Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Lyrics

This American nursery favorite has no single credited author, having spread through oral tradition before landing in print collections during the 20th century, and its bouncy countdown structure has made it a staple of toddler music ever since. It works well for ages 2-6, with the monkeys disappearing one by one giving little ones a playful, low-stakes way to practice counting backward from five. Early-childhood educators often use songs with a shrinking or growing number set like this one to build early number sense before children can count independently, since the pattern repeats with just enough variation to hold attention. The mischievous "jumping on the bed" premise also invites physical acting out, which helps children link movement to language and numbers at the same time. Parents often notice their child anticipating the next verse's number before it's sung, a small but real sign that repetition is doing its job. To see more songs that build number skills this way, check out the best counting songs that help toddlers learn numbers.

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

One little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"Put those monkeys straight to bed!"