Nursery rhymes have helped me in many ways whether it’s making my baby happy or learn new things or expose to reading and singing or entertain him. Certainly, these rhymes add significantly to a child’s cognitive development. Each rhyme’s lyrics help making pronunciations for alphabets, numbers, animals, and other daily items easier for the child.

What is a norm for a good nursery rhyme? The most important part while introducing nursery rhymes to a one-year-old baby is its catchy melody and lyrics. You must have heard a few rhymes from your parents as a youngster, and your parents may have heard some from their parents. Here are some famous nursery rhymes with actions for babies that your baby will surely enjoy.

1. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Reference – LooLoo Kids – Nursery Rhymes and Children’s Songs

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
When the blazing sun is gone
When he nothing shines upon
Then you show your little light
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
How I wonder what you are

2. Baby Shark

Reference – Cocomelon  Nursery Rhymes

Baby Shark
Do do do do do do do do!

Baby shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Baby shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Baby shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Baby shark

Mummy shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Mummy shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Mummy shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Mummy shark

Daddy shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Daddy shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Daddy shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Daddy shark

Grandma shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Grandma shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Grandma shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Grandma shark

Grandpa shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Grandpa shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Grandpa shark doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Grandpa shark

Let’s explore doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Let’s explore doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Let’s explore doo doo, doo doo, doo doo
Let’s explore!

3. Wheels On The Bus

Reference – Cocomelon  Nursery Rhymes

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.
(Roll hands around each other)
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish;
Swish, swish, swish.
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish,
all through the town.
(“Swish” hands in front of you like windshield wipers)
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep;
Beep, beep, beep.
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep,
all through the town.
(Slap palm in front of you like honking a horn)
The doors on the bus go open and shut;
Open and shut;
Open and shut.
The doors on the bus go open and shut;
all through the town.
(Push hands back and forth in front of you)
The Driver on the bus says, “Move on back,
move on back, move on back;”
The Driver on the bus says, “Move on back”,
all through the town.
(Point thumb over your shoulder)
The babies on the bus say, “Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah;
Wah, wah, wah”.
The babies on the bus say, “Wah, wah, wah”,
all through the town.
(Rub fists in front of eyes)
The mommies on the bus say, “Shush, shush, shush;
Shush, shush, shush;
Shush, shush, shush.”
The mommies on the bus say, “Shush, shush, shush”
all through the town.
(Hold index finger in front of mouth as if saying shhh)

4. Old Mac Donald Had A Farm

Reference – Dave and Ava – Nursery Rhymes and Baby Songs

Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a cow
E-I-E-I-O
With a moo moo here
And a moo moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo moo
Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a pig
E-I-E-I-O
With a oink oink here
And a oink oink there
Here a oink, there a oink
Everywhere a oink oink
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a duck
E-I-E-I-O
With a quack quack here
And a quack quack there
Here a quack, there a quack
Everywhere a quack quack
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a horse
E-I-E-I-O
With a neigh neigh here
And a neigh neigh there
Here a neigh, there a neigh
Everywhere a neigh neigh
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had a lamb
E-I-E-I-O
With a baa baa here
And a baa baa there
Here a baa, there a baa
Everywhere a baa baa
Old MacDonald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-O
And on his farm he had some chickens
E-I-E-I-O
With a cluck cluck here
And a cluck cluck there
Here a cluck, there a cluck
Everywhere a cluck cluck
With a baa baa here
And a baa baa there
Here a baa, there a baa
Everywhere a baa baa
With a neigh neigh here
And a neigh neigh there
Here a neigh, there a neigh
Everywhere a neigh neigh
With a quack quack here
And a quack quack there
Here a quack, there a quack
Everywhere a quack quack
With a oink oink here
And a oink oink there
Here a oink, there a oink
Everywhere a oink oink
With a moo moo here
And a moo moo there
Here a moo, there a moo
Everywhere a moo moo
Old Mac Donald had a farm
E-I-E-I-OOOOOOO………

5. Humpty Dumpty

Reference – CVS 3D Rhymes & Kids Songs

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
couldn’t put Humpty together again. (x3)

6. One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Reference – LooLoo Kids  Nursery Rhymes and Children’s Songs

One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.

Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on the right.

7. Incy, Wincy Spider

Reference – Super JoJo – Nursery Rhymes

Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain
And Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again (x2).

8. Hey, Diddle Diddle

Reference – Little Baby Bum Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs

Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon,
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.

9. Jack and Jill

Reference – LooLoo Kids – Nursery Rhymes and Children’s Songs

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
Then up got Jack and said to Jill,
As in his arms he took her,
“Brush off that dirt for you’re not hurt,
Let’s fetch that pail of water.”
So Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch the pail of water,
And took it home to Mother dear,
Who thanked her son and daughter.

10. Baa, baa, black sheep

Reference – ChuChu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs

Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.
One for the master,
One for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane!

These nursery rhymes are just a few of the popular rhymes that have been fun-filling in a child’s learning journey for years. You can sing some of these to your child while also spending quality time with him! The child’s interest may change after 2.5 years and need to shift him/her to cartoons like Tayo the Little Bus, Mash and the bear, Baby Bus and more.