Nursery number favourites to 3 A-There

Alligator one, alligator two

Billy Pringle

I see a duck

Fishing song

My hat it has three corners

Once there were three cats

One, two, three, hairy bears I see

See, see, see, three birds are in a tree

The farmer’s apple tree

The farmer’s geese

The three little pigs

There were two birds sat on a stone

Also see:

Three little angels

Three jellyfish

Last updated: 7/4/2022 10:12 AM

The songs below are compiled, illustrated and sometimes adapted by Dany Rosevear

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To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

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Alligator one, alligator two

A rhythmic hand play rhyme.

Begin to understand the concept of opposites, comparisons and differences.

Alligator one, alligator two,

Alligator, alligator, how do you do?

Alligator up, alligator down,

Alligator, alligator, round and around.

Alligator soft, alligator LOUD!

Alligator, alligator, floating on a cloud.

Alligator low, alligator high,

Alligator chasing me, alligator pie!

Alligator laugh, alligator cry.

Alligator, alligator, wave goodbye!

Billy Pringle had a little pig O

Iona and Peter Opie note that a version of this ’Did you hear of Betty Pringle’s pig?’ was published in Gammar Gurton’s Garland in 1784 . This tune is from Walter Cranes Baby’s Bouquet 1879.

Billy Pringle had a little pig,

When it was young it wasn’t very big,

When it was old it lived in clover,

Now it's dead and that's all over.

Billy Pringle he lay down and died,

Betsy Pringle she lay down and cried,

So that’s the end of one, two, and three,

Billy Pringle he, Betsy Pringle she,

And the piggy wiggy wee.

I see a duck 🔊

A quacking hand play. And a song for a visit to the pond or river.

Set to music by Dany Rosevear, I couldn’t resist doing so – the words sang to me!

1. Open and close hand beak, turn towards face. 2. Do the same with both hands.

3. Flap hands as wings. 4. Count on fingers. 5. As before.

I see a duck,

The duck sees me.

I like the ducks

The ducks like me.

Big green ducks,

One, two, three.

I like the ducks

And they like me!

Fishing song O

How many children get to go fishing nowadays? Invite visitors in to talk about their experiences. You will probably need to introduce the word ‘bait’.

Set up the water tray with magnetized fish and fishing rods for fishing play; how many fish can they catch?

Sitting by the riverside,

Here I wait,

For all the little fishes,

To nibble at the bait.

Pop them in my fishing bag,

One, two, three!

Salt them and pepper them,

And eat them for my tea!

Place hands one on top of the other with palms facing down, stick out thumbs and move hands in a fish like motion.

Wiggle forefinger like a worm.

Clap three times.

Shake with each hand.

Place imaginary fish in the mouth.

My hat it has three corners O

A simple action rhyme; the difficult part is singing nothing!

First time sing through with no actions. Next time miss out the word ‘hat’ and touch the head instead. The third time continue with the first action but also miss the word ’three’ and hold up three fingers. Fourth time do both of the above but also raise an elbow when ‘corners’ is sung. The last time sing all the words and perform all the actions. Good luck!

My hat it has three corners,

Three corners has my hat,

And had it not three corners,

It would not be my hat.

Once there were three cats O

A great song for making up rhymes.

Once there were three cats,

And they were wearing hats,

Tra la la la la la la la la la, three little cats.

And then there were three dogs,

And they were wearing clogs,

Tra la la la la la la la la la, heigh ho!

Once there were three doves,

And they were wearing gloves,

Tra la la la la la la la la la, three little doves.

And then there were three ants,

And they were wearing pants,

Tra la la la la la la la la la, heigh-ho!

Once there were three goats,

And they were wearing coats,

Tra la la la la la la la la la, three little goats.

And then there were three ducks,

And they ran out of luck,

Tra la la la la la la la la la, heigh-ho!

One, two, three, hairy bears I see 🔊

An action song from a familiar story.

Learn about opposites and work out who owns which objects.

Clap for each number. Mime fierce bears with claws and make other other movements.

One, two, three.

Hairy bears I see.

One is big, one is small,

One is in between.

One, two, three.

Wooden chairs I see.

One is strong, one is weak,

One is in between.

One, two, three.

Porridge bowls I see.

One is hot, one is cold,

One is in between.

One, two, three.

Cosy beds I see.

One is hard, one is soft,

One is in between.

See, see, see, three birds are in a tree 🔊

A Dutch nursery classic. I have been unable to find the original Dutch version of this song – do let me know if you have this information.

Make up your own rhyming verses; I made up the third verse.

1. Shade eyes with hands. 2. Hold up three fingers. 3. Point to thumb, index finger and middle finger, then rock baby bird in arms. 4. As before.

Verse 2. And 3. Turn hand upside down for third

See, see, see,

Three birds are in a tree;

One can chirp

And one can sing

One is just a tiny thing.

See, See, See

Three birds are in a tree

Look, look, look,

Three ducks are in a brook;

One is white, and one is brown,

One is swimming upside down,

Look, look, look

Three ducks are in a brook.

Hey, hey, hey,

Three monkeys out at play,

One can bounce and one can swing

One can do most anything.

Hey, hey, hey,

Three monkeys out at play.

The farmer’s apple tree 🔊

Older children can begin with five apples.

I first encountered this song in A&C Black’s ‘Count me in’ published in 1984 with words by Dorothy Williams; it is her version that is usually found on the internet and often cited as traditional!

However, I was charmed by the adapted words and new chorus accompanied by original music of MaryLee Senseri which can be found on her ‘Mother Goose Melodies’ CD.

1. Hold up arm with fingers on hand outspread. 2. Hold up three fingers, Circle thumb and fore fingers, place round eyes. 3. Pluck apple. 4. Hold up one finger, rub tummy. Chorus: Mime making apple pie or other apple products (crumble, baked apples).

On the farmer's apple tree,

Three red apples I can see!

Oh, good farmer, pluck for me,

One red apple off the tree!

Down-a-derry, derry!

Down derry down, down, derry, derry down!

Two red apples…

One red apple…

The farmer’s geese O

Another song from ‘60 songs for little children’ published in the 1950s. It was inspired by the German song ‘Was haben wir Gänse’ and written by Frances B. Wood.

There once was a farmer who had three geese,

Three fine geese.

They waddled o’er the field beyond

The yard to reach their muddy pond.

One, two three,

Three very, very fine grey geese.

Now sly Mister Fox was a-hiding near

In the wood.

He laughed “Ha, ha, why now I see

A splendid dinner waiting me.

One, two three,

Three very, very fine grey geese.”

Then nearer and nearer the grey geese came,

Quack! Quack! Quack!

And just as foxy was about

To jump, good Rover bounded out.

“Bow, wow, wow!

No dinner will you get just now!”

The three little pigs 🔊

Dramatise a well known story in musical form as a circle game. Move and clap to the beat.

You will recognise this tune as ‘London bridge is falling down’.

Adapted and arranged by Dany Rosevear.

Children hold hands in a circle. ‘Wolf’ stands outside and three ‘pigs’ sit in the centre.

1. Each pig in turn builds a house as the others dance round. 2. The circle stops as wolf knocks and shouts with hand to mouth. 3. Wolf enters the circle and proceeds to blow each house down in turn, looks triumphant with first two and sulks of angrily when he does not succeed. Each time the first then second pig run to the house of the third. 4. Wolf with hands on hips stamps round the outside of the circle. 5. Everyone claps hands joyfully.

The first little pig built a house of straw, house of straw, house of straw,

The first little pig built a house of straw, in the forest.

The second little pig built a house of sticks, house of sticks, house of sticks,

The second little pig built a house of sticks, in the forest.

The third little pig built a house of bricks, house of bricks, house of bricks,

The third little pig built a house of bricks, in the forest.

The big bad wolf shouted, “Let me in, let me in, let me in!”

The big bad wolf shouted, “Let me in, let me in!”

“Not by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin, chinny, chin, chin, chinny, chin, chin,”

“Not by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin,” said little piggy.

The big bad wolf then huffed and puffed, huffed and puffed, huffed and puffed,

The big bad wolf then huffed and puffed, and blew the straw house in.

The big bad wolf then huffed and puffed, huffed and puffed, huffed and puffed,

The big bad wolf then huffed and puffed, and blew the stick house in.

The big bad wolf then huffed and puffed, huffed and puffed, huffed and puffed,

The big bad wolf then huffed and puffed, but couldn’t blow the brick house in.

Off in the forest he stamped and stomped, stamped and stomped, stamped and stomped,

Off in the forest he stamped and stomped, a big bad hungry wolfie.

So everybody clap their hands, clap their hands, clap their hands,

So everybody clap their hands, for those three dear little piggies!

There were two birds sat on a stone O

A traditional nursery rhyme with music by Moya Smith.

Find out more at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/BGMG049.html

There were two birds sat on a stone,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;

One flew away, and then there was one,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;

The other flew after and then there was none,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de;

And so the poor stone was left all alone,

Fa, la, la, la, lal, de.

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