SPRING NUMBER RHYMES

 

THE BIRD IN THE TREE
There once was a bird, in a big oak tree,
He was alone, and he didn’t want to be.
So he flew far away, over the sea,
And brought back (one friend) to live in the tree.
                                                Author Unknown

Have children stand in a circle.  Choose one child to stand in the middle and pretend to be on an island, up in a tree all alone.  Have the area between the circle and the island be the sea. Then, have the bird in the middle fly out across the sea and chose one or two children to fly back to the tree with him.  If you have more than one child left, choose another child from the circle to be another bird up in a tree all alone.  Repeat the game until you have no children left in the circle. 
 

FIVE LITTLE RABBITS
Five little rabbits under a log,                     
      (Hold up fingers of one hand)
This one said, “Sh! I hear a dog!”              
      (Point to first finger)
This one said, “I see a man!”                      
      (Point to the second finger)
This one said, “Run while you can!”        
      (Point to third finger)
This one said, “I’m not afraid.”                  
     (Point to the fourth finger)
This one said, “Let’s hide in the shade.”
      (Point to thumb)
A man and his dog went hurrying by and you should have seen those rabbits fly!
                                                                                Author Unknown

 
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
Five little bunnies playing by the door,
One hopped away and then there were four.
Refrain: 
Hop, hop, hop, hop, see how they run.                
      (Clap on each hop)
Hop, hop, hop, hop, looks like fun!

Four little bunnies ran under a tree,
One hopped away, then there are three.
Refrain:  Etc.

Three little bunnies looking at you,
One hopped away, then there were two.
Refrain:  Etc.

Two little bunnies resting in the sun,
One hopped away and then there was one.
Refrain:  Etc.

One little bunny left all alone,
He hopped away and then there were none.
Refrain:
Hop, hop, hop, they all hopped away!
Five little bunnies come back someday!
                                                Adapted Traditional
 

BABY TURTLES
One baby turtle alone and new, finds a friend, then there are two.
Two baby turtles crawl down to the sea, they find another, now there are three.
Three baby turtles crawl along the shore, they find another, now there are four.
Four baby turtles go in for a dive, up swims another, then there are five.
Five baby turtles having lots of fun, playing with their friends in the afternoon sun.
                                                                                                Adapted Traditional

 
COUNTING FEET
How many boots should a puppy buy
To keep his feet nice and dry?
Let’s count his feet and then we’ll know –
I can count, watch me go!
One, two, three, four.
Four new boots is what the puppy should buy –
That will keep it nice and dry!
                                                Adapted Traditional
 

MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
Mary had a little lamb.
It tried to count to ten
But when he got to five – 1,2,3,4,5
He had to start again!
                                Jean Warren