Five Little Monkeys is one of the most loved English nursery rhymes among preschoolers and kindergarten kids. It helps them learn to count numbers in an entertaining manner. This counting-out song can be recited along with fingerplay by associating each verse with actions. A series of books have been illustrated with the same name by renowned author-illustrator Eileen Christelow. She acknowledges that she did not write the original lyrics and first heard them from her daughter. This poem is also an English language folk song, and children enjoy listening to and reciting it repeatedly.
‘Five Little Monkeys’ Rhyme Lyrics In English
Teach your little ones counting in a fun way with the poem ‘Five Little Monkeys’. The lyrics of this popular children’s song are:
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Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell down 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 down 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 down and bumped her 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 down 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,
She fell down and bumped her head,
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
Put those monkeys back to bed!
What Will Your Child Learn From The ‘Five Little Monkeys’ Rhyme?
Five Little Monkeys is a counting rhyme that makes the basic subtraction concept easier to teach to children. Teachers and parents have used this nursery rhyme for generations to help kids understand mathematical skills in an effective way. It also aims to teach valuable life lessons to children, as they should always listen to their mother and doctor as they know the best. Kids are also advised not to jump on the bed or else they would end up getting hurt; like in the poem, the five little monkeys got hurt after falling off. You can also incorporate fingerplay and mimic the words of the song with different hand gestures so that children enjoy learning the poem and can retain it in memory for longer.
Theme Of The Five Little Monkeys Rhyme
This nursery rhyme is about five little monkeys who are very mischievous and are jumping on the bed. One by one, they start to fall off the bed while jumping and bumping their heads. The number of monkeys keeps decreasing. Mama monkey is worried about these little monkeys and calls the doctor. The doctor says to all the monkeys they should no longer jump on the bed but the monkeys keep on doing it till the end. Parents can teach this fun poem to their kids to make them understand the importance of listening to their elders and simultaneously introduce the concept of backward counting. Children should be encouraged to sing along to learn how to pronounce words correctly and understand the theme and moral value of the poems.
Rhyme Scheme Of ‘Five Little Monkeys’
The classic children’s poem ‘Five Little Monkeys’ has a regular rhyme scheme, and the last two lines are repeated in all five stanzas. In each successive verse, the number of monkeys is reduced, so you have to count down from the starting number. It is a great counting rhyme, and children can learn the basic subtraction concept as they have to subtract the number of monkeys in each verse of the poem. The rhyme has rhyming words like bed, head, and said at the end of each line, which makes it easier for kids to comprehend the poem.
Words That Your Child Will Learn From The Five Little Monkeys Rhyme
Parents can teach this counting poem to their children and make the education process fun for them. They will learn new words such as –
- Bumped: knock or run into someone or something with a jolt.
- Jumping: push oneself off a surface and into the air by using the muscles in one’s legs and feet.
- Fell down: to drop suddenly or collapse.
Suggested Activities
1. Fingerplay
With one hand, hold up the number of fingers to match the verse. Bounce your fingers up and down, representing the monkeys jumping on the bed. Keep folding the fingers as the number of monkeys decreases in the poem. You can use the other hand to represent dialling the phone as the mother calls the doctor in rhyme. This activity will make the kids understand the poem in an interactive way, and they will also learn addition and subtraction concepts.
2. Worksheets To Practice Maths Concepts
Prepare a worksheet with jumping monkeys. To help your kids practice numbers 1 to 10, you can assign some maths sums to them and ask them to circle out the numerical values that match the number of monkeys shown in the picture. This activity will test their number recognition and help them to understand the Five Little Monkey nursery rhyme in a better way.
FAQs
1. What Does The Five Little Monkeys Nursery Rhyme Teach Children?
This childrens’ song is a tale of five little monkeys who are very naughty and get hurt while jumping on the bed. The poem teaches lessons about self-care and safety and has a learning element as the narrator counts the number of monkeys. You can use this nursery rhyme to teach counting to your child in a fun way.
2. How Many Monkeys Were There On The Bed At The Beginning Of The Poem?
At the beginning of the poem, five little monkeys were jumping on the bed, but with each verse, the number keeps reducing as they start to fall off the bed. In the end, none of the monkeys was left on the bed.
It is essential to familiarise your little one with nursery rhymes as they are an effective way to improve reading, spelling, and other literacy skills. The Five Little Monkeys rhyme is an excellent choice for children as it will help them in language development and also teach them the basics of backward counting.
Also Read:
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