One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Languages: English, French
Ressource Type: song, nursery rhyme
Theme: numbers from 1 to 20, action
Age-range: infant-preschool, 3 – 7 years
Download the words of the song:
♦ One Two Buckle My Shoe Lyrics
“One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” (or just “1, 2, Buckle My Shoe“) is a traditional English nursery rhyme and counting-out rhyme first published in “Songs for the Nursery“ in London in 1805. Learning to count is one of the child earliest lessons. For this reason, counting rhymes have a long history and many have the status of nursery rhyme. “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” is an example of this kind. This funny traditional counting-out song, presented with attractive pictures, will teach kids how to count from 1 to 20: One, two…Buckle my shoe. Three, four…Knock at the door. Five, six…Pick up sticks. Seven, eight…Lay them straight. Nine, ten…A big, fat hen!
English Version:
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
One, two,
Buckle my shoe;
Three, four,
Knock at the door;
Five, six,
Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight,
Lay them straight;
Nine, ten,
A big fat hen;
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen,
Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen,
Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen,
Maids in waiting;
Nineteen, twenty,
My plate’s empty.
French Translation:
Un, deux, boucle ma chaussure
Un, deux,
Boucle ma chaussure ;
Trois, quatre,
Frappe à la porte ;
Cinq, six,
Ramasse des bâtons ;
Sept, huit,
Pose-les bien droit ;
Neuf, dix,
Une bonne poule grasse ;
Onze, douze,
Creuse et fouille ;
Treize, quatorze,
Des jeunes filles qui font la cour ;
Quinze, seize,
Des domestiques dans la cuisine ;
Dix-sept, dix-huit,
Des dames de compagnie ;
Dix-neuf, vingt,
Mon assiette est vide.
“One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” Original lyrics
(Recorded in Songs for the Nursery, published in London in 1805)
Thirteen, fourteen, draw the curtain,
Fifteen sixteen, the maid’s in the kitchen,
Seventeen, eighteen, she’s in waiting,
Nineteen, twenty, my stomach’s empty.
Culture and Vocabulary:
- Numbers from 1 to 20 ;
- shoe, door, sticks, hen, kitchen, empty, big, fat.
Grammar:
- Imperative verbs: lay, knock, dig, delve, buckle.
Phonology:
- presence of rhymes ;
- long vocalic sounds: /u:/ of shoe, /ɔr/ of door, /i:/ of thirteen, fourteen…
Teaching suggestions:
- give instructions.
I love how this post provides the lyrics in both French and English! It’s such a fun rhyme, and being able to print it is a fantastic bonus. Can’t wait to share this with my kids!