Chinese Nursery Rhymes! This is our Chinese teaching resource for the Summer Chinese Reading Program.
Chinese Nursery Rhymes are catchy and fun. Do kids love singing nursery rhymes? YES! If you have ever seen kids in preschool or kindergarten you know how they sing with big smiles and loud voice. Can you teach kids Chinese nursery rhymes easily? Absolutely! I have 12 Chinese nursery rhymes that are entertaining for kids and for you to get the fun started. The first part of the songs has a social skill theme. The second part has a Chinese classic song and an English one that is translated into Chinese. The third section features animals. You will also enjoy Chinese Sing and Learn.
Chinese Nursery Rhymes!
Benefits of Singing Chinese Nursery Rhymes with Kids
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Early Stories:
Every Chinese nursery rhyme is a story. These are short stories that go with music. Chinese nursery rhymes are wonderful for babies, wiggly toddlers, curious preschoolers and big kids. The rhymes keep their attention. The movement makes the experience engaging.
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Language Skills:
Language development connects with nursery rhymes. Singing the same nursery rhymes everyday let your kids get to know the tunes and the patterns of the lyrics. The more you sing to your baby, the more you talk to your child and the more you read to your little one…all that will boost your kids’ language development.
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Vocabulary Building:
Chinese Rhymes and their rhythms help kids hear the sounds and tones of Chinese language. The repetition of words and phrases help kids remember the pattern, the sequence, and the vocabulary. It is the first literacy experience for young kids. Nursery rhymes help children to develop an ear for the target language. Furthermore, they will help kids build up vocabulary.
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Creativity:
Create movement for nursery rhymes, do coloring for rhymes, draw for it, and talk about the words or lyrics of each rhyme. It is like creating a mini movie with rhymes. Later, when kids start to read on their own this visualization is like creating a brain movie. It will help with reading comprehension.
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Social and communication skills:
Children learn social skills through nursery rhymes. Singing nursery rhymes can be a family activity or a group activity. There is also humor in the rhymes so ask questions. Replace words in rhymes when kids are familiar with them. Ask your children to take the lead to replace a word or two in a rhyme and see if you get some giggles. I’ve done it with my kids and students. The laughter always keeps escalating. Have fun!
Here is a fun selection of top Chinese nursery rhymes for any time and anywhere!
I have included video links in the titles. The online dictionary MDGB tool in this post will help you to understand the Chinese characters if you need any assistance.
1 Hello song: Lyrics and music by Amanda Miss Panda
(Make sure you download the printable for this song!)
Traditional Chinese:
你好! 你好! 你好嗎? 很好! 很好! 謝謝你!
Pinyin:
Nǐ hǎo! nǐ hǎo! nǐ hǎo ma? hěn hǎo! hěn hǎo! xiè xiè nǐ!
Simplified Chinese:
你好! 你好! 你好吗? 很好! 很好! 谢谢你!
English translation:
Hello! Hello! How are you? Very well! Very well! Thank you!
2 Where Are My Friends
一二三四五六七。 我的朋友在哪里？ 在这里！ 在这里！ 我的朋友在这里。
English translation:
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Where are my friends?
They’re here! They’re here! My friends are here.
3 Happy Birthday
(Make sure you download the printable for this song!)
Zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè, zhù shēngrì kuàilè, zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè.
祝你生日快乐，祝你生日快乐，祝生日快乐，祝你生日快乐。
English translation:
Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!
Chinese Nursery Rhymes sampler printables
4 The More We Get Together
當我們同在一起，在一起，在一起，當我們同在一起，其快樂無比。
你對著我笑嘻嘻，我對著你笑哈哈，當我們同在一起，其快樂無比。
Dāng wǒ men tóng zài yī qǐ, zài yī qǐ, zài yī qǐ, dāng wǒ men tóng zài yī qǐ, qí kuài lè wú bǐ.
Nǐ duì zhe wǒ xiào xī xī, wǒ duì zhe nǐ xiào hā hā, dāng wǒ men tóng zài yī qǐ, qí kuài lè wú bǐ.
当我们同在一起，在一起，在一起，当我们同在一起，其快乐无比。
你对着我笑嘻嘻，我对着你笑哈哈，当我们同在一起，其快乐无比。
English translation:
They more we get together, together, together. The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
You smile at me. I smile at you. The more we get together the happier we’ll be.
5 Little Sister Carrying Her Doll
妹妹揹著洋娃娃，走到花園來看花，
娃娃哭了叫媽媽，樹上小鳥笑哈哈。
Mèi mei bèi zhe yáng wá wá, zǒu dào huā yuán lái kàn huā,
wá wá kū le jiào mā mā, shù shàng xiǎo niǎo xiào hā hā.
妹妹背着洋娃娃，走到花园来看花，
娃娃哭了叫妈妈，树上小鸟笑哈哈。
English translation
Little sister carrying a doll, walking to the garden and looking at the flowers.
The doll is crying and is asking for mommy. Birds on the trees are laughing.
6 Paper, Scissors and Rock
好朋友 我們行個禮，握握手 來猜拳。
石頭 布 看誰贏。輸了 就要跟我走。
Hǎo péng yǒu wǒ men xíng gè lǐ, wò wò shǒu lái cāi quán.
Shí tou bù kàn shéi yíng. Shū le jiù yào gēn wǒ zǒu.
好朋友 我们行个礼，握握手 来猜拳。
石头 布 看谁赢。 输了 就要跟我走。
English translation:
Good friends, let’s salute, shake hands, and play cloth, scissors, rock.
rock, cloth…who’s wining. If you lose you will follow me.
7 A Bamboo Flute Tune
一根紫竹直苗苗，送給寶寶做管蕭。
蕭兒對正口，口兒對正蕭，蕭中吹出詩新調，
小寶寶，一滴一滴學會了，
小寶寶，一滴一滴學會了。
Yī gēn zǐ zhú zhí miáo miáo, sòng gěi bǎo bǎo zuò guǎn xiāo.
Xiāo er duì zhèng kǒu, kǒu er duì zhèng xiāo, xiāo zhōng chuī chū shī xīn diào,
xiǎo bǎo bǎo, yī di yī di xué huì liao,
xiǎo bǎo bǎo, yī di yī di xuéhuì liao.
一根紫竹直苗苗，送给宝宝做管萧。
萧儿对正口，口儿对正萧，萧中吹出诗新调，
小宝宝，一滴一滴学会了，
小宝宝，一滴一滴学会了。
English translation:
One bamboo stick is straight and straight. It is a gift for Bao Bao to make a flute.
Hold the flute to the mouth. Place the mouth to the flute. When you blow to the flute there is a new tune.
Little *Bao Bao learns little by little.
Little Bao Bao learns little by little.
**Bao Bao is a common name Chinese parents call their child. It literally means “precious.”
8 London Bridge (Watch the remix of London Bridge in Miss Panda’s Babies & Tots Chinese Immersion class!)
倫敦鐵橋垮下來，垮下來，垮下來，
倫敦鐵橋垮下來，就要垮下來。
Lún dūn tiě qiáo kuǎ xià lái, kuǎ xià lái, kuǎ xià lái,
lún dūn tiě qiáo kuǎ xià lái, jiù yào kuǎ xià lái.
伦敦铁桥垮下来，垮下来，垮下来，
伦敦铁桥垮下来，就要垮下来。
English Translation:
London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down, is about to fall down.
9 Hunting for a Tiger
一二三四五，上山打老虎，老虎打不到，碰到小松鼠。
松鼠有幾個？讓我數一數，數來又數去，
一二三四五，。
Yī’èr sān sì wǔ, shàng shān dǎ lǎo hǔ, lǎo hǔ dǎ bù dào, pèng dào xiǎo sōng shǔ.
Sōng shǔ yǒu jǐ gè? Ràng wǒ shǔ yī shǔ, shǔ lái yòu shù qù,
yī’èr sān sì wǔ.
一二三四五，上山打老虎，老虎打不到，碰到小松鼠。
松鼠有几个？让我数一数，数来又数去，
一二三四五
English Translation:
One, two, three, four, five. Hiking up to the mountain hunting for a tiger. There are no tigers but there are little squirrels.
How many squirrels are there? Let me count. I count and count.
One, two, three, four, five.
10 Two Tigers
兩隻老虎，兩隻老虎，跑的快 跑的快，
一隻沒有眼睛，一隻沒有尾巴，真奇怪！真奇怪！
Liǎng zhī lǎo hǔ, liǎng zhī lǎo hǔ, pǎo de kuài pǎo de kuài,
yī zhǐ méi yǒu yǎn jīng, yī zhǐ méi yǒu wěi bā, zhēn qí guài! Zhēn qí guài!
两只老虎，两只老虎，跑的快 跑的快，
一只没有眼睛，一只没有尾巴，真奇怪！真奇怪！
English translation:
Two tigers. Two tigers. Running fast. Running fast.
One has no eyes. One has no tail. How strange! How strange!
11 A Pug
一隻哈巴狗，坐在大門口，眼睛黑黝黝，想吃肉骨頭，
一隻哈巴狗，吃完肉骨頭，尾巴搖一搖，向我點點頭。
Yī zhǐ hǎ bā gǒu, zuò zài dà mén kǒu, yǎn jīng hēi yǒu yǒu, xiǎng chī ròu gǔ tou,
yī zhǐ hǎ bā gǒu, chī wán ròu gǔ tou, wěi bā yáo yī yáo, xiàng wǒ diǎn diǎn tóu.
一只哈巴狗，坐在大门口，眼睛黑黝黝，想吃肉骨头，
一只哈巴狗，吃完肉骨头，尾巴摇一摇，向我点点头。
English translation:
One pug sits by the front door. Dark black eyes. It wants to have bones with some meat.
One pug finishes eating bones with some meat. Waggling the tail and nodding its head to me.
12 Elephant
大象 大象 你的鼻子為什麼那麼長？
媽媽說鼻子長才是漂亮。
大象 大象 你的鼻子為什麼那麼長？
媽媽說鼻子長才是漂亮。
Dà xiàng dà xiàng nǐ de bízi wèishéme nàme zhǎng?
Māmā shuō bízi zhǎng cái shì piàoliang.
Dà xiàng dà xiàng nǐ de bízi wèishéme nàme zhǎng?
Māmā shuō bízi zhǎng cái shì piàoliang.
大象 大象 你的鼻子为什么那么长？
妈妈说鼻子长才是漂亮。
大象 大象 你的鼻子为什么那么长？
妈妈说鼻子长才是漂亮。
English Translation:
Elephant, elephant, why is your nose so long?
Mama said: Long nose is beautiful.
Elephant, elephant, why is your nose so long?
Mama said: Long nose is beautiful.
13 Little Bees
嗡嗡嗡 嗡嗡嗡 大家一起去做工
來匆匆 去匆匆 做工興味濃
天暖花好不做工 將來哪裡好過冬
嗡嗡嗡 嗡嗡嗡 別學懶惰蟲
Wēng wēng wēng wēng wēng wēng dàjiā yì qǐ qù zuògōng
lái cōngcōng qù cōngcōng zuògōng xìngwèi nóng
tiān nuǎn huā hǎobù zuògōng jiānglái nǎlǐ hǎo guòdōng
wēng wēng wēng wēng wēng wēng bié xué lǎnduò chóng
嗡嗡嗡 嗡嗡嗡 大家一起去做工
来匆匆 去匆匆 做工兴味浓
天暖花好不做工 将来哪里好过冬
嗡嗡嗡 嗡嗡嗡 别学懒惰虫
English translation:
(Buzzing sound) Buzz. Buzz. Let’s head to work.
Come in a hurry and go in a hurry. It’s fun to work.
When the weather is warm we don’t work how can we (stock up) and have a nice winter?
(Buzzing sound) Buzz. Buzz. Don’t be a lazy bug.
Chinese Teaching Resources: Chinese Nursery Rhymes sampler printables download
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