Multicultural Rhymes
Aruba (Caribbean)
Monkey see, monkey do,
Monkey get in trouble too.
India
The cuckoo calls, coo, coo, coo,
Don’t touch the mangoes any of you,
For I am the mango queen you see,
Eating mangoes is for me.
-----------Through the jungle the elephant goes,
Swaying his trunk to and fro,
Munching, crunching, tearing trees,
Stamping seeds, eating leaves.
His eyes are small, his feet are fat,
Hey elephant don’t behave like that.
Trinidad & Tobago (Caribbean)
One, two, three, four,
Johnny hiding behind the door,
Four, five, six,
Mammy catch him and stop his tricks.
-----------Mosquito one, Mosquito two,
Mosquito jump in the old man’s shoe;
De ole man cry, De ole man cry,
De ole man cry like a little chile.
-----------Me donkey walk,
Me donkey talk,
Me donkey eat with a knife and fork;
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Tingalayo!
Come, little donkey, come!
Tingalayo!
Come, little donkey, come!
-----------Ole Grandpa Jake,
Changed into a snake,
He bit he own tail,
An’ started to wail.
-----------Little Sally Walker
Sitting in a saucer
Weeping and crying for someone to love her.
Rise, Sally, rise!
Wipe you weepin’ eyes
Put your hands on your hips
Let your back bone slip
Aww shake it to the east
Aww shake it to the west
Aww shake it to the one you love the best.
-----------What are we gonna do with the baby-o?
What are we gonna do with the baby-o?
What are we gonna do with the baby-o?
Whoop him up and let him go.
Prettiest little baby in the country-o
Mammy and pappy both say it’s so.
What are we gonna do with the baby-o?
Send him off to sleepy-o.
-----------Hush little baby, don’t say a word,
Papa’s gonna buy you a mocking-bird.
And if that mocking-bird don’t sing,
Papa’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring truns to brass,
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Papa’s gonna buy you a looking glass.
If that looking glass gets broke,
Papa’s gonna buy you a billy goat.
And if that billy goat falls down,
You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.
[Rhymes above taken from The Kiskadee Queen: A Collection of Black Nursery Verse,
edited by Faustin Charles.]
[Rhymes below taken from Bounce Me, Tickle Me, Hug Me: Lap Rhymes and Play Rhymes
from Around the World, edited by Sandra Carpenter-Davis.]
Bulgarian
Bouncy, bouncy, horsey
Of a willow branch; (Bounce child on your knees)
Pussycat saw it and…jumped! (Lift child up)
Brown bear saw it and…hid! (Cover child’s eyes)
Red fox saw it and ran… (Run fingers up child’s arm)
Away! (Wave goodbye)
Jamaica (Caribbean)
Mosquito one, mosquito two, (Twirl index finger of right hand, then of left hand)
Mosquito jump in a hot callaloo. (One finger flies and tickles child’s belly)
Light the lamp, (Cover then uncover child’s eyes with your hands)
Mosquito come (Twirl index finger of right hand)
Pinch him bottom, (Gently pinch child’s bottom)
Out the lamp. (Cover eyes again)
Mosquito one, mosquito two, (Twirl index finger of right hand, then of left hand)
Mosquito jump in the ole’ man shoe. (Pat bottom of child’s foot)
Babby canna’ walk, (Rock child from side to side)
Baby canna’ talk, (Rock child from side to side)
Baby cann’ eat (Rock child from side to side)
With a knife and fork.
------------
(Bouncing and clapping rhyme)
Mamma buy bread, give baby none.
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Baby get vex, throw himself down.
Clap hands, clap hands, till mamma come home.
St. Vincent (Caribbean)
(Bounce child on your knees)
Poor Henreetta gone to town;
She have nothing to eat.
Poor Henreetta gone to town;
She have nothing to eat.
Piece a’ plantain, (Hold up one hand and shake it)
Piece a’ okra (Hold up other hand and shake it)
Knock upon a neighbour’s door. (Knock on child’s forehead)
Piece a’ plantain, (Hold up one hand and shake it)
Piece a’ okra (Hold up other hand and shake it)
Knock upon a neighbour’s door. (Knock on child’s forehead)
Chinese
One little bug way over here, (Hold up right hand, thumb and fingertips together)
One little bug way over there, (Hold up left hand, thumb and fingertips together)
They see each other, fly and fly (Bring fingertips of both hands together)
Hello! Hello! (Rotate hands while touching fingertips)
Goodbye! Goodbye! (Wave goodbye with fingers)
They fly away, one here, one there. (Flutter fingers back to original positions)
------------
(Bounce child on your knees)
Little monkey in a tree
Looks so hungry –
Chee, chee, chee! (Tickle child under the arms)
Maybe he’ll jump down to me?
No he can’t,
Chee, chee, chee! (Tickle child under the arms)
Toss him a banana – whee!
Back it comes,
Chee, chee, chee! (Tickle child under the arms)
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Little monkey in a tree,
Are you playing games with me?
French
Little chicken on the wall, (Hold left hand flat and palm down)
Pecking at the corn and all,
Pecking here, pecking there, (With right hand fingers do pecking motions on back of
left hand)
Flap your wings, (Make flapping motions with hands)
Fly through the air. (Flutter hand away)
Un poulet sur le mur
Qui picote du pain dur
Picati, picata
Lève la queue
Et puis s’en va.
German
This one’s the thumb, (Wiggle child’s thumb)
This one shakes the plums, (Wiggle index finger)
This one picks them up, (Wiggle middle finger)
This one takes them home, (Wiggle ring finger)
And little Wuzi Wuzi (Wiggle little finger)
Eats them all up! (run your fingers up child’s arm and end with a tickle)
Das ist der Daumen,
der schüttelt die Pflaumen,
der hebt sie auf,
der bringt sie nach Haus,
und der kleine Wuzi Wuzi
iβt sie alle auf!
Greek
Here goes the rabbit, hoppity hop, (Hop your hand up child’s arm)
To drink some water, sippity, sip. (Hop your hand up child’s arm)
Where will she find it?
No, not here… (A little tickle under child’s arm)
She’ll find some under baby’s ear! (Tickle under child’s ear)
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Hindi
Sleep, small baby, sleep, (Rock child gently)
You’ve had butter and bread and sugar to eat. (Put up 1, then 2, then 3 fingers)
The butter, the bread, the sugar are gone, (Bring fingers down one at a time)
And my baby has gone to sleep. (Rock child gently)
Hungarian
(Bounce child on your knees)
Caw, caw, jackdaw,
Blind little crow,
My old friend needs her cart
But the cart can’t go.
The hens are sitting on it
And they say, “No!” (Stop bouncing on “No!”)
But we’ll chase them away –
Shoo, shoo, shoo! (Hold hands out flat and quickly cross one hand over the other
repeatedly)
Csip, csip, csóka,
Vak varjúcska.
Komámasszony kéreti a szekerét,
Nem adhatom oda,
Tyúkok üluek rajta.
Hess, hess, hess!
-----------Thitch-thatch,
Hemp thatch,
If it get wet
We throw it away
– Whoops!
(Pick up and swing child or rock child in your arms or lap. At “Whoops!” lower child to
the ground or drop child gently between your knees)
Zsipp-zsúp, kenderszúp,
Ha megázik, kidobjuk,
Zsupsz!
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Irish
This is the way me father
Taught me how to play the fiddle:
Here and there and everywhere,
Especially in the middle!
(Hold child’s arm outstretched as the fiddle. Use the side of your hand as a bow, and
move it back and forth. On the word ‘middle’, gently chop or tickle arm)
-----------Poor wee me, when I was wee (Bounce child on your knees)
I used to sit on my mammy’s knee. (Bounce child on your knees)
Her apron tore and I fell through. (Open knees. Let child fall through gently.)
Poor wee me, when I was wee! (Hug child)
Italian
Clap, clap, clap your hands, (Clap child’s hands)
Daddy will soon be here (Bounce child on your knees)
With chocolates in his pockets (Pretend to search child’s pockets)
To be eaten by (Child’s name) dear. (Tickle tummy)
Bati, bati, li manini,
Adesso vene pappa,
Ti cate li ciocalatini,
E ( ) li mangiera.
Japanese
Two, two, what are two?
Eyes are two – one, two. (Touch under baby’s eyes)
Ears are two – one, two. (Touch each ear)
Two, two, what are two?
Hands are two – one, two. (Touch each hand)
Feet are two – one, two. (Touch each foot)
Two, two, what else is two?
You know, you know,
Mother’s breasts are two. (Cuddle baby to you)
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Portuguese
Peck, peck, peck, goes the little red hen; (Peck in child’s hand with your index finger)
Step, step, step, go her feet. (Walk fingers up on child’s arm)
In her nest is an egg for (Child’s name), (Tickle under child’s arm)
An egg for (Child’s name) to eat! (Touch child’s mouth)
Pom pom galinha, pom pom,
Ovinhos paro (
).
Pom pom galinha, pom pom,
Ovinhos paro (
) comer.
-----------Here’s the hen, now isn’t she grand! (Tap finger on child’s palm)
An egg she’s laid on baby’s hand. (Trace circle in child’s palm)
Cook it up. (Run fingers up to child’s mouth)
Chew it down. (Run fingers down to belly)
Chickens running, round and round. (Run fingers round and round on child’s belly)
Buck, buck, buck… (Peck with fingers on child’s belly while making clucking sound)
Aqui poem a galinha o ovo e à menina (ò menino).
Papa todo vai por qui, por qui, por qui,
Chega aqui quer e que, que.
Punjabi (Pakistan)
Ride the horsey, (Child faces you on lap. Hold child’s hands and rock back and forth)
Gee up! (Lift knees and stop)
And eat some sweet rice pudding. (Lower knees and touch child’s mouth)
Ride the horsey, (Child faces you on lap. Hold child’s hands and rock back and forth)
Gee up! (Lift knees and stop)
And eat some sweet rice pudding. (Lower knees and touch child’s mouth)
See the house? See the house? (Cover child’s eyes with your hands)
It’s grandma’s! (Point to the distance)
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Serbian
Clap, clap, clap your hands, (Clap child’s hands)
The scarf is made of silk; (Tickle around child’s neck)
And in the scarf is something sweet. (Pretend to hide something in your cupped hands)
If you find it… (Open your hands slowly)
It’s yours to eat. (And touch child’s mouth with your hands)
Spanish (Argentina)
This little pig went to market, (Wiggle child’s little finger)
This little pig bought an egg, (Wiggle ring finger)
This little pig cooked it, (Wiggle middle finger)
This little pig peeled it, (Wiggle index finger)
This little rascal ran to the house and ate it (Wiggle thumb and run all you fingers up
child’s arm)
And all the others went after him and…tickle, tickle, tickle! (And tickle under arm)
Este chanchito fue al Mercado,
Este chanchito compró un huevito,
Este chanchito lo cocinó,
Este chanchito lo peló,
Este pícaro se lo comió
Y todos lo corrieron hasta aquí.
Tamil
We’re hungry! What will we eat?
We have some rice, (Wiggle child’s little finger)
We have some dahl, (Wiggle child’s ring finger)
We have some potatoes, (Wiggle child’s middle finger)
We have some yogurt, (Wiggle child’s index finger)
We have some soup (Wiggle child’s thumb)
So…
Stir the pot, kir-a-ka-da,
Kir-a-ka-da, kir-a-ka-da,
Kir-a-ka-da. (Move bent elbow round and round in the palm of your opposite hand)
So…
This is for Papa.
This is for Mama.
This is for brother.
This is for sister,
And this is for you! (Pretend to feed imaginary family from your hand)
So…
The pot is empty;
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Give the crumbs to the birds. (Brush palms together)
Now…
The crab is crawling,
Nanduru, naryuru,
Nanduru, naryuru,
Keechee, keechee, keechee, keechee. (Move fingers up child’s arm and end with a tickle)
Ukrainian
Peas, (Wiggle child’s little finger)
Potatoes, (Wiggle child’s ring finger)
Beans, (Wiggle child’s middle finger)
See grandmother (Wiggle child’s index finger)
Fly away off the roof
To the sky! (Lift arms and fling them wide, while fluttering your fingers)
-----------Ahh, ahh, two little cats, (Hold child’s two hands or feet)
One is orange (Shake one)
One is black. (Then the other)
The little orange cat chased a mouse,
“Squeak, squeak!” (Run fingers around on child’s arm or body)
The little black cat
Rocked (child’s name) to sleep. (Cuddle child and rock back and forth)
Urdu
(Rock child to this lullaby)
Sleep, my darling moon,
Sleep…
Sleep calls to you,
So sleep…
Your mummy says,
Go to sleep.
Sleep, my baby,
Sleep…
My lovely child,
Sleep…
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Vietnamese
(Sit child on your knees facing you and hold child’s hands)
Look, there’s a white horse! (Shake one of your child’s hands)
Look, there’s a pink horse! (Shake the other hand)
Nhong, nhong! Nhong, nhong!
Nhong, nhong! Nhong, nhong! (Bounce child to galloping rhythm)
They fly up to the mountain and up to the sea. (Raise your knees and lower them)
Nhong, nhong! Nhong, nhong!
Nhong, nhong! Nhong, nhong! (Bounce child to galloping rhythm)
Yiddish
Earkin-Hearkin, (Wiggle each of child’s ears)
Eyekin-Spykin, (Gently touch beside each eye)
Cheeky-Chucky, (Gently pinch each cheek)
Chin-chin-chin, (Pat under chin)
And down the hatch! (Walk fingers up to child’s mouth)
-----------Bazoo, bazoo, (Nod your head twice toward your child’s head)
Butz. (Gently bump foreheads together)
Bazoo, bazoo, (Nod your head twice toward your child’s head)
Butz. (Gently bump foreheads together)
The goat, the goat, (Nod your head twice toward your child’s head)
Goes bump. (Gently bump foreheads together)
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Multicultural Action Rhymes
Spanish
(Hold up appropriate number of fingers as numbers are said)
One, two, three, four, five, (Hold up 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 fingers)
I caught a butterfly.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, (Hold up 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 fingers)
I let him go again.
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco,
Cogi una mariposa de un brinco.
Seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez,
La solte brincando otra vez.
-----------Potatoes and potatoes (Similar to Patty Cake)
Potatoes for daddy,
Potatoes for mommy.
The brown ones for daddy;
The hot ones for mommy.
Potatoes for daddy,
Potatoes for mommy.
The brown ones for daddy;
The hot ones for mommy.
Papas y Papas
Papas y papas para papá,
papas y papas para mamá.
las quemaditas para papá
las calientitas para mamá.
Papas y papas para papá,
papas y papas para mamá.
las quemaditas para papá
las calientitas para mamá.
-----------Little Chicks
Five little chicks, has my aunt.
One jumps, one peeps,
And the other one sings.
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One plays the drum, pom, pom!
This one the guitar, rom, rom!
This one the tambourine, chin, chin!
And this one rings the bell tilin, tilin.
Cinco pollitas tiene mi tía;
Uno le salta, otro le pía,
Y otro le canta la sinfonía.
Este toca el tambor, pom, pom!
Este la guitarra, rom, rom!
Este los platillos, chin, chin!
Y éste la campanita, tilin, tilin!
-----------A little mouth
A little mouth to eat with, (Point to mouth.)
My little nose to smell with, (Point to nose.)
My two little eyes to see with, (Point to eyes.)
My two little ears to hear with, (Point to ears.)
And my little head? To sleep. (Rest head on hands, as if to sleep.)
Una boquita
Una boquita para comer,
Mi naricita es para oler.
Mis dos ojitos son para ver.
Mis dos oídos son para oír,
Y mi cabecita? Para dormir.
------------
(Hold up 5 fingers)
This one bought a little egg. (Point to pinkie finger)
This one cooked it. (Point to ring finger)
This one sprinkled it with salt. (Point to middle finger)
And this one had a teeny taste. (Point to index finger)
And this little chubby one, (Point to thumb)
Ate it all up!
Este compró un huevito.
Este le puso a asar.
Este le echó la sal.
Este probó un poquito.
Y éste pícaro, gordo gordito
Se lo comió todito!
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French
(Hold up 5 fingers, and point to appropriate finger.)
This little piggy went to market, (thumb)
This little piggy stayed at home, (index)
This little piggy had roast beef, (middle)
This little piggy had none. (ring finger)
This little piggy went “Wee, wee, wee,” (pinkie)
All the way home!
Le premier petit cochon est allé au marché.
Le second petit cochon est resté à la maison.
Le troisième petit cochon a fini le rôti.
Le quatrième petit cochon n’a rien eu à manger.
Alors, qu’est-ce qu’il a fait? Il s’est mis à pleurer!
Mais regarde, le cinquième petit cochon arrive pour le consoler!
-----------Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John.
Morning bells are ringing. Morning bells are ringing.
Ding, dang, dong! Ding, dang, dong!
Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques.
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines. Sonnez les matines.
Ding, dang, dong! Ding, dang, dong!
-----------Five Elephants
One elephant went out to play upon a spider’s web one day. (Hold up thumb.)
She had such enormous fun that she called for another elephant to come.
2 elephants went out to play upon a spider’s web one day. (Hold up thumb, and index
fingers.)
They had such enormous fun that they called for another elephant to come.
3 elephants went out to play upon a spider’s web one day… (Add middle finger.)
4 elephants went out to play upon a spider’s web one day… (Add ring finger.)
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5 elephants went out to play upon a spider’s web one day. (Hold up all fingers.)
They had such enormous fun that they called for another elephant to come.
But there were no more.
Cinq éléphants
Un éléphant allait jouer sur une toile d’araignée
Il s’amusait tellement bien qu’il appellait un autre –Viens!
2 éléphants allaient jouer sur une toile d’araignée
Ils s’amusaient tellement bien qu’ils appellaient un autre –Viens!
3 éléphants allaient jouer sur une toile d’araignée ……
4 éléphants allaient jouer sur une toile d’araignée ……
5 éléphants allaient jouer sur une toile d’araignée ……
Ils s’amusaient tellement bien qu’ils appellaient un autre –Viens! …
Mais! Il n’en a plus.
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