# Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

“Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” is a countdown fingerplay of uncertain origin in which the monkeys fall from the bed one by one.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Unknown |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | In circulation before Eileen Christelow’s 1989 picture-book adaptation |
| Best for ages | 2–6 |
| Mood | counting, playful, educational |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/five-little-monkeys-jumping-on-the-bed/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

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

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

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

One little monkey jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more jumping on the bed!”

## How to sing it

1. Begin slowly so everyone can hear the repeated words and the action cue.
2. Use five fingers as monkeys, fold one down after each bump, mime the telephone, and keep all jumping imaginary.
3. Repeat the song once and invite a different child to lead the cues.

## Common questions

**Did Eileen Christelow write Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed?**

Eileen Christelow adapted the fingerplay as a picture book in 1989, but she says she had learned the rhyme from her preschool-age daughter and that it was already in the public domain. Its earlier author, date and place of origin remain unknown.

**Why does Five Little Monkeys count down to zero?**

Each repeated verse removes one monkey after a fall, changing five to four and continuing until none are left. That repeated one-less pattern makes the rhyme a simple subtraction activity as well as a fingerplay.

## Sources

- [Eileen Christelow — history of the rhyme](https://christelow.com/portfolio_page/five-little-monkeys-jumping-on-the-bed-by-eileen-christelow/)