Nursery rhymes and songs/Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,

One fell down 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 down and bumped his 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 down and bumped her 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 down and bumped his head,

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,

No more monkeys jumping on the bed!

One little monkey jumping on the bed,

She fell down and bumped her head,

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,

Put those monkeys back to bed!


Five Little Monkeys is a popular counting-out nursery rhyme, similar in nature to “Five Little Ducks” or Five Little Speckled Frogs.

Five Little Monkeys Finger Play

The song has an associated fingerplay, each verse being represented by an action. First the number of the monkeys left jumping on the bed is shown, followed by a hand falling and tapping one’s head (signifying a bump in the head). This is followed by a hand gesture mimicking a telephone call (calling the doctor) and wagging the finger during the last part (No more monkeys jumping on the bed).