12 Insects Action Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays
Looking for songs and rhymes to accompany preschool learning about insects, minibeasts, spring or Earth Day? This collection includes twelve insect action songs, rhymes and finger plays suitable for singing with children ages 2 years and up.
And you can find a printable song sheet that includes all of the lyrics at the bottom of this post.
For more like this, click through to see our huge collection of children’s rhymes, finger plays and action songs sorted into themes – you’ll find songs about counting, colors, shapes, seasons, holidays & more.
Minibeasts & Insects Action Songs, Rhymes and Finger Plays
(to the tune of I’m a Little Teapot)
I’m a little ladybug,
Red and black,
With the tiniest spots
All over my back.
I fly all round the garden,
And land upon a rose,
Then the grass, and
Then your nose!
I’m a little ladybug
As you can see.
A very little beetle,
As pretty as can be.
I am brightly coloured,
Red and black.
Can you count the spots upon my back?
Little Arabella Miller
Found a fuzzy caterpillar. (tickle palm of opposite hand with pointer finger)
First it crawled upon her mother, (wriggle finger up the arm)
Then upon her baby brother. (wriggle finger back down the arm)
They said, “Arabella Miller,
Put away that caterpillar!” (hide hands behind back)
Fuzzy Wuzzy caterpillar humps along, (crawl along like a caterpillar)
Humps along, humps along,
Fuzzy Wuzzy caterpillar humps along,
Out to see the world.Fuzzy Wuzzy caterpillar goes to sleep, (curl into a small ball)
Goes to sleep, goes to sleep,
Fuzzy Wuzzy caterpillar goes to sleep,
In his warm cocoon.
Someday you will be a pretty butterfly, (flap arms and dance around the room)
Butterfly, butterfly,
Someday you will be a pretty butterfly,
Out to see the world.
How does a caterpillar go?
Dear me, does anybody know?
How does a caterpillar go?
A wriggle, wriggle all day long. (crawl index finger up opposite arm like a caterpillar)
How does a honeybee go?
Dear me, does anybody know?
How does a honeybee go?
A buzzing, buzzing all day long. (flap hands quickly like little bee wings)
How does a butterfly go?
Dear me, does anybody know?
How does a butterfly go?
A flutter, flutter all day long. (spread arms and move them up and down)
How does a busy spider go?
Dear me, does anybody know?
How does a busy spider go?
A spinning, spinning all day long. (place each thumb on opposite pinky finger and walk hands up and down)
(Sung to: One Grey Elephant Balancing)One little bug went out to play, (children sit in a circle, one child walks around the inside of the circle)
On a spider’s web one day.
He had ever so much fun,
He called for another bug to come. (first child chooses a send child to join them walking around inside the circle)
Two little bugs went out to play…
(Repeat for bugs 2, 3 and 4)
Four little bugs went out to play,
On a spider’s web one day.
They got stuck, all in a bunch.
Along came spider, in time for lunch! (fifth child pretends to be the spider, coming to eat the bugs)
List continues below.
For more counting songs click through to see our collection of 15 Counting Rhymes and Songs collection – it includes a great, printable set of song sticks and song cards.
(to the tune of If You’re Happy and You Know It)There’s a spider on my knee – oh gee!
There’s a spider on my knee – oh gee!
There’s a spider on my knee
And he’s not afraid of me!
There’s a spider on my knee – oh gee!
The ants go marching one by one (hold up one finger)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching one by one,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb (pretend to suck thumb)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching two by two (hold up two fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching two by two,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching two by two,
The little one stops to tie his shoe (pretend to tie shoe)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching three by three (hold up three fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching three by three,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching three by three,
The little one stops to climb a tree (pretend to climb a tree)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching four by four (hold up four fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching four by four,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching four by four,
The little one stops to shut the door (pretend to shut a door)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching five by five (hold up five fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching five by five,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching five by five,
The little one stops to take a dive (pretend to dive)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching six by six,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching six by six,
The little one stops to pick up sticks (pretend to pick up sticks)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching seven by seven (hold up seven fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching seven by seven,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching seven by seven,
The little one stops to pray to heaven (hold hands as if praying)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching eight by eight (hold up eight fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching eight by eight,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching eight by eight,
The little one stops to shut the gate (pretend to shut a gate)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching nine by nine (hold up nine fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching nine by nine,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching nine by nine,
The little one stops to check the time (pretend to check wristwatch)
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
The ants go marching ten by ten (hold up ten fingers)
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching ten by ten,
Hoorah! Hoorah!
The ants go marching ten by ten,
The little one stops to shout
“THE END!!”
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider,
Who sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
The itsy, bitsy spider,
Climbed up the water spout. (place each thumb on opposite pinky finger and walk hands up and down)
Down came the rain, (wriggle fingers as hands move down to represent rain)
And washed the spider out.
Out came the sunshine, (raise hands, fingers spread like the sun)
And dried up all the rain.
And the itsy, bitsy spider,
Climbed up the spout again. (place each thumb on opposite pinky finger and walk hands up and down)
This short, adaptable rhyme that can be used in many different ways including revising the name of younger children, reading or spelling sight words with early readersVersion 1
Bippety Boppety Bumble Bee
Can you (say) your name for me?
Version 2
Bippety Boppety Bumble Bee
Can you (read) the word for me?
Alternative for both versions:
– whisper
– clap
– snap
– stomp
– spell
Here is the beehive, (make a fist)
Where are the bees?
Hiding inside where nobody sees.
Watch them come creeping out of the hive,
One, two, three, four, five. (release one finger at a time from the fist/hive)
…BUZZ-ZZZ (wiggle fingers all around)
Printing Instructions: Insect Finger Plays & Nursery Rhymes
Click here to download:
Insect Action Song & Finger Play Lyrics Printable
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