OCEAN Songs and Rhymes 

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

Ocean theme activities and free printables
Songs and rhymes index
Down in the meadow in a little bitty pool
Swam two little fishies & a mama fishie too.
"Swim," said the mama fishie, "Swim if you can."
And they swam & they swam all over the dam.
Boop Boop Dittem Dattem What-tem Chu!
Boop Boop Dittem Dattem What-tem Chu!
Boop Boop Dittem Dattem What-tem Chu!
And they swam & they swam all over the dam.
 
 
 Five cranky crabs were digging on the shore.
One swam into a net and then there were four.
Four cranky crabs were floating in the sea.
One got tangled up in seaweed then there were three.
Three cranky crabs were wondering what to do.
One dug a deep, deep hole. Then there were two.
Two cranky crabs were warming in the sun.
One got scooped up in a cup. Then there was one.
One cranky crab was smarter than his friends.
He hid between the jagged rocks.
That's how the story ends.


Sung to: "Adam's Family Theme"
When they get into the notion
They jump out of the ocean
With tail fluke locomotion,
The Dolphin family
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea
Live in a pod
Swim in the sea, eee eee

I bet you didn't suppose
Their blow hole was their nose
And in and out the air goes
The Dolphin family
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea, eee eee
Swim in the sea,
Live in a pod
Swim in the sea, eee eee
 

 Sung to: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
Sticky, sticky little starfish,
How I wonder what you are,
Beneath the sea so cool and blue
Can you see me as I see you?
Sticky, sticky little starfish
Beneath the sea so cool and blue


Sung to: "I've Been Working on the Railroad"
 I went swimming in the ocean
On a summer day. 
I went swimming in the ocean
And kicked, and splashed and played.
After lunch we looked for seashells
I found three or four -
You can hold one up to your ear,
And hear the ocean roar. 
You can hear the ocean roar,
Hear the ocean roar 
Hear the ocean roar roar roar, 
Hear the ocean roar, roar, roar.
And hear the ocean roar. 
 
 
Once I saw an octopus
In the deep blue sea.  (Point downward)
I called, "Mr. Octopus,
Won't you swim with me?"  (Cup hands around mouth)
Then out came his tentacles,
So very long and straight,  (extend eight fingers.)
One and two and three and four,
Five and six and seven and eight.  (Count on fingers.)


 Three little fish, three little fish
See how they swim, see how they swim
Round and Round and fast they go
Now they are going very slow
Three little fish, three little fish
 

Sung to: "I'm a little teapot"
I'm a humpback whale, 
I'm very strong.
I leap about
And sing a song.
I like to eat my fill
In the Northern Sea.
But in the winter,
South I flee.
 
I am a beluga,
I'm all white.
From head to tail
I'm quite a sight.
You can hear me singing
Way up north,
Playing and swimming
Back and forth.
 
I'm a mighty orca
Black and white.
In the sea
I'm a beautiful sight.
I'm not very big,
But I am sleek. 
I hunt for my food
Cause I have teeth.
 
 
Sung to: "Doo-wa diddy diddy"
 There I was just swimming in the sea
Singing do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee
 All the sudden there's a dolphin next to me
Singing do wah diddy diddy dum diddy dee
She swam fast, (she swam fast)
She dove deep (she dove deep)
She swam fast she dove deep
Hey this dolphin's pretty neat!!
 More verses:
Dolphin-swimming
Crab-pinching
Whale - breaching
Shark- swimming
 
 
Five little sea creatures
On the ocean floor;
The lobster walked away
Now there are four.
Four little sea creatures
Living in the sea,
The octopus crept away
Now there are three.
Three little sea creatures
Wondering what to do;
"Good-bye," said the starfish
Now there are two.
Two little sea creatures
Not having much fun;
Off swam the sea horse
Now there is one.
One little hermit crab
Sad and all alone,
Back came the starfish,
Back came the sea horse,
Back came the octopus,
Back came the lobster,
Then all five went home.
 
 
Five little seashells sleeping on the shore,
(5 fingers)
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were four.
Four little seashells quiet as can be
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were three.
Three little seashells pearly and new
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were two.
Two little seashells having great fun
Swish! went a big wave, and then there was one.
One little seashell lying in the sun
Swish! went a big wave, and then there were none.
Five little seashells gone out to sea,
Wait until morning and they'll come back to me.


One day, a little shell washed up
Out of the waves at sea.
I held the shell up to my ear,
And I heard it sing to me.
Sh -- sh -- sh -- sh!
A little shell washed up one day,
And lay upon the sand.
It sang a song about the sea,
As I held it in my hand.
Sh -- sh -- sh -- sh!


Holding up a seashell
(hold fist to ear)
Tightly to my ear.
Shh! It's telling me a secret
(Other hand holds finger to lips),
That only I can hear!


 One, two, three, four, five
I caught a fish alive.
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
The little finger on the right.
 

(Chant and action rhyme)
Let's make the motion of the ocean!
Jiggle like a jelly fish
Creep like a sea snail
Soar like an eagle
Wiggle like an eel
Float like a sea otter
Bark like a seal
Walk forward, backward, and sideways like a crab.
 

The fish in the sea go swim, swim, swim
swim, swim, swim,
swim, swim, swim
The fish in the sea go swim, swim, swim
In the deep blue sea.
More verses:
The lobsters in the sea go pinch, pinch, pinch
The octopus in the sea go wiggle, wiggle, wiggle

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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