boo! Peek-a-boo!

Who's that hiding there?

Peek-a-boo! Peek-a-boo!

Peter’s behind the chair!

Peek-a-boo! I see you!

Hiding behind the chair.

Peek-a-boo! I see you!

I see you hiding there!

Pitty patty polt O

A baby play game. It can also be used with pre-schoolers who can tap on their shoes in time to the music. You can also find a game for older children at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmJJlZoLB0Q

Line 1& 2: Gently tap the soles of baby’s feet together. Line 3: Tap one foot then the other. Line 4: Tap feet together.

Pitty patty polt,

Shoe the wild colt,

Here’s a nail and there’s a nail,

Pitty patty polt.

Round and round the garden

Roud number 19235. You can find more about this rhyme at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_and_round_the_garden

The second verse collected by the Opie’s was considered a forerunner of the previous one.

Round and round the garden

Circle babies upturned palm with forefinger. Like a teddy bear.

One step, two steps,

Walk up arm with first two fingers.

Tickly under there.

Pause before the tickle under the armpit.

Round about there,

Sat a little hare.

The bow-wows came and chased him

Right up there.

Round and round the haystack,

Went the little mouse,

One step, two steps,

In his little house.

Pitty patty polt O

Line 1& 2: Gently tap the soles of baby’s feet together. Line 3: Tap one foot then the other. Line 4: Tap feet together.

Pitty patty polt,

Shoe the wild colt,

Here’s a nail and there’s a nail,

Pitty patty polt.

Sailing, sailing O

This is the chorus of a song composed by Godfrey Marks in 1880. Find out more at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=3809 .

Jog baby on your lap from side to side in time to the music. Lift up high and plant a kiss on forehead as baby comes down each time you sing ‘Ere Jack comes home again’.

Sailing, sailing over the bounding main,

For, many a stormy wind shall blow,

’Ere Jack comes home again,

Sailing, sailing over the bounding main,

For many a stormy wind shall blow,

’Ere Jack comes home again.

See my little hammer 🔊

A face and foot tapping rhyme.

Melody by Dany Rosevear.

Tap forehead gently with fist, tap nose with finger, tap one foot then the other.

See my little hammer,

See my little nail;

Can you knock it in the wood

To mend the pony’s tail?

Here’s my little hammer,

Here’s my little nail;

I can knock it in the wood

To mend the pony’s tail!

See the little mousie 🔊

A tickle rhyme; let baby anticipate the tickle by moving fingers slowly and repeating several times. Music by Dany Rosevear.

1. Make a circular motion on baby’s hand. 2. Walk up arm with two fingers. 3. Walk round shoulder. 4. Tickle gently under baby’s arm.

See the little mousie,

Creeping up the stairs;

Looking for a warm nest,

There, oh there!

She didn’t dance, dance, dance O

Another baby bouncing or ‘dandling’song; This one comes from The Clancy Brother’s sister Peg. http://martindardis.com/she_didnt_dance.html The tune is also known as CUCANANDY and in Irish ‘Dilín ó deamhas ó deamhas’.

Older children would love to dance round on the floor with a carer and then be lifted up high.

Sit and hold your baby facing you on your lap. Gently bounce her on your knee and sing along to “She didn’t dance …” While singing “So dance her up and up and up…” lift her up to your face and bring her back to your lap.

She didn't dance, dance, dance,

She didn't dance at all today,

She didn't dance, dance, dance,

No, nor yesterday.

Chorus

So dance her up and up and up and up,

And dance her up to the sky,

Dance her up and up and up and up,

And she'll be down by and by.

Oh, she is like a lady, she is like a queen,

She is like a lady off to the fair at Lynn.

So dance her up and up and up and up,

And dance her up to the sky,

Dance her up and up and up and up,

And she'll be down by and by.

He didn't dance, dance, dance,

He didn't dance at all today,

He didn't dance, dance, dance,

No, nor yesterday.

So dance him up and up and up and up,

And dance him up in the sky,

Dance him up and up and up and up,

And he'll be down by and by.

Oh, he is like a gentleman, he is like a king,

He is like a gentleman off to the fair at Lynn.

So dance him up and up and up and up,

And dance him up to the sky,

Dance him up and up and up and up,

And he'll be down by and by.

Slowly, slowly, very slowly O

Develop the concept of fast and slow.

Slowly, slowly, very slowly

Walk fingers up arm.

Creeps, creeps the garden snail.

Slowly, slowly, very slowly

Up the wooden rail.

Quickly, quickly, very quickly

Fingers run up child’s arm.

Runs, runs the little mouse.

Quickly, quickly, very quickly

Round about the house.

Fingers tickle child's underarm.

That’s the way the baby grows 🔊

A traditional interactive rhyme for baby.

Melody by Dany Rosevear.

Hold up one hand and then the other. Tap baby’s nose. Point to baby’s mouth. Tap each cheek. Point to baby’s eyes, then ears. Squeeze baby’s toes. Give baby a big hug!

Five fingers on this hand,

Five fingers on that;

A dear little nose,

A mouth like a rose,

Two cheeks so tiny and fat.

Two eyes, two ears,

And ten little toes;

That's the way the baby grows!

The moon is round 🔊

Time for a big smile.

Melody by Dany Rosevear.

Draw a circle round baby’s face. Touch eyes, nose and mouth gently then point to own mouth and draw a smile and give a kiss.

The moon is round

As round can be;

Two eyes, one nose,

And a mouth…

Like me!

This is the way the ladies ride O

A baby play game. A rhyme for babies toes starting with the big toe.

Wiggle each toe in turn along to the little one, then tickle three times up the body to the chin.

This little cow eats grass,

This little cow eats hay;

This little cow drinks water;

This cow runs away;

This little cow does nothing

But sleep in the sun all day.

We’ll chase her, we’ll chase her,

We’ll chase her right away!

This little cow eats grass O

A baby play game. A rhyme for babies toes starting with the big toe.

Wiggle each toe in turn along to the little one, then tickle three times up the body to the chin.

This little cow eats grass,

This little cow eats hay;

This little cow drinks water;

This cow runs away;

This little cow does nothing

But sleep in the sun all day.

We’ll chase her, we’ll chase her,

We’ll chase her right away!

This little piggy went to market

A rhyme to play with babies’ toes starting with the big toe. Wiggle each toe in turn along to the little one, and then tickle all the way up the body to the underarm. It has a Roud number 19297.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Little_Piggy .

This little piggy went to the market,

This little piggy stayed home,

This little piggy had roast beef,

This little piggy had none,

And this little piggy went...

‘Wee wee wee’ all the way home!

This little wind blows silver rain 🔊

A lovely finger rhyme by anonymous set to music by Dany Rosevear. This can be sung as a lullaby rocking baby in your arms, like ‘This little piggy’ or as a hand play with preschoolers.

Touch thumb and show falling rain with fingers. Touch forefinger and fingers float down and dance like snow. Touch middle finger hands dance like the wind. Touch ring finger and move hands down. Touch little finger and make a nest with hands, rock from side to side.

This little wind blows silver rain,

This little wind drifts snow.

This little wind sings a whistled tune,

This little wind moans low.

This little wind rocks baby birds,

Tenderly to and fro.

Wake up little fingers 🔊

A waking up rhyme for the morning set to music by Dany Rosevear. It can also be played as a hand play with preschoolers.

For babies: Kiss or squeeze fingers and toes. Pick up and gntly shake. Touch under eyes.

Draw smile on mouth. Give a big cuddle. For toddlers: Wiggle fingers, run on the spot.

Stretch arms up high. Blink eyes. Draw and give a smile. Thumbs up or high fives.

Wake up little fingers;

It is time to start the day.

Wake up little feet,

We want to run and play.

Wake up little bodies

Give those bones a shake;

Blink little eyes,

Smile little lips,

Now we’re all awake!

Whoops Tommy!

This game is also familiar as ‘Johnny whoop’ or whoops. Use your own toddler’s name when playing this game. Older children will appreciate playing the trick suggested at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Whoop

Young children can improve their coordination by playing this game especially at increase speed!

Gently squeeze each finger of the hand then slide down from the fore finger to the thumb and up then back again.

Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Whoops! Tommy… (thumb)

Whoops! Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy.

Up, up, up to baby’s nose O

A baby play game. A rhyme for babies toes starting at the tummy.

Make first two fingers walk up to the nose and then down to the toes. Lift baby up high then cuddle in arms.

Up, up, up to baby’s nose,

Down, down, down to baby’s toes.

Up, up, up, lift baby high,

Flying, flying in the sky.

Down, down, down my baby goes,

In my lap for hugs like so.

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