One Two Buckle My Shoe

One, two, buckle my shoe,
Three, four, knock at the door,
Five, six, pick up sticks,
Seven, eight, lay them straight,
Nine, ten, a big fat hen!

Eleven, twelve, dig and delve,
Thirteen, fourteen, maids a-courting,
Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen,
Seventeen, eighteen, maids in waiting,
Nineteen, twenty, my plate's empty!

"One Two Buckle My Shoe" is an English counting rhyme recorded around 1805, pairing each number from one to twenty with a short rhyming action, from buckling a shoe to shutting a door. It works well for ages 3-8, as children move from counting small numbers to following a full sequence up to twenty. Early-childhood educators often favor this kind of rhyme because pairing each number with a vivid, rhyming image, rather than just reciting digits, helps children remember number order and builds early number sense ahead of formal math instruction. The rhyme's action-based pairs also invite movement, since children can mime buckling, knocking, or picking as they count along. Because it extends further than most counting rhymes, it also offers slightly older children a bit more challenge and a sense of accomplishment once they master the full sequence. Its long-standing place in English nursery rhyme collections has kept it a familiar counting tool across generations of classrooms and homes. For more counting-focused songs, see nursery rhymes that secretly teach math.

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