Bookbug's Big Shoogle!

Get ready for some Maths in Motion, with Bookbug's Big Shoogle!

Bookbug Week 2023 kicks off today, and what better way to getting things moving than with a shoogle to our favourite Bookbug counting songs.

Bookbug is Scotland's early years programme which supports families to read, sing, and play with their little ones - with book bags gifted to children between birth and P1, free story and rhyme time sessions, and a website bursting with resources for families to try at home.

Our Favourite Bookbug Counting Songs

The online Bookbug Song and Rhyme Library offers many songs and rhymes to have fun with your child and support their development. Each audio or video recording comes with a copy of the words, as well as tips on how to use them with children of different ages. You can filter the entries by language, theme or type, such as 'Counting'. We've had a browse and picked out some of our favourites:

Three Craws

Count up from 1 to 4 as you meet the three craws one by one - but what about craw number four?

>> Watch the Three Craws video

When I Was One

A fun song about going to sea aboard a pirate ship, counting up from 1 to 5.

>> Listen to the When I was One audio track

One, Two, Three, Four, Five…

This popular children's rhyme about a little fish counts up from 1 to 10.

>> Watch the One, Two, Three, Four, Five video

Five Currant Buns

This time we're counting down from 5 to 1, as the five currant buns from a baker's shop get bought one by one.

>> Watch the Five Currant Buns video

Five Little Ducks

Another song that counts down from 5 to 1, as five little ducks disappear one after another whilst out swimming.

>> Watch the Five Little Ducks video

Bookbug Playlists

As well as the Song and Rhyme Library, you'll find four playlists on the Bookbug website to choose from which include songs, rhymes, instrumental music and stories.

Each playlist is tailored to different ages, and comes with a full set of lyrics to download. We had another wee browse to highlight the songs and rhymes from each playlist that include counting:

Bookbug Hello Bump!

• Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
• Round and Round the Garden

Bookbug Hello Baby!

• Wind the Bobbin Up
• Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
• Aon, Dhá, Trì (Gaelic)
• Five Little Ducks
• Swing me over the water
• Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Bookbug Toddler

• Round and Round the Garden
• Five Little Ducks
• Three Craws

Bookbug Hello Explorer!

• Three Craws
• Zoom, Zoom, Zoom
• One, Two, Three, Four, Five
• Little Pebbles

The Bookbug App

Finally, if you're not near a computer to access the library or playlists, there's Bookbug on the go too, with Bookbug's Songs and Rhymes app. The app is free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

You can search the library of songs and rhymes by language, type or theme, look up the lyrics to sing along, or make up your own rhymes for the instrumental versions. There's stories to listen to as well.

You can also create your own playlists, by selecting the heart icon in the top right of any of the song, rhyme or story screens. Of course, we couldn't resist creating our own Counting Songs playlist!