From being hushed to sleep, to playground activities in kindergarten, nursery rhymes are something we all grew up with. Whether we grew up learning the original version, a translation, or a version parents made up for us, their impact on us is undeniable.

Below we have compiled a list of 50 classics that are sure to bring you back to your childhood days and musical lessons. From origins to harrowing backstories, we’ve got it all covered!

Here are the 50 Best Songs About Daughters

Twinke Twinkle Little Star
Old MacDonald
Hey Diddle Diddle
Rockabye Baby
Finger Family
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Sing A Song Of Sixpence
Wheels On The Bus
Here We Go ‘Round The Mulberry Bush
Lavender’s Blue
Three Blind Mice
Little Tommy Tucker
5 Little Ducks
12345 Once I Caught A Fish Alive
Ring-a-ring o’ roses
The Three Little Kittens
Little Miss Muffet
Miss Polly Had a Dolly
See Saw Margery Daw
Humpty Dumpty
Hickory Dickory Dock
Down In The Jungle
Chubby Cheeks
Pop Goes The Weasel
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
Georgie Porgie
Johnny Johnny
Bingo
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Little Bo Peep
There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
Jack and Jill
One Two Buckle My Shoe
Head Shoulders Knees & Toes
I’m A Little Teapot
The Hokey Pokey
Yankee Doodle
Itsy Bitsy Spider
If You’re Happy And You Know It
The Alphabet Song
Golden Slumbers
Hot Cross Buns
Pat-A-Cake
This Old Man
London Bridge is Falling Down
The Lion And The Unicorn
Teddy Bear Teddy Bear
Hush, Little Baby
Jingle Bells
The Grand Old Duke of York

1. Twinke Twinkle Little Star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are!

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky

The lullaby originates from a 19th-century English poem written by Jane Taylor, called “The Star”. The rhyme follows the thoughts of a young child as they indulge their curiosity about these night-time enigmas and their purpose, gradually lulling them to sleep.

2. Old MacDonald

With a moo-moo here

And a moo-moo there

Here a moo, there a moo

Everywhere a moo-moo!

This beloved nursery rhyme introduces children to the world of farm animals and their sounds. It is a fun sing-along where you customize whatever new animal you want to introduce your child to like I did during my pre-school performances!

3. Hey Diddle Diddle

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.

Fun fact; did you know this poem invented the expression “over the moon” (to be very happy)? I always found this poem a little strange, but now I realize it’s almost as bizarre as the nonsensical dreams you have when you’re little!

4. Rockabye Baby

Rock a bye baby, on the tree top,

When the wind blows the cradle will rock.

When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,

And down will come baby, cradle and all.

Just like millions of parents around the globe, my mother sang for me. The soothing melody and the gentle vowels make it the perfect lullaby to ‘rock’ your little one to sleep.

5. Finger Family

Daddy finger, Father finger, where are you?

Here I am, here I am. How do you do?

Rhymes don’t just serve the purpose of lulling children to sleep, some have educational purposes too, like this one! It’s an amazing way to involve fingerplay in your routine and help build a child’s motor coordination and ability to follow directions.

6. Baa Baa Black Sheep

Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?

Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full.

One for my master, one for my dame,

And one for the little boy, who lives down the lane.

This is one of the oldest poems in English history and did you know, there are speculations that it was originally written about resentment at the heavy taxation on wool? Whatever the origins, it remains one of my favorites.

7. Sing A Song Of Sixpence

Sing a song of sixpence,

A pocket full of rye.

Four and twenty blackbirds

Baked in a pie.

This traditional nursery rhyme features a king, queen, and a pie filled with surprises! Its sing-song rhythm and fun narration captures a kid’s imagination, leading to a wonderful mystery-filled melody.

8. Wheels On The Bus

The wheels on the bus go round and round

Round and round

The wheels on the bus go round and round

All through the town

Another educational rhyme with a fun rhythm! This one not only teaches kids the various functions of the vehicle but involves fun hand movements (like waving your hands side to side on the “swish” parts) I loved as a kid.

9. Here We Go ‘Round The Mulberry Bush

This is the way we wash our face, Wash our face, wash our face.

This is the way we wash our face On a cold and frosty morning!

Have a stubborn toddler who hates getting out of bed? Make the experience fun for both of you by singing along and following the steps, one at a time. It will not only motivate your kid to embark on his morning rituals but save your energy as well!

10. Lavender’s Blue

Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly, lavender’s green,

When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen:

Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so?

‘Twas mine own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so.

A beautifully soothing lullaby, the version most of us now remember from the live-action adaptation of our beloved childhood fairytale Cinderella. Just like the flower itself, the poem too creates a soothing atmosphere to put your little one to bed.

11. Three Blind Mice

They all ran after the farmer’s wife,

Who cut off their tails with a carving knife.

Did you ever see such a sight in your life

As three blind mice?

Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of your actions! This poem is quite the little adventure and will certainly teach your little one not to torment you, especially when you’re in the kitchen.

12. Little Tommy Tucker

Little Tommy Tucker,

Sings for his supper.

What shall we give him?

White bread and butter!

A childhood beloved, originally, this poem only had the 4 lines mentioned above. It was later in 1744 when all 8 lines were published in the “Mother Goose’s Melody” making it the poem we know today.

13. 5 Little Ducks

Five little ducks went out one day,

Over the hills and far away.

Mother Duck said, “quack quack quack quack,”

But only four little ducks came back.

Another important educational lesson in this poem is the introduction to the concept of subtraction! As the ducks get lost one by one, children learn to keep count, with the valuable lesson of coming back home at the end of the day.

14. 12345 Once I Caught A Fish Alive

One, two, three, four, five.

Once I caught a fish alive.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

Then I let it go again.

We’ve covered subtraction, and now another great way to teach numbers! This poem is a fun and rhythmic way to teach a kid how to count to 10, a vital foundation before they advance onto more difficult concepts.

15. Ring Around The Rosie

Ring around the Rosie,

A pocket full of posies.

Ashes! Ashes!

We all fall down!

This used to be a favorite of mine during my pre-school days. Just spinning in a circle, round and round, and then just crashing to the ground with my friends… fair warning, be careful during the last part or you’ll end up with a scraped knee like me.

16. The Three Little Kittens

The three little kittens, they lost their mittens,

And they began to cry,

“Oh, mother dear, we sadly fear,

That we have lost our mittens.”

I would take this as a valuable lesson to a) never lose my stuff and b) never eat with the gloves on during winters. This poem is a bit longer, so it is often introduced in music lessons.

17. Little Miss Muffet

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey;

Along came a spider,

Who sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away

In this whimsical nursery rhyme, our Little Miss Muffet encounters a spider while enjoying her meal. It’s a cute and humorous way to teach your child that, unlike Miss Muffet, they have no reason to fear the little critters.

18. Miss Polly Had a Dolly

Miss Polly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick.

So she called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick.

The doctor came with his bag and his hat

And he knocked on the door with a rat-a-tat-tat.

He looked at the dolly and he shook his head

I think the poem is a wonderful way to introduce young children to the concept of caregiving and empathy, providing a gentle lesson about taking care of others, especially when they are sick. You can start them off by giving them one of their own dolls to take care of!

19. See Saw Margery Daw

See Saw Margery Daw,

Johnny shall have a new master;

Johnny shall earn but a penny a day,

Because he can’t work any faster.

This rhyme was quite a delight to sing in the playground, on the See Saws as the title suggests, as we competed to see who could hit the ground the fastest and swing upwards with the most force.

20. Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

One of the most well-known characters from nursery rhymes, Humpty Dumpty was originally considered a riddle. No one knew Humpty was an egg! The character has since been adapted to a lot of literature, notably Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass.

21. Hickory Dickory Dock

Hickory Dickory Dock,

The mouse ran up the clock,

The clock struck one

The mouse ran down,

Hickory Dickory dock.

Another engaging rhyme that not only teaches children how to read a clock (as many versions incorporate positioning arms like the hands of a clock) but is also an interesting way to introduce the concept of time.

22. Down In The Jungle

Diddly-ay, tai, a-boogie-woogie-woogie

That’s the way an elephant washes his clothes

I may or may not be stuck singing this earworm of a chorus all over again. This poem transports kids into the jungle, where they not only learn about the animals but about responsibility too! If an elephant can wash his clothes, why can’t I?

23. Chubby Cheeks

Chubby cheeks, dimple chin

Rosy lips, teeth within

Curly hair, very fair

Eyes are blue – lovely too.

Teacher’s pet, is that you?

Yes, Yes, Yes!

While most people see it as an easy way to identify body parts (and I admit it’s very useful), this poem does tend to cater to more Euro-centric beauty standards. Still, it’s quite an interesting melody to sing.

24. Pop Goes The Weasel

Half a pound of tuppenny rice,

Half a pound of treacle.

That’s the way the money goes,

Pop! Goes the weasel.

While its origins and meaning have puzzled many, it has delighted children for generations with its entertaining melody and playful theme. Some variations prefer using “monkey” instead of “money”, making for a lovely animal-centric poem.

25. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells, and cockle shells,

And pretty maids all in a row.

While rhyme has been seen as having religious and historical significance, and its origins are quite disputed, it nonetheless paints a wonderfully whimsical picture of nature with rows of flowers!

26. Georgie Porgie

Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie,

Kissed the girls and made them cry,

When the girls came out to play,

Georgie Porgie ran away.

This traditional nursery rhyme humorously tells the story of Georgie Porgie, who kissed the girls and made them cry! Though the original version slightly differed, both are good lessons in consent.

27. Johnny Johnny

Johnny Johnny! Yes, Papa?

Eating sugar? No, Papa.

Telling lies? No, Papa.

Open your mouth

Ha! Ha! Ha!

I used to laugh like crazy anytime I sang this for some strange reason. A wonderfully humorous poem, this also teaches children a vital lesson earlier on – never lie.

28. Bingo

There was a farmer, who had a dog

And Bingo was his name-o!

B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O

And Bingo was his name-o!

This rhyme encourages children to clap or stomp in rhythm, just like in my kindergarten days. It’s a fun way to learn letters, practice spelling, and enjoy interactive play.

29. Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily merrily, merrily, merrily

Life is but a dream

One of the most beloved nursery rhymes, this has been featured everywhere, from Mr Bean to Sesame Street. Written by American author and teacher Eliphalet Oram Lyte, this classic is not only a part of music lessons but also a wonderful skit adaption during the early stages of teaching role-play to children.

30. Little Bo Peep

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,

And doesn’t know where to find them;

Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,

Wagging (bringing) their tails behind them.

This Mother Goose classic is not only a part of music lessons but also a wonderful skit adaption during the early stages of teaching role-play to children, with children dressed as Bo Peep and another as a cute little sheep to follow behind.

31. There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.

She gave them some broth without any bread;

And kissed them all soundly and put them to bed.

The original version of this tale had the phrase “whipped them all soundly” instead of “kiss them all soundly”, which is why I see it as a cautionary tale of family planning – to not have more children than one can afford to feed or raise.

32. Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water.

Jack fell down and broke his crown,

And Jill came tumbling after.

Once again, the origins of this poem have been famously debated, but I prefer the French Revolution theory – the story of the execution of the king and queen of France (debated to be King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette). Dark origins aside, this poem is simple and fun, which is why it’s one of the earliest ones kids are introduced to.

33. One Two Buckle My Shoe

One, two, buckle my shoe;

Three, four, knock at the door;

Five, six, pick up sticks;

Seven, eight, lay them straight;

Nine, ten, a big fat hen;

This counting nursery rhyme helps kids learn to count. I think because of the simple and repetitive structure, it’s a fun way to introduce counting and numerical order to toddlers. Though the poem has many variations, all of them are equally helpful depending on which one you like the most.

34. Head Shoulders Knees & Toes

Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

and eyes and ears and mouth and nose.

Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes

This poem is yet another great education lesson- this time teaching kids about various body parts. The rhyme is often sung with accompanying movements, making it a fun way to engage kids in learning while promoting physical activity.

35. I’m A Little Teapot

I’m a little teapot

Short and stout.

Here is my handle,

Here is my spout.

The poem was originally written by George Harold Sanders and Clarence Z. Kelley to teach some of the younger children certain waltz steps at a dance school they ran. Even if the Waltz is a bit outdated now, the movements and rhythm still make this a fun dance activity for kids.

36. The Hokey Pokey

Now do the Hokey Pokey,

And turn yourself around,

And that’s what it’s all about!

Another interactive dance number for kids, this poem originated as a British folk dance. The rhyme asks children to put various body parts “in” and “out” while having fun, while also teaching body awareness and coordination.

37. Yankee Doodle

Yankee Doodle went to town riding on a pony

Stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni

Yankee Doodle, keep it up

Yankee Doodle dandy

Mind the music and the step

And with the girls, be handy

This poem has interesting origins – It was a pre-Revolutionary War song originally sung by British military officers to mock their American soldiers. However, the Americans turned it into a song of rebellion! This is why this is sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut.

38. Itsy Bitsy Spider

Out came the sun

And dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

Another song that is amazing for fingerplay! Just touch the thumb of one hand to the index finger of the other (for the spider) and wiggle your fingers in an upwards and downwards motion for the rain and sun!

39. If You’re Happy And You Know It

If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands

This wonderful song is one of the first they teach in preschool, and like the title, it’s just bursting with joy. Going through those motions like clapping and stamping with the entire class turned into core memories for me.

40. The Alphabet Song

Now I know my ABCs.

Next time won’t you sing with me?

Chances are, you already knew the ABCs in order before you started school, even if you can’t recognize the letter. The credit most likely goes to the Alphabet song. It not only teaches your child the Alphabet in chronological order but does it in a tune they already know.

41. Rub a Dub Dub

Rub-a-dub-dub,three men in a tub,

And who do you think they be?

The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker,

And all of them out to sea.

I’ve always found this poem quite silly – after all, why would The butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker be in a tub going to sea? But it’s these silly, nonsensical tunes that sometimes make for the best rhymes by sparking your imagination.

42. Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns!

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot cross buns!

A street cry about these delicious confectionaries turned into a nursery rhyme! I always heard this song on TV and begged my mother to make me some afterward.

43. Pat-A-Cake

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man

Bake me a cake as fast as you can

Pat it and prick it and mark it with “B”

Put it in the oven for baby and me

Another confectionary-related rhyme, the earliest recorded version appears in Thomas D’Urfey’s play “The Campaigners”, while the version close to what we know it as today comes from “Mother Goose’s Melody”

44. This Old Man

With a knick-knack paddywhack,

Give the dog a bone,

This old man came rolling home.

This nursery rhyme seems to have a dark, historical context, most likely about the devastating Irish potato famine. A Paddy is still used by the English to refer to the Irish, solidifying this theory.

45. London Bridge is Falling Down

London Bridge is falling down,

Falling down, falling down,

London Bridge is falling down

My fair lady

A traditional English nursery rhyme and singing game, this used to be a favorite recess pastime well after kindergarten. We all used to wish so hard to be chosen as the one who would run between ‘the bridge’! (as seen in the video above)

46. The Lion And The Unicorn

The lion and the unicorn

Were fighting for the crown

The lion beat the unicorn

All around the town

This rhyme has a British patriotic origin – The Lion and the Unicorn are symbols of the United Kingdom, appearing in the full royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. It was also once again incorporated into Lewis Carroll’s novel Through the Looking-Glass.

47. Teddy Bear Teddy Bear

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around,

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground,

This rhyme is like a delightful dance that gets children moving! With stretches, touching those toes, and twirling around, it’s the ultimate way for kids to have a blast while mastering their motor skills.

48. Hush, Little Baby

Hush little baby, don’t say a word,

Papa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.

And if that mockingbird won’t sing,

Papa’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.

A timeless Mother Goose Classic, this lullaby in itself is a beautiful gift, just like its content. It has been covered by many notable names like Burl Ives and Regina Spektor

49. Jingle Bells

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

Over the fields we go

Laughing all the way

A Christmas classic and a carroll, this is the heart and soul of every holiday season. Being taught as a nursery rhyme makes it fun for kids to participate alongside adults. I’m including my favorite version here (Sesame Street) because I’m obsessed with it!

50. Ding Dong Bell

Ding dong bell,

Pussy’s in the well,

Who put her in?

Ding Dong Bell is the oldest recorded nursery rhyme in the English language! Its fame dates back to the 16th century and has since been used popularly as a lesson in being kind to animals since kids tend to rough them up for fun.

FAQs

What is the oldest nursery rhyme?

The oldest rhyme is “Ding Dong Bell”, first mentioned in writing in 1580 by Winchester Cathedral’s organist, John Lant. But because of the violence in the original, Geoffrey Hall later produced an alternate version that is the one we know today.

Who is the Mother Goose?

Mother Goose is the author of hundreds of children’s poems that have been passed down through oral tradition and published over centuries. Though her exact identity remains unknown, her collections have become traditions worldwide.

Why are there so many versions of the same rhyme?

There are various reasons for this, including differences in translation methods when some poems are translated from foreign languages, language and slang that varies from region to region, and editing older versions of the poem to modernize them (or in some cases make them more child friendly.