What children learn from counting songs at each age
- Toddlers learn the number words as a chant, usually one to five, long before they understand quantity.
- Preschoolers start matching one number to one object, which is the real skill behind counting. A song that pairs each number with a thing to touch helps.
- Five- and six-year-olds can count back from ten, count on from a number other than one, and count by twos, fives or tens.
Know which stage your child is at and ask for that. A song that races to 20 is fun to hear but teaches a three-year-old little.
What to type in the form
- The range: one to five, one to ten (the default) or one to twenty. Counting by tens to 100 fits in two minutes; counting by ones to 100 does not.
- Up or down: counting back from ten ends well with a "blast off" jump.
- Objects your child knows: ducks in the bath, buttons on a coat, apples in the bowl.
- An action per number: clap, stomp, jump, touch your nose.
- A name if you want one in the chorus, such as a child or the class teddy.
How to use it
Count real things while the song plays. Line up toy cars and touch each one on its number. Hold up fingers. After a few days, stop the song and ask "what comes next?" Play the same song every day for a week or two, then swap the objects for a new version so children count with understanding rather than reciting. In class, give five children a number card and ask them to stand in order when their number is sung.
Accuracy: check the counts
The writer is told to keep numbers in order and every fact correct, but read the lyrics before the song is made. Check that "three claps" is followed by three claps in the words, that subtraction verses add up (five ducks, one swims away, four are left) and that no number is skipped. The music model can blur similar words such as fourteen and forty, so listen to each version and keep the clearest.
How it works here
Pick playful for a bouncy song or singalong for a campfire feel, choose an age band and a voice, and add your details. Lyrics are ready about a minute after payment; you can change any word or ask for up to 3 new drafts. The song is sung in about 2 to 4 minutes, and you can make up to 3 versions. Download the MP3 or share the private page. See how it works.
Hear an example
Made with Still Morning for a made-up class, from these details: "Count from one to ten with things in our preschool garden: one red wheelbarrow, two watering cans, three snails, up to ten sunflowers. Clap once for each number. End by counting back from ten to one and jumping on zero.". Lyrics as the writer drafted them, before any edits.
[Verse 1] One red wheelbarrow, bumpy ride Two watering cans, side by side Three little snails, slow and small Four fat pumpkins by the wall Five green beetles, click and crawl Clap your hands and count them all [Chorus] Clap one, two, three Clap four, five, six Clap seven, eight, nine Clap ten, do a trick [Verse 2] Six wiggly worms in muddy ground Seven butterflies spinning round Eight ripe tomatoes, red and round Nine buzzing bees with a humming sound Ten tall sunflowers, look up high Waving at the bright blue sky [Chorus] Clap one, two, three Clap four, five, six Clap seven, eight, nine Clap ten, do a trick [Bridge] Now count back down, here we go Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one Zero means jump, jump up high [Chorus] Clap one, two, three Clap four, five, six Clap seven, eight, nine Clap ten, do a trick
What it cannot do
A two-minute song covers one to ten comfortably and one to twenty quickly; it cannot count to 100 by ones. It will not check whether your child understands quantity, so pair it with real objects. Some number words may be sung less clearly than others; make another version if one blurs.
Questions parents ask
What is a good counting song for a 3 year old?
One that counts to five or ten slowly, pairs each number with a thing they can see, and adds a simple action. Choose the toddler or preschool age band and ask for that pace.
Can the song count down instead of up?
Yes. Write "count down from ten to zero" in the details. Count-downs work well before nap time or as a tidy-up timer.
Can it count by twos, fives or tens?
Yes. Say which, and the range. For skip counting with older children, also see the times tables song page.
Can I make it about my child's favorite thing?
Yes, that is the point. Trains, dinosaurs, cupcakes or the family dog's toys. Add the child's first name if you want it in the chorus.
Can the song be in another language?
Yes. Songs can be sung in English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese or Italian. Counting is a good first song in a new language.
My child skips numbers when counting. Will a song help?
Skipping numbers, especially in the teens, is very common while children learn. A slow song that counts the same range every day gives them the sequence to copy. Count real things along with it, and keep the range small until the order is steady.
Updated 2026-10-17. Made with AI. The words come from an AI writer working from your details, and you approve them. The music and the voice come from an AI music model (not a human singer).