Country Countdown 1-20
Tell the kids to put on their cowboy and cowgirl boots and hats before you begin.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 (Heel tap left and right as you count.)
Turn around and count back down. (Turn around.)
20 19 18 …..
*Why should you ask children to count forwards and backwards? This will help them understand one more, one less, and so forth.
Activities: Write numerals 1-20 on index cards and pass out to the children to hold up as you sing.
Shoelace Counting
Write numerals 1-20 on a cotton shoelace with a fabric marker. Slide a bead on the shoelace and move it up and down as you count.
*What’s one more than___? Two less than___?
Hint! Wouldn't this be a good project for a parent volunteer.
Math Line Up
Write numbers one to twenty (or as many as students in your class) on 3X5" cards. Shuffle the cards and hand one to each student. Have students line up in numerical order at the door. They put their cards in a basket by the door when they line up so the cards are ready to use next time.
*As the year progresses write higher numbers on the cards.
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah. (Hold up 1 finger.)
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah. (Put fist in the air and cheer.)
They all were red and the first one said:
“You’d better catch up, I’m way ahead.”
And they all went marching one by one by one.
The spiders go crawling two by two hurrah, hurrah… (Crawl 2 fingers.)
They were side by side and the second one cried,
“I wish I had someone to give me a ride.”
And they all went crawling two by two by two.
The birds go flying three by three hurrah, hurrah… (Hold up 3 fingers and
Their feet were bare as they flew through the air and pretend to fly.)
The third one said, “I’d like shoes to wear.”
And they all went flying three by three by three.
The rabbits go hopping four by four hurrah, hurrah… (Pretend to hop 4 fingers.)
They hipped and hopped and bounced and bopped—
The fourth one got tired and down she plopped.
And they all went hopping four by four by four.
The horses go galloping five by five hurrah, hurrah… (Gallop 5 fingers
The fifth in line said “I feel fine; tapping them on your thigh.)
“I love to gallop all the time.”
And they all went galloping five by five by five.
The fish go swimming six by six hurrah, hurrah… (Pretend to swim 6 fingers.)
Their tails went swish and the sixth one wished
He wouldn’t end up as a tasty dish.
And they all went swimming six by six by six.
The mice go creeping seven by seven hurrah, hurrah… (Creep 7 fingers up the
The seventh was meek, he let out a squeak: front of your body.)
“I can’t see a thing; I’m afraid to peek!”
And they all went creeping seven by seven by seven.
The worms go wiggling eight by eight hurrah, hurrah…(Wiggle 8 fingers.)
The eighth one thought, “It’s awfully hot—
I’d like to rest in a shady spot.”
But they all kept wiggling eight by eight by eight.
The monkeys go swinging nine by nine hurrah, hurrah… (Swing 9 fingers.)
The ninth one called to one and all,
“I hope you’ll catch me if I fall!”
And they all went swinging nine by nine by nine.
The kids go walking ten by ten hurrah, hurrah… (Hold up 10 fingers and
The tenth one knew they were so cool, pretend to walk.)
‘Cause they were on their way to school.
And they all went walking ten by ten by ten.
You can download a free book that goes with this song at drjean.org.
Activities: Let children take different verses and illustrate them. Put their pictures together to make a class book.
