One of the Summer Reading Bingo activities for toddlers and caregivers is to do a bounce rhyme together. Here they are! You can also download them all as a pdf. Have fun!
Hippity Hop
This is a fun song that can be done sitting with baby in parent and caregiver’s lap or a child hopping. Sing to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.
Hip, hip, hippity hop
(bounce baby)
Hippity, hippity, hop
(bounce baby)
We’ll hop around the room today
(bounce baby)
Until it’s time to stop.
(stop bouncing baby)
Mama's Little Baby Loves Dancing
This song has a great rhythm to it. Parents and caregivers can sit or stand with baby and bounce and sway to beat. Sing to the tune of “Mama’s Little Baby Loves Shortenin’ Bread”. Listen to the song here.
Mama’s little baby loves dancing, dancing
Mama’s little baby loves getting down
Mama’s little baby loves dancing, dancing
Mama’s little baby loves to turn around!
You lean to the left
You lean to the right
You hug that baby nice and tight
You lean to the left
You lean to the right
You hug that baby nice and tight
‘Cuz Mama’s little baby loves dancing, dancing
Mama’s little baby loves getting down
Mama’s little baby loves dancing, dancing
Mama’s little baby loves to turn around!
Little Red Wagon
For this song, caregivers can sit with baby in their lap. Bounce gently up and down for the first verse and move side to side for the second verse. Listen and see the actions here.
Bumpin’ up and down in my little red wagon.
Bumpin’ up and down in my little red wagon.
Bumpin’ up and down in my little red wagon,
Won’t you be my darlin’.
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken.
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken.
One wheel’s off and the axle’s broken,
Won’t you be my darlin’!
Buffalo Gals
Encourage parents and caregivers to stand up and gently bounce baby to the beat. Listen to the song here.
As I was walking down the street, down the street, down the street
A pretty girl I chanced to meet
And we danced by the light of the moon.
Buffalo gals won’t you come out tonight, come out tonight, come out tonight
Buffalo gals won’t you come out tonight
And we’ll dance by the light of the moon.
There Was a Little Grasshopper
Caregivers are encouraged to place baby in their lap, on their knees, or upright with their feet touching the floor. While supporting baby, gently bounce them to the rhythm of the chant.
There was a little grasshopper,
Always on the jump.
Because he never looked ahead,
He always went ‘Bump’!
(gently drop baby between legs)
Did You Ever See a Baby?
Parents and caregivers can gently bounce baby on their lap and then move from side to side. Sing to the tune of “Did You Ever See a Lassie”. Listen to the song here.
Did you ever see a baby, a baby, a baby?
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that.
(lean left, then right)
Go this way and that way, and that way and this way,
Did you ever see a baby go this way and that.
(lean left, then right)
For additional verses, change the word baby to mommy, daddy, grandma, grandpa, brother, sister, or friend.
This Is The Way The Ladies Ride
In this fun bouncing chant, parents and caregivers will place the baby in their lap or on their knees. For young infants, baby should lie on the caregiver’s legs facing them. For older babies who can support their head, place on raised knees. Begin the rhyme bouncing baby.
This is the way the ladies ride,
Prim, prim, prim, prim.
(very gently bounce)
This is the way the gentlemen ride,
Trim, trim, trim, trim.
(slightly larger bounce)
This is the way the hunters ride,
A gallop, a gallop, a gallop, a gallop.
(larger bounce)
This is the way the farmers ride,
A trot, a trot, a trot, a trot.
(very large bounce)
This is the way the cowboys ride,
A whoopy-i-ay, a whoop-i-ay, and a whoopy-i-ay.
(large bounces from knee to knee)
Bounce and Bounce and Bounce and Stop
For this song, parent and caregivers should put their legs together in front of them. Place baby on knees or lap and support body while doing the actions. Sing to the tune of “Skip to My Lou”. Listen to the song and see the actions here.
Bounce and bounce and bounce and stop
Bounce and bounce and bounce and stop
Bounce and bounce and bounce and stop
Now bounce that baby right up to the top
(lift baby up)
Additional Verses:
Rockin’, rockin’, rockin stop
Tickle and tickle and tickle and stop
Popcorn, Popcorn
Popcorn, popcorn, sizzle in the pan.
(bounce back and forth on knees)
Shake it, shake it, bam bam bam!
(up and down bounces)
Popcorn, popcorn, now it’s getting hot.
(bounce back and forth on knees)
Shake it, shake it, pop, pop, pop!
(up and down bounces)
A Smooth Road
A smooth road ... a smooth road ... a smooth road ... a smooth road
(very gentle bounces)
A bumpy road ... a bumpy road ... a bumpy road ... a bumpy road
(slightly bigger bounces)
A rough road ... a rough road ... a rough road ... a rough road
(even bigger bounces)
A hole!
(gently lower baby down)
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
Add your own verses depending on what you’re doing: “We walk around the store,” “We go to left and right,” “We give a nice big hug,” etc.
The Noble Duke of York
For this song, parents and caregivers should place their baby on their knees or lap and bounce along to the song. Hear the song here.
Oh, the noble duke of York,
(bounce baby on your knee)
He had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
(lift baby up high)
And marched them down again.
(bring baby back down)
Oh, and when they’re up, they’re up.
(lift baby up high)
And when they’re down, they’re down.
(bring baby back down)
And when they’re only half way up,
(hold baby only half as high)
They’re neither up nor down.
(hold baby up, bring baby down)
He marched them to the left.
(lean baby to the left)
He marched them to the right.
(lean baby to the right)
He even marched them upside down.
(gently turn baby upside down)
Now wasn’t that a sight!
(bring baby back up)