Songs and Rhymes About 
​Insects

Here  is a collection of the words for some songs and rhymes that coordinate with the  popular early childhood theme "Insects",  and can be used when planning activities and curriculum for young children.

Insects theme activity printables

Sung to: "She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain"
Oh, the ants are busy, busy as can be.
Oh, the ants are busy, busy as can be.
See them dig and dig and dig.
Lots of tunnels, oh, so big.
Oh, the ants are busy, busy as can be.
 
 
 Sung to: "When John Comes Marching Home"
The ants came marching two by two, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants came marching two by two, hurrah! hurrah!
The ants came marching two by two
The little one stopped to tie his shoe.
They all go marching down in the ground and out of the rain,
Boom, Boom, Boom.
 Other Verses:
The ants came marching three by three...
The little one stopped to climb a tree.
The ants came marching four by four....
The little one stopped to shut the door....
The ants came marching five by five...
The little one stopped to take a dive....
… The ants came marching ten by ten
The little one stopped to say THE END!
 
 
Once I saw an ant hill with no ants about.
(fist with fingers tucked in)
So I said, "Dear little ants, won't you come out?"
Then, as if the little ants had heard my call,
One, two, three, four, five come out-
(fingers are extended)
And that was all!
 
 
Ants, ants everywhere
Ants on my apple,
Ants on my pear.
Ants at a picnic
Are not so great.
I see five crawling
On my plate!

 
 Sung to: "Do Your Ears Hang Low"
Can you wiggle like a worm?
Can you squiggle? Can you squirm?
Can you flutter? Can you fly like a gentle butterfly?
Can you crawl upon the ground
Like a beetle that is round?
Can you move with me?
Can you flip? Can you flop?
Can you give a little hop?
Can you slither like a snake?
Can you give a little shake?
Can you dance like bee
Who is buzzing round a tree?
Can you move with me?
 

(tune of When Johnny Comes Marching Home)
A bee is buzzing round the room,
Buzz buzz, buzz buzz.
A bee is buzzing round the room,
Buzz buzz, buzz buzz.
He'll buzz around the room once more,
And then he'll buzz right out the door.
And we'll all be glad when
He is gone once more.
 

Here is the bee hive (hold fist together)
But where are all the bees (hold up hands)
Hiding away where nobody sees
Here they came creeping out of the hive
1,2,3,4,5 (Hold up fingers one at a time)
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz   (You can also use both hands and have 10 bees.)
 

Here is the chrysalis on a twig on a tree
Something is stirring. Let's wait and see
Something comes out with wings folded tight
Now they are spreading all ready for flight
It's a beautiful fluttery butterfly
Away it goes flying - goodbye, goodbye.
 

(Tune: Adams Family)
My tummy is fat (snap, snap)
I like it like that (snap, snap)
I wiggle around
I jiggle around
My tummy is fat (snap, snap)
I'm a striped caterpillar
I'm such a chubby feller
I love to eat and eat
Those leaves are a treat (repeat first 5 lines)
 

When strolling through the garden
You should chance to see
A ladybug out walking,
Please say hi for me
For a ladybug is a good bug
And she helps the garden grow
She's supposed to bring good luck
So be sure to say hello.
 
 
One little ladybug
(hold up one finger)
With spots on its wings
Landed right beside me 
As I played on the swings
Two little ladybugs
(hold up two fingers)
Flew around a flower, 
Then crawled beneath a leaf
(one hand over two fingers)
To nap for half an hour.
(lay heads on hands)
 

Sung to: "Oh Christmas Tree"
Oh, butterfly, Oh, butterfly
Oh how I love your colors.
Oh, butterfly, Oh, butterfly
Oh how I love your colors.
You fly so high and beautiful,
You are so soft and fragile,
Oh, butterfly, Oh, butterfly,
How I love your colors.
 

Sung to: Skip to my Lou
I'm a tiny egg under a leaf
I'm a tiny egg under a leaf
I'm a tiny egg under a leaf
That's the first part of my metamorphosis.

I'm a hungry caterpillar eating up leaves
I'm a hungry caterpillar eating up leaves
I'm a hungry caterpillar eating up leaves
That's the second part of my metamorphosis.

I make a chrysalis and take a nap inside
I make a chrysalis and take a nap inside
I make a chrysalis and take a nap inside
That's the third part of my metamorphosis.

I wake up and emerge as a butterfly
I wake up and emerge as a butterfly
I wake up and emerge as a butterfly
That's the fourth part of my metamorphosis
 


A  friendly caterpillar
(Fingers crawl up arm)
Made its  chrysalis one day.
(close hands together)
It turned into a butterfly
(Open hands with thumbs hooked together)
And quickly flew away.  (flap hands)


What do you suppose?
A bee sat on my nose.
Then what do you think?
He gave me a wink
And said, "I beg your pardon,
I thought you were the garden!"
 

 Sung to: "A- Hunting we will go"
A-hunting we will go
A -hunting we will go
We'll catch a (insert any insect here)
and put it in a box
(loudly) and then we'll let it go!
 
Sung to: Old MacDonald
I'm a termite in a log
Living peacefully
I bore through wood and eat my fill
It's a rotten home for me
With a crunch, crunch, gulp
And a crunch, crunch, gulp
Firewood, plywood
Any kind of wood would
Suit me fine and always be
A rotten home for me!
 

 Sung to: "Do your ears hang low"
Do you like to buzz.
Are you covered all in fuzz?
Do you call a hive a home
In the garden where you roam?
Do you know how to make honey,
Are your stripes a little funny?
Do you like to buzz?
 

 Sung to: La Cucaracha)
Little grasshopper, little grasshopper,
Hop across the grassy land.
Little grasshopper, little grasshopper,
Hop into my open hand.
Little grasshopper, little grasshopper,
Sweet and green as you can be.
Little grasshopper, little grasshopper,
Hop away so safe and free.
 

Sung to: "Over the River"
 Over the river, along the trail,
 The hikers march along.
 And as they go, they love to sing
 Their favorite hiking song.
 
 Over the river, along the trail,
 They love to hike and sing.
 They're filled with all the wonders
 A nature hike can bring.


Please email if you have a song to add, or if you find a broken link. 
Your comments and ideas are always welcome.

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