Nursery Rhymes by Katina Z. Jones
For the more traditional minded, here are some tried-and-true nursery rhyme games you can play with your baby. If you start to get bored with these, try some adaptations of your own.
This Little Pig Went to Market (Traditional, North American)
This little pig went to market.
This little pig stayed home.
This little pig ate roast beef.
This little pig had none.
This little pig cried, “Wee, wee, wee” — all the way home!
Hush, Little Baby (Traditional, United States)
Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
If that mockingbird don't sing,
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring turns brass,
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass.
If that looking glass gets broke,
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat.
If that billy goat don't pull,
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull.
If that cart and bull turn over,
Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.
If that dog named Rover don't bark,
Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart.
If that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest baby in town.
Hey Diddle Diddle, the Cat and the Fiddle (Traditional, English)
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.
Sleep, Baby Sleep (Traditional, English)
Sleep, baby sleep,
Your father tends the sheep.
Your mother shakes the dreamland tree,
Down falls a dream for thee.
Sleep, baby sleep.
To Market, to Market (Traditional, English)
To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,
Home again, home again, jiggety-jig.
To market, to market, to buy a fat hog,
Home again, home again, jiggety-jog.
To market, to market, to buy a plum bun,
Home again, home again, marketing's done.
Rub-a-Dub-Dub (Traditional, English)
Rub-a-dub-dub,
Three men in a tub.
And who do you think they be?
The butcher, the baker, and
The candlestick maker.
Turn 'em out,
Knaves all three!
Ring Around a Rosy (Traditional, English/American)
Ring around a rosy,
A pocket full of posies,
Ashes, ashes
We all fall down!
Fact
Many nursery rhymes are about sleep, because their object is to help baby to relax and get some rest. Particularly in your first few months home, baby will sleep way more often than she will engage in playtime with you. Don't worry — that will all change soon enough!
The Itsy, Bitsy Spider (Traditional, English/American)
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.
There Was a Crooked Man (Traditional, English)
There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile;
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
Old King Cole (Traditional, English)
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.
Pat-a-Cake (Traditional, English/American)
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Pat it and roll it, and mark it with a “B,”
And put it in the oven for baby and me.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat (Traditional, English/American)
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
Old MacDonald (Traditional, American)
Old MacDonald had a farm,
E-i-e-i-o!
And on that farm he had a (pig, cat, cow, chick, etc.)
E-i-e-i-o!
With an oink, oink here, and an oink, oink there
Here an oink, there an oink
Everywhere an oink, oink
Old MacDonald had a farm,
E-i-e-i-o!
The Wheels on the Bus (Traditional, English/American)
The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round
Wheels on the bus go round and round
All through the town.
The people on the bus go up and down …
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish …
The babies on the bus go “Wah, wah, wah!” …
The mommies on the bus go “Sh-sh-shh!” …
Essential
The more physically expressive you are for nursery rhymes, the more both you and your baby will enjoy playing together. If you're very expressive, baby will grow to be more expressive back, and expressive babies are also generally better communicators later on in life.
London Bridge (Traditional, English)
London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.
Build it up with iron bars,
Iron bars, iron bars.
Build it up with iron bars,
My fair lady.
