Five Little Monkeys Jumping on The Bed Nursery Rhyme- Lyrics, History, Video, Lesson Plans & More

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on The Bed is an American folk song that heavily uses finger play and counting down.

While the song and how it is sung are common knowledge, the song’s history might leave most people scratching their heads.

Like most nursery rhymes, the song roots ancient folk songs. It even has some controversy, with some people saying its basis is a racial song. But is it?

animation picture of monkeys on a bed and a doctor

That’s what I set out to find out. Read on for a closer look at the famous rhyme’s history and the lessons it can offer.

LYRICS

Lyrics For Five Little Monkeys Jumping On the Bed As Sung Today

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off 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 off 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 off and bumped his 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 off 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
He fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said
“Put those monkeys right to bed!”

No little monkeys jumping on the bed,
None fell off and bumped their head,
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,
“Put those monkeys back in bed!”

Alternate Version

This alternative version features monkeys on a tree instead of a bed. It also introduces an alligator and also gets rid of the doctor. Here is how it goes;

Five little monkeys swinging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey out of that tree!

Four little monkeys swinging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey out of that tree!

Three little monkeys swinging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey out of that tree!

Two little monkeys swinging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey out of that tree!

One little monkey swinging in a tree,
Teasing Mr. Alligator, “Can’t catch me!”
Along came Mr. Alligator, quiet as can be,
And snatched that monkey out of that tree!
No more monkeys swinging in a tree!

Other versions replace the monkey with another animal. The most common change was a frog. In those versions, the frogs are called froggies. So instead of the monkeys, it is froggies jumping on a bed. Pandas can also work, as you can see in the below video.

You can replace the monkeys with another animal and have fun singing the song as long as it rhymes.

Is it Little or Cheeky Monkeys?

Depending on where you are from in the world you may sing the lyrics as being Little Monkeys or as Cheeky Monkeys. It is up to you which you choose!

Full Original Lyrics for Five Little Monkeys Jumping on The Bed

Five Little Monkeys has no original lyrics. Its melody and rhyme are from another ancient folk song, Shortenin Bread.

Here is how the verses went:

Three little children, lying in bed
Two was sick, and the other ‘most dead
Send for the doctor, and the doctor said
“Feed them children on short’nin’ bread”
When those children, sick in bed,
Heard that talk ’bout shorte’nin’ bread.
They popped up well to dance and sing,
Skipping around and cut the pigeon wing.

THE HISTORY BEHIND FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED

How Did the Song Five Little Monkeys Come About?

Five Little Monkeys started as a famous plantation song in the 1890s, different from what we sing today. The song, Shortenin Bread, has the same tune and melody as the famous rhyme. However, it is unclear who first came up with the song.

Eileen Christelow, an American children’s book illustrator, has written a book series named Five Little Monkeys. But she doesn’t take credit for the original song, preferring to acknowledge she heard it from her daughter.

Though there are many versions by different people, there is little to show who the song’s original composer was.

WHAT DO THE WORDS IN FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED MEAN? DEFINITIONS

What Does the Rhyme Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Mean?

There is little to suggest the song has any hidden meaning since the author is unknown. But there have been texts that say the song has racial connotations. (More on that later)

The song doesn’t have a more profound meaning in the modern context. It is simply a way to entertain kids as they learn subtraction.

What is a Monkey?

A monkey is a long-tailed primate that lives on trees, mostly in tropical countries. Monkeys love to jump from tree to tree as they play or look for food. They are also known to be quite mischievous.

Perhaps that could explain why the little monkeys keep jumping on a bed even after a warning from the doctor!

Who Is a Doctor?

A doctor is a medical practitioner qualified to give medication to people and treat them.

What Is a Bed?

A bed is a furniture piece used to sleep or rest. It features a wooden structure with a soft mattress for someone to sleep or rest on.

What Does to Bump Your Head Mean?

To bump your head is to hit your head against something.

What Does Little Mean?

Little is an adjective to describe something small. Here, the monkeys are small.

What Does Mama mean?

Mama is an affectionate name for a mother. It is a name that has crossed many borders, with people in many countries referring to their female parents as mama.

What Hand Actions Go with the Five Little Monkeys Song?

You can use the below simple hand motions when singing the song.

Lyrics	Hand Movements for Five Little Monkeys
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed.	Hold up five fingers and bounce your hand like the fingers are jumping.
One fell off and bumped his head.	Hold up one finger. Then pat your head.
Mama called the doctor, and the doctor said,	Hold fingers like a phone and put it to face as though talking on the phone.
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed.”	Wag one finger back and forth or up and down.
Four little monkeys jumping on the bed.	Repeat actions for each verse, changing the number of fingers to match the verse.

INTERESTING FACTS & QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Is Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed a Racist Rhyme?

Although an innocent song for children, the song is said to have racist undertones. As we had earlier seen, the rhyme is from verses in the Shortenin Bread song.

Evidence from earlier anecdotes shows that the monkeys in the song might refer to colored people. The word monkeys were “darkies” or the plural of the “n word” to refer to people of color. Further evidence also shows the song could have been a derivative of Frank J. Green’s song, Ten Little Niggers.

The word monkey has also been used offensively to refer to people of color. That lends credence to the theory that the Five Little Monkeys song could have racist roots.

The song also relates to another offensive nursery rhyme, Ten Little Indians. They both can be traced back to Frank J. Green’s offensive adaptation.

But does that make the current version a racist nursery rhyme, though? As Eisa Nefertari Ulen writes for Reader’s Digest, children as young as four can tell basic racist stereotypes.

The current edit might seem a purely innocent song with zero references to black people. But then, the word monkey might be offensive to people of color that might have had to deal with the offensive word before.

So even if the initial song had clear racial undertones, the modern version fails to address the issue. Exchanging the words further entrenches the offensiveness of the song.

Though the song might have changed the offending words, guard your children’s minds against racist narratives.

Why Are There Only Five Little Monkeys?

Why only five little monkeys? Why not ten or twenty or thirty? I had listened to the song for a long time before I got around to wondering why they had to be only five monkeys.

This might have something to do with the fact we have five fingers on each of our hands. Therefore, counting down and representing each monkey with a finger or thumb is easy.

The number five adds nothing to the song; replacing it with a different number won’t affect it. In fact, different versions use six, seven, or even ten little monkeys instead of five.

So, if you feel like using a different number, feel free to do so if it rhymes and children enjoy it. Numbers between ten and twenty would do a number on the rhythm, though.

Does the Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed Rhyme Refer to Any Historical Persons?

The five little monkeys in the song don’t refer to any historical persons. Probably the number was only settled upon to make the song sound better. Therefore, it doesn’t refer to any historical persons.

Is Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed in The Public Domain?

Yes, Five Little Monkeys is a public-domain song. That means that no one has the copyright to it and that if you want to use the rhyme in your work, you can.

(Disclaimer: This is a general–not a legally confirmed fact, and you need to do more research into the laws in your jurisdiction/country to confirm you may use this song)

You can’t use someone’s song version since that’s not public domain material. You need their permission to use anyone’s version of Five Little Monkeys.

How Do You Sing Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed in Sign Language?

You can sing the song in sign language. Check the below resource from YouTube to see how to sing it that way.

FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED INSPIRED LESSON PLANS

The following is a selection of Lesson Plans inspired by the Five Little Monkeys nursery rhyme. You need to click on the images to go to the websites to learn more and download the resources.