This Old Man Lyrics

A classic English counting song first published around 1906. Each verse counts from one to ten, with a fun 'knick-knack paddywhack' refrain that children love to repeat. Best for ages 2–6. The rhyming pairs (one/thumb, two/shoe, three/knee) train phonological awareness — the ear for matching word endings — which is the single strongest predictor of later reading ability. Use it on long car rides where you can sing all ten verses, or pair with body-part-pointing on each verse for sensory integration. For more rhyme-and-counting pairings, see [best counting songs for preschoolers](/blog/best-counting-songs-preschoolers).

This old man, he played one,
He played knick-knack on my thumb.
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played two,
He played knick-knack on my shoe.
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played three,
He played knick-knack on my knee.
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played four,
He played knick-knack on my door.
With a knick-knack paddywhack, give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.