Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed lyrics
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
One little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”
Actions to do together
- Hold up five fingers and bounce your hand like the monkeys.
- Fold one finger down each time a monkey falls off.
- Tap your head gently for “bumped his head”.
- Hold a pretend phone for Mama, then wag a finger for the doctor.
What children learn
- Counting backwards from five
- Early subtraction: one less each time
- Safety, told in a funny way
The story behind the rhyme
Five Little Monkeys is a traditional counting rhyme sung all over the world. Nobody knows who wrote it, and families add their own endings.
Counting down on fingers shows “one less” in a way little ones can see, which makes this rhyme a quiet first step into subtraction.
Questions parents ask
How does Five Little Monkeys help with maths?
Each verse takes one monkey away, so children practise counting backwards and see subtraction happen on their fingers.
What age is Five Little Monkeys for?
Toddlers love the bouncing and the bump from about age one; by three or four, children can count down and fold their fingers on their own.
Keep playing
More from KiddiesTV that goes with this rhyme.
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