Storytime: Baby Bounce or Movement Rhymes

Baby Bounce Rhymes are a staple of Baby Storytime. Our baby storytimes are designed for ages 0-2, so my example videos often show a little bit more movement than may make sense for a little one you are holding in your arms (especially a little one that needs head support). Many of these baby bounce rhymes can also be adapted for walking babies, who could jump instead of bounce. When little ones have started walking, I encourage grown-ups to do the baby bounce rhymes themselves, even if their little one is standing nearby and doesn’t want to be confined to a lap anymore.

I sometimes refer to baby bounce rhymes as “movement rhymes” instead of bounces because there are many activities that encourage the same behavior as bounce rhymes but instead focus on swaying (or other, similar, full body movements). Regardless of what I call them, when introducing this section of storytime, I always use these activities as an early literacy moment, explaining to parents how bouncing or moving little ones to the rhythm of words helps them hear the small parts of words and builds phonological awareness skills.

Baby Bounce Rhymes

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 I Caught a Fish Alive

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (bounce)
I caught a fish alive! (hug)
6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (bounce)
Then I let him go again! (tickle)

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Acka Backa Soda Cracker

Acka backa soda cracker,
Acka backa boo.
Acka backa soda cracker,
I love you! (hug)

Acka backa soda cracker,
Acka backa boo.
Acka backa soda cracker,
Up goes you! (lift)

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Andy Pandy

Andy Pandy Sugar and Candy
All pop down.

Andy Pandy Sugar and Candy
All pop up.

Andy Pandy Sugar and Candy
All pop in.

Andy Pandy Sugar and Candy
All pop out.

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Bounce and Stop

We bounce and bounce and bounce and stop!
We bounce and bounce and bounce and stop!
We bounce and bounce and bounce and stop!
Now bounce that baby to the top!

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Bouncing, Bouncing

Bouncing, bouncing,
Let’s go bouncing!
Up and down,
All around.

Bouncing, bouncing,
Let’s go bouncing,
Whoops!
Don’t fall down!

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The Bouncing Song

Bouncing, bouncing, bouncing, bouncing,
Bouncing, bouncing, STOP!

Bouncing, bouncing, bouncing, bouncing,
Right up to the top!

Continue with: Rocking, Clapping, Tapping, Tickling

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A Bouncing We Will Go

A bouncing we will go,
A bouncing we will go,
Hi ho the derry o,
A bouncing we will go.

Continue with: rocking, tickling

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Did You Ever See a Baby?

Did you ever see a baby, a baby, a baby?
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that?
Go this way and that way, and that way and this way?
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that?

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Dump Truck

Dump truck dump truck, bumpin’ down the road.
Spillin’ out gravel as you travel with your load.
Bumpety, bumpety, bump, bump, bump!
Dump truck, dump truck, dump truck,
DUMP!

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Five Little Riders

Five little riders on a nice fall day,
Jumped on their ponies and rode far away.

They galloped in the meadow.
They galloped up a hill. (lift)
They galloped so fast,
That they all took a spill. (tip over)

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Giddy Up

Giddy up, giddy up, ride to town.
Giddy up, giddy up, UP and DOWN (lift).
Giddy up fast!
Giddy up slow!
Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, WHOA! (tilt)

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Gregory Griggs

Gregory Griggs, Gregory Griggs,
Had 27 different wigs.
He wore them up,
He wore them down.
To please the people of the town.
He wore them east.
He wore them west.
But which one did he love the best?
This one!

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Here We Go Bumpy Boo

Here we go bumpy-boo
Here we go bumpy-bye
Here we go bumpy-bee
All on top of my knee.

I bounce you to the left.
I bounce you to the right.
I bounce you up and down.
I bounce you out of sight!

Here we go bumpy-boo
Here we go bumpy-bye
Here we go bumpy-bee
All on top of my knee.

I bounce you very fast.
I bounce you very slow.
I bounce you up and down.
And back we both do go!

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Here We Go Up, Up, Up

Here we go up, up, up!
Here we go down, down, down,
Here we go back and forth,
And here we go round and round!

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Here’s a Little Pumpkin

Here’s a little pumpkin bouncing on the vine.
Roll it left, and roll it right,
And bounce it bounce it down the line!

Continue with:
Medium pumpkin…medium bounces
Great big pumpkin…great big bounces

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Hippity Hop

Hippity hop to the candy shop,
To buy ourselves some candy.
Some for you and some for me,
And some for sister Mandy!

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A Hippopotamus

A hip, a hip, a hippopotamus
Got on, got on, got on a city bus,
And all, and all, and all the people said,
You’re squishing us! (hug)

A cow, cow, a cow got on the bus,
And all, and all, and all the people said,
Moooooooooove over (tilt to side)

A sheep, a sheep, a sheep got on the bus,
And all, and all, and all the people said,
Baaaaaaaaaaccckkkk up (lean back)

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Humpy Dumpty

We rock and rock and rock on the wall, (sway)
We rock and rock, I hope we don’t fall!

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall! (tilt sideways)

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men (bounce)
Couldn’t put Humpty together again!

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I’m Bouncing

I’m bouncing, bouncing everywhere.
I bounce and bounce into the air.
I’m bouncing, bouncing like a ball.
I bounce and bounce and then I fall.

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Jelly on a Plate

Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate,
Wibble wobble, wibble, wobble, jelly on a plate.

Candy in a jar, candy in a jar,
Shake ’em up, shake ’em up, candy in a jar.

Candles on a cake, candles on a cake,
Blow ’em out, blow ’em out, candles on a cake.

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Old Grey Mare

Clip, clip, clippety clop,
Clippety, clippety, clop.
The old grey mare goes up and down,
Until it’s time to stop!

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Popcorn, Popcorn

Popcorn, popcorn sizzle in the pan.
Shake it, shake it, bam, bam, BAM!

Popcorn, popcorn now it’s getting hot!
Shake it, shake it, pop, pop, POP!

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Ride That Horsey

Ride baby ride, ch ch ch ch ch!
Ride that horsey ride, ch ch ch ch ch!

Ride baby ride, ch ch ch ch ch!
Ride that horsey ride, ch ch ch ch ch!

Repeat in a whisper.
Repeat really loud!

WHOA!

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Rocking Horse

Rocking horse, rocking horse, to and fro,
Side to side and away we go,
Rocking horse, rocking horse, front and back,
Don’t fall off just like that.

Woah!

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Snuggle Up

Snuggle up together,
Baby in your lap.
Snuggle up together,
And clap, clap, clap!

Snuggle up together.
Don’t you nap!
Snuggle up together,
And tap, tap, tap!

We’re working out together.
Baby don’t stop.
We’re working out together,
So hop, hop, hop!

Now our song is over,
Get ready to stop!
Now our song is over,
So stop, stop, stop!

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Tick Tock

Tick, tock, tick, tock,
I’m a little cuckoo clock.
Tick, tock, tick, tock,
Now it’s almost one o’clock.
Cuckoo! (lift)

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Tiny Little Babies

Tiny little babies love bouncin’ bouncin’,
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ so.
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ bouncin’
Tiny little babies love bouncin’ yeah.

Bounce to the left,
Bounce to the right,
Now hug that baby nice and tight.

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Toast in the Toaster

I’m toast in the toaster.
I’m getting very hot.
Tick tock, tick tock,
Up I pop! (lift)

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Two Little Boats

(rock front to back)

Two little boats went out to sea.
All is calm as calm can be.

(rock side to side)

Gently the wind begins to blow.
Two little boats rock to and fro.

(bounce)

Loudly the wind begins to shout!
Two little boats they bounce about.

(freeze then rock front to back)

STOP goes the storm, the wind, and rain.
Two little boats sail on again.

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Zoom Down the Freeway

Zoom down the freeway!
Zoom down the freeway!
Zoom down the freeway!
FAST! (tickle)

Up goes the drawbridge
Up goes the drawbridge
Up goes the drawbridge
A ship is going past.

Down goes the drawbridge
Down goes the drawbridge
Down goes the drawbridge
The ship has passed at last.

Zoom down the freeway!
Zoom down the freeway!
Zoom down the freeway!
FAST! (tickle)

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Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Zoom, zoom, zoom,
We’re going to the moon.
Zoom, zoom, zoom,
We’ll get there very soon.

In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…
BLAST OFF!