Your librarians have created a book of rhymes and songs for babies and toddlers as part of We Read! You can pick up copies of this booklet at your local library, scan the QR code using your smart phone's camera and access songs on the go. Thanks to the many librarians who contributed their singing talent to creating this fun resource for families!
We Read is a year-round, all-ages, community wide celebration of all kinds of reading. To participate, Madisonians can simply find something to read that they love, share it with a friend or on social media and join in the conversation about reading using the hashtag #WeReadMadison. There are a variety of ways for Madisonians to engage with We Read this summer through their neighborhood library and out in the community. Learn more about We Read and join in the fun!
We Read is funded by Madison Public Library Foundation, Ascendium Education Group, Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation, Dick Goldberg & Lisa Munro and Jane Doughty & David Wood.
Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
With baby sitting on your lap, "jump" them back and forth from knee to knee until the last line. Then bring the baby down right in the middle of your lap or swoop them down towards the floor for an exciting "kerplop"!
Sung by Carissa at Alicia Ashman Library
Lyrics:
Down by the banks of the
Hanky-Panky,
Where the bullfrogs jump
From bank to banky,
With a hip hop,
Flippity flop,
Missed that banky and went kerplop!
The Elevator Song
Baby loves to be lifted up and down as you sing the song together. This is a great song to sing in an actual elevator if baby is scared of a new space or experience.
Sung by Rebecca at Sequoya Library
Lyrics:
Oh the city is great and the city is grand!
There's a whole lot of people on a little piece of land.
And we live way up on the 57th floor,
and this is the way that we go out the door!
We take the elevator UP
and the elevator DOWN!
And the elevator UP
and the elevator DOWN!
And the elevator UP
and the elevator DOWN!
And then we turn around!
Criss Cross Applesauce
Use a finger to draw a big "x" on your child's back for the "criss cross". Pat your child's back three times as you say "applesauce". Blow on your child's neck for "cool breeze". Give a hug/squeeze! Then end with a tickle!
Sung by Tracy at Hawthorne Library
Lyrics:
Criss cross applesauce,
Spiders crawling up
your back,
Cool breeze,
tight squeeze,
Now you've got the shivers!
Jelly on the Plate
With baby sitting on your lap, wobble baby right and left for the jelly verse. Gently shake baby's hips for the Candies verse. Gently blow on baby's neck or head for the Candles verse.
Sung by Karen at Sequoya Library
Lyrics:
Jelly on the plate, Jelly on the plae,
Wibble wobble, Wibble wobble,
Jelly on the plate!
Candies in the jar, Candies in the jar,
Shake them up, Shake them up,
Candies in the jar!
Candles on the cake, Candles on the cake,
Blow them out, Blow them out,
Candles on the cake!
The Wheels on the Bus
Parents can help with motions of going round and round, wipers swishing, or horn beeping, or kids can make up their own verses!
Sung by Ruth at Central Library
Lyrics:
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round,
round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round
all through the town!
The wipers on the bus go swish swish swish!
...
The horn on the bus goes beep beep beep!
...
El Pecesito
Con acciones que pueden actuar con las manos, ésta cancioncita es ideal para introducir el reconocimiento de rimar, un paso importante en el alfabetizacion temprano.
Cantado por Tammy de La Biblioteca Central
Lyrics:
Un pececito se fue a nadar.
Nadaba, nadaba al fondo del mar,
vino un tiburón y le dijo: “ven acá”,
no, no, no, no, no porque se enoja mi mamá.
Los Pollitos
Esta canción es mi favorita. Es muy divertida para los niños porque pueden incorporar movimientos con las manos. Cuando cantan "pío, pío, pío" pon las manos en forma de pico y cantan con los pollitos.
Cantado por Savannah de La Biblioteca Goodman South Madison
Lyrics:
Los pollitos dicen, pío, pío, pío
cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frío
La gallina busca, el maíz y el trigo
les da la comida y les presta abrigo
Bajo sus dos alas, acurrucaditos duermen los pollitos hasta el otro día.
Cuando se levantan dicen mamacita, tengo mucha hambre dame lombricitas.
Zoom Zoom Zoom
Una canción divertida para niños de cualquier edad - ¡salta al final (o levanta a un bebe) para despegar!
Cantado por Holly de La Biblioteca Pinney
Lyrics:
Zoom, zoom, zoom, Vamos a la luna.
Zoom, zoom, zoom, Vamos a la luna.
Si quieres viajar conmigo, Súbete al cohete
Zoom, zoom, zoom, Vamos a la luna.
En 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
¡Despegar!
Una Mariposita
Esta canción de cuna es ideal para bebes y niños pequeños para ayudarlos a dormir en la noche o una siesta.
Cantado por Yesianne de La Biblioteca Meadowridge
Lyrics:
Una mariposita, que del cielo bajó
Con sus alas extendidas, Y en el pico una flor.
¿Para quién son las flores?
Si no son para mí. Ay mamita del alma
Yo me muero por ti.
Cuando venga papito, Se lo voy a decir
Que esa mariposita, No me deja dormir
¡Dormir!
Volume 2
In this edition, released in July 2022, we focused on bringing in a larger variety of voices from our library staff. This is a bilingual collection of songs and rhymes perfect for entertaining babies and toddlers while you're waiting for the bus, at the doctor's office, or simply during a quiet evening at home.
Tick Tock
Sit baby on your lap, and wobble baby side to side until the word Stop!. Then lift baby up for each chime of the clock as the clock strikes one, then two, then three o'clock with each verse. This action rhyme makes counting fun!
Sung by Nancie at Pinney
Lyrics:
Tick tock, Tick tock, I'm a little cuckoo clock,
Tick tock, Tick tock, Stop!
What time is it? It's one o'clock!
Cuckoo!
Tick tock, Tick tock, I'm a little cuckoo clock,
Tick tock, Tick tock, Stop!
What time is it? It's two o'clock!
Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Tick tock, Tick tock, I'm a little cuckoo clock,
Tick tock, Tick tock, Stop!
What time is it? It's three o'clock!
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Tlacua, tlacua tlacuatzin
Este trabalenguas viene en español y después en náhuatl. El náhuatl es la lengua de los aztecas y se sigue hablando en México y Centroamérica.
Cantado por Martin de La Biblioteca Central
Lyrics:
Come, come el tlacuache
Come, come el tlacuache
¿Qué come el tlacuache? El tlacuache come cuaxilote.
Cuaxilote come el tlacuache
Tlacua, tlacua tlacuatzin
tlacua, tlacua tlacuatzin
¿Tlein quicua in tlacuatzin?
In tlacuatzin quicua cuaxilotl
cuaxilotl quicua in tlacuatzin.
Row Row Row Your Boat
Pretend to row your boat, or add other actions using the same tune. Maybe you could rock the boat? Or splash the boat? Have fun singing and playing (and being silly!) together!
Sung by Tim at Pinney
Lyrics:
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream!
Burbuja, Burbuja, Burbuja, POP!
Se puede contar de uno a cinco con peces de colores distintos, o hacer un juego usando juguetes o peces hechos de tela o papel.
Cantado por Holly de La Biblioteca Central
Lyrics:
Un pez rojo,
nadando en el agua,
nadando en el agua,
nadando en el agua,
un pez rojo,
nadando en el agua,
burbuja, burbuja, burbuja,
POP!
Dos peces azules,
tres peces amarillos,
cuatro peces verdes,
cinco peces morados, etc
Slice, Slice
This is a calming rhyme for you & baby. Pretend to "slice, slice" by sliding your hand down each of their arms. "Spread" the butter on their back. Then touch the top of their head for the "jam on top". Give a big hug at the end!
Sung by Nancy at Pinney
Lyrics:
Slice, slice, Bread looks nice.
Spread, spread, Butter on the bread.
Some jam on top, To make it sweet!
And now it's good enough to eat!
Con mi Dedito
Ideal para poner a dormir más de un niño en la misma habitación.
Cantado por Tammy de La Biblioteca Central
Lyrics:
Con mi dedito digo: si, si
Con mi dedito digo: no, no
Digo, digo: si, si; Digo, digo: no, no
Y este dedito se escondió
Con mi piececito, digo: si, si
Con mi piececito, digo: no, no
Digo, digo: si, si; Digo, digo: no, no
Y este piececito se escondió
Con mi cabeza, digo: si, si
Con mi cabeza, digo: no, no,
Digo, digo: si, si
Y esta cabeza se escondió
Yes, Yes Vegetable
A great song to get your child ready for mealtime! Change the word to whatever food your child is eating, and change the name of a favorite stuffy or toy, or even an older sibling or friend for "teddy".
Sung by JeVaughnte at Meadowridge
Lyrics:
Peas, peas, it's time to eat your peas!
Yes, yes, yes,
I want to eat my peas!
Good, good!
The peas are good for you!
Yay, yay, yay,
I love them, ooh!
See, see, teddy likes them too! One, two, three!
He ate them up, you see!
Ha ha ha, the peas are all gone now!
Yum, yum, yum, we like them, wow!
Estrellita
¿Pueden encontrar la forma de una estrella durante su dia? ¿Un diamante? ¿Cuales otras formas pueden encontrar?
Cantado por Danny de La Biblioteca Pinney
Lyrics:
Estrellita, ¿dónde estás?
me pregunto, ¿quien serás?
en el cielo o en el mar,
un diamante de verdad,
estrellita, ¿dónde estás?
me pregunto, ¿quien serás?
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Sing this lovely classic song at bedtime, naptime, or anytime! The gentle tune, and fun actions can be a great way to share the rhythm and rhyme of language with your child!
Sung by Danny at Pinney
Lyrics:
Twinkle, twinkle, Little star,
How I wonder, What you are,
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, Little star,
How I wonder, What you are!
Cuando te conocí
Cuando usted se acurruca y canta con su bebe, se siente muy amado a la vez que crece su corazón.
Cantado por Jame de La Biblioteca Central
Lyrics:
Naranja dulce, Limón partido
dame un abrazo, que yo te pido.
Si fueran falsos, mis juramentos,
en otros tiempos se olvidarán.
Toca la marcha , mi pecho llora,
adiós señora , yo ya me voy.
a mi casita de sololoy
a comer tacos y no le doy
