Open, shut them, 
Open, shut them 
Give a little clap  

Open shut them, 
Open shut them 
Lay them in your lap 

Creep them, creep them 
Creep them, creep them 
Right up to your chin 

Open wide your little mouth 
But do not let them in!

Shake them, shake them
Shake them, shake them
Shake them just like this

Roll them, roll them
Roll them, roll them,
Blow a little kiss!

Alternative Lyrics:

Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.

Open, shut them
Open, shut them.
Put them in your lap, lap, lap.

Wave them, wave them,
Wave them, wave them,
High up in the sky, sky, sky.

Wave to me, I'll wave to you,
Let's all say "Bye, bye."

Alternative Lyrics:

Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Give a little clap, clap, clap.

Open, shut them.
Open, shut them.
Fold them in your lap, lap, lap.

Criss and cross them, (Students criss-cross legs.)
Criss and cross them,
Fold them on the floor floor floor.

Creep them creep them,
Creep them creep them,
No noises any more more more. (Students creep fingers up their arms and put them over their lips)

Hints and Tips:

• Actions -Open and close your hands when you sing "Open, shut them" and then follow the words to the song with the corresponding hand movements while you sing. On "do not let them in" hide your hands behind your back.

Ring-a-ring o' roses,

A pocket full of posies,

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!

We all fall down.

Alternative Lyrics:

Ring-a-round the rosie,
A pocket full of posies,

Ashes! Ashes!
We all fall down.

Alternative Lyrics:

Ring-a-round the rosie,
A pocket full of posies,

Hush! Hush! Hush! Hush!
We've all tumbled down.

Alternative Lyrics:

Ring-a-ring o' roses,
A pocket full of posies,

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all fall down.

The cows are in the meadow,
Eating buttercups.

A-tishoo! A-tishoo!
We all jump up.

Hints and Tips:

• Children hold hands and walk in a circle while singing this rhyme. When they sing "we all fall down" children drop their hands and fall onto the floor.
• Poster for this nursery rhyme can be found in the Printables section on this site. See: Rhymes Posters