Counting Rhymes
Created | Updated May 7, 2002
This is a list of counting rhymes that I, and other researchers, have remembered. Some are just general counting rhymes, whilst others are well known for counting specific objects. If you have any that you'd like to add, put them in the fora at the bottom of this page. Thanks!
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!
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve.
Thirteen, Fourteen,
Maids a-courting.
Fifteen, Sixteen,
Maids in the Kitchen.
Seventeen, Eighteen,
Maids in waiting.
Nineteen, Twenty,
My plate's empty!
One two three four
Mary at the Cottage door
Five six seven eight
Eating cherries off a plate
One two kittens that mew
Two three birds on a tree
Three four shells on the shore
Four five bees from the hive
Five six the cow that licks
Six seven rooks in the heaven
Seven eight sheep at the gate
Eight nine clothes on a line
Nine ten little black hen
A dozen is twelve
Or four times three,
Half a dozen is six
As plain as can be
The animals came in 2 by 2
The centipede with the kangaroo
The animals came in 3 by 3
The elephant on the back of the flea
The animals came in 4 by 4
The camel he got stuck in the door
The the animals came in 5 by 5
Some were dead and some were alive
The animals came in 6 by 6
The monkey he was up to his tricks
The animals came in 7 by 7
Some went to hell and some went to heaven
The animals came in 8 by 8
The worm was early the bird was late
The animals came in 9 by 9
Some had water and some had wine
The animals came in 10 by 10
If you want any more you must sing it again.
Five currant buns in a baker's shop,
Round and fat with sugar on the top.
Along came a boy with a penny one day,
Bought a currant bun and took it away.
Four currant buns in a baker's shop
Round and fat with sugar on the top
Along came a boy with a penny one day
Bought a currant bun and took it away
Three currant buns in a baker's shop...
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy.
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told1.
Eight for a queen,
Nine for a king,
Ten for a woman
With a diamond ring.
One for sorrow,
Two for mirth,
Three for a funeral,
Four for a birth.
Five for Heaven,
Six for Hell,
Seven's a devil,
His own sel'.
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a letter,
Four, something better.
Five for a wish,
Six for a kiss,
Seven a lifetime full of bliss.
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy.
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret
Never to be told.
Eight's a wish,
and Nine a kiss,
Ten is for something
You must not miss.
One potato
Two potato
Three potato
Four
Five potato
Six potato
Seven potato
More
One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Once I caught a fish alive
Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten
The I let it go again.
Ein,zwei,drei,vier
Lift your steiner and drink your beer.
Un,deux, trois
J'irais dans le bois
Quatre,cinq, six
Pour ceuillir des cerises
Sept, huit, neuf
Dans mon pannier neuf
Dix, onze, douze
Elles seront toutes rouges.
I take one one one cause you left me and
two two two for my family and
3 3 3 for my heartache and
4 4 4 for my headaches and
5 5 5 for my lonely and
6 6 6 for my sorrow and
7 7 for no tomorrow and
8 8 I forget what 8 was for and
9 9 9 for a lost god and
10 10 10 10 for everything
everything everything everything.
General Counting
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!
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve.
Thirteen, Fourteen,
Maids a-courting.
Fifteen, Sixteen,
Maids in the Kitchen.
Seventeen, Eighteen,
Maids in waiting.
Nineteen, Twenty,
My plate's empty!
One two three four
Mary at the Cottage door
Five six seven eight
Eating cherries off a plate
One two kittens that mew
Two three birds on a tree
Three four shells on the shore
Four five bees from the hive
Five six the cow that licks
Six seven rooks in the heaven
Seven eight sheep at the gate
Eight nine clothes on a line
Nine ten little black hen
A dozen is twelve
Or four times three,
Half a dozen is six
As plain as can be
Animals
The animals came in 2 by 2
The centipede with the kangaroo
The animals came in 3 by 3
The elephant on the back of the flea
The animals came in 4 by 4
The camel he got stuck in the door
The the animals came in 5 by 5
Some were dead and some were alive
The animals came in 6 by 6
The monkey he was up to his tricks
The animals came in 7 by 7
Some went to hell and some went to heaven
The animals came in 8 by 8
The worm was early the bird was late
The animals came in 9 by 9
Some had water and some had wine
The animals came in 10 by 10
If you want any more you must sing it again.
Five currant buns in a baker's shop,
Round and fat with sugar on the top.
Along came a boy with a penny one day,
Bought a currant bun and took it away.
Four currant buns in a baker's shop
Round and fat with sugar on the top
Along came a boy with a penny one day
Bought a currant bun and took it away
Three currant buns in a baker's shop...
Magpies
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy.
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told1.
Eight for a queen,
Nine for a king,
Ten for a woman
With a diamond ring.
One for sorrow,
Two for mirth,
Three for a funeral,
Four for a birth.
Five for Heaven,
Six for Hell,
Seven's a devil,
His own sel'.
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a letter,
Four, something better.
Five for a wish,
Six for a kiss,
Seven a lifetime full of bliss.
Used on childrens TV programme 'Magpie'
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy.
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret
Never to be told.
Eight's a wish,
and Nine a kiss,
Ten is for something
You must not miss.
Childrens Games
One potato
Two potato
Three potato
Four
Five potato
Six potato
Seven potato
More
One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Once I caught a fish alive
Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten
The I let it go again.
German Rhymes
Ein,zwei,drei,vier
Lift your steiner and drink your beer.
French Rhymes
Un,deux, trois
J'irais dans le bois
Quatre,cinq, six
Pour ceuillir des cerises
Sept, huit, neuf
Dans mon pannier neuf
Dix, onze, douze
Elles seront toutes rouges.
Songs
Kiss Off - The Violent Femmes
I take one one one cause you left me and
two two two for my family and
3 3 3 for my heartache and
4 4 4 for my headaches and
5 5 5 for my lonely and
6 6 6 for my sorrow and
7 7 for no tomorrow and
8 8 I forget what 8 was for and
9 9 9 for a lost god and
10 10 10 10 for everything
everything everything everything.
1Some versions say 'Ready to be told'
