Beyond the Nursery: Spanish Rhymes for Kids Who Love to Learn
As a child, I always thought my parents did a great job of teaching me Spanish rhymes that filled my friends and I with excitement. In addition to that, my school taught me English nursery rhymes, and this opened my world and made me feel amazing for knowing two languages!
Most of us grew up learning new songs and nursery rhymes during our childhood and the thought of it brings back happy memories. As a parent, you want to open the doors to the world for your kids, and you know that Spanish is the key. While exploring ways to learn and become proficient in Spanish, incorporate Spanish rhymes into the learning process! Your kids will definitely enjoy them!
What are Spanish Rhymes?
Before jumping to all the Spanish rhymes, let’s quickly talk about what they are. These short songs and verses can help children develop a specific language by listening, singing, and even reading them. They have different styles, subjects, and rhythms; but most of them are marked by the use of rhymes and repetitions that make them easy to remember.
Note that there are many versions of them, so although all the versions of one same rhyme talk about the same topic, they don’t always have the exact same words. But that’s the beauty of learning a new language, you can always find new vocabulary words. So, now that we’re on the same page, let’s get to the Spanish rhymes.
Itsy Bitsy Araña
This is the Spanish version of “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” It’s important to know that this Spanish rhyme has many title versions, including Wisti Witsi Araña, Ipsi Dipsi Araña, Winsi Winsi Araña, Bigsi Fitsy Araña, among others, but they’re basically the same, just with some different words.
It goes like this:
Itsy Bitsy araña
subió por la pared.
Vino la lluvia,
y se la llevó.
Salió el sol,
y se secó la lluvia.
Itsy Bitsy araña,
otra vez subió.
Listen to the full Spanish nursery rhyme here: YouTube
The following vocabulary words might be helpful to your children! You’ll find a list of words in each song so you can practice different texts with them.
- la araña – spider
- la pared – wall
- la lluvia – rain
- el sol – sun
Estrellita, ¿dónde estás?
This is “Twinke Twinkle Little Star” in Spanish. It’s one of the most popular and easiest Spanish rhymes, so you should definitely practice it with your children.
Estrellita, ¿dónde estás?
Quiero verte titilar.
En el cielo sobre el mar,
un diamante de verdad.
Estrellita, ¿dónde estás?
Me pregunto qué serás.
Listen to it here: YouTube (from 0:10 to 1:20)
Vocabulary words:
- la estrellita – little star
- titilar – to twinkle
- el cielo – sky
- el mar – sea
- el diamante – diamond
Cabeza, hombros, rodillas y pies
This is the Spanish version of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” This Spanish rhyme is mostly taught in English, but there’s also this version that can be helpful to practice the parts of the body.
Cabeza, hombros, rodillas, pies
Rodillas, pies
Cabeza, hombros, rodillas, pies
rodillas, pies
Y ojos, orejas, boca y nariz
Cabeza, hombros, rodillas, pies
Rodillas, pies
Listen to it here: YouTube (from 0:00 to 1:27)
Vocabulary words:
- la cabeza – head
- los hombros – shoulders
- las rodillas – knees
- los pies – feet
- los ojos – eyes
- las orejas – ears
- la boca – mouth
- la nariz – nose
Arroz con leche
This Spanish rhyme is about how someone wants to marry a cute woman who knows how to sew and embroider, and most of all, that knows how to open the door to go play. It’s very popular in Spanish culture, kids learn it in kindergarten and have lots of fun with it.
Arroz con leche me quiero casar
con una señorita de la capital.
Que sepa coser,
que sepa bordar,
Que sepa abrir la puerta para ir a jugar.
Con esta sí,
Con esta no,
con esta señorita me caso yo.
Yo soy la viudita del barrio del rey,
me quiero casar y no sé con quién.
Con esta sí,
Con esta no,
Con esta señorita me caso yo.
Listen to it here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- el arroz – rice
- la leche – milk
- casar – to marry
- la señorita – miss
- coser – to sew
- bordar – to embroider
- la puerta – door
- jugar – to play
La vaca lechera
This Spanish rhymes is about someone who has a “milky cow” that gives milk and enjoys taking walks in the meadow. The first stanza is the most famous one. In fact, native Spanish-speaking kids usually just learn the first verse because the second one has some tricky words for them. Still, it’s a great opportunity to teach them new vocabulary!
Tengo una vaca lechera,
no es una vaca cualquiera.
Me da leche condensada,
ay qué vaca más salada.
Tolón, tolón,
tolón tolón.
Un cencerro le he comprado,
y a mi vaca le ha gustado.
Se pasea por el prado,
Mata moscas con el rabo.
Tolón, tolón,
tolón, tolón.
Listen to the Spanish rhyme here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- la vaca – cow
- la leche condensada – condensed milk
- el cencerro – cowbell
- el prado – meadow
- las moscas – flies
Los pollitos dicen
This Spanish rhyme is all about little chickens who talk to their mom when they’re hungry or cold. At the same time, their mom covers them with her wings and keeps them warm. It’s easily recognized in the Spanish culture and every kid knows it!
Los pollitos dicen pio, pio, pio
Cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frío.
La gallina busca el maíz y el trigo,
les da la comida y les presta abrigo.
Bajo sus dos alas, acurrucaditos,
Y hasta el otro día, duermen calentitos.
Los pollitos dicen pio, pio, pio
Cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frío.
La gallina busca el maíz y el trigo
Les da la comida y les presta abrigo.
Bajo sus dos alas, acurrucaditos
Y hasta el otro día, duermen los pollitos.
Listen to the Spanish rhyme here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- los pollitos – little chicken
- el frío – cold
- la gallina – hen
- el maíz – corn
- las alas – wings
Tengo una muñeca vestida de azul
A small doll wearing a blue dress, white shoes, and a tulle apron is sick! Now it’s time for her owner to take care of her. Then, she learns some multiplication tables and is ready to go play with her friends! This Spanish rhyme can be super helpful for teaching your kids basic multiplication tables.
Tengo una muñeca vestida de azul
Zapatitos blancos, delantal de tul
La llevé a paseo y se me constipó
La tengo en la cama con mucho dolor.
Esta mañanita me dijo el doctor
Que le dé jarabe con un tenedor.
Dos y dos son cuatro, cuatro y dos son seis
Seis y dos son ocho y ocho, dieciséis.
Ya me sé las tablas de multiplicar
Ya he hecho los deberes, vamos a jugar.
Listen to it here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- la muñeca – doll
- el azul – blue
- los zapatitos – small shoes
- la cama – bed
- el tenedor – fork
- dos – two
- cuatro – four
- seis – six
- ocho – eight
¡Que llueva!
This time some kinds are asking for the clouds to rain. They say the birds sing and the moon wakes up when this happens, so they want a chaparrón (downpour). This one’s very easy to learn and it’s fun how when kids see that there’s a chance of raining, they sing this Spanish rhyme all together and hope the clouds give them some rain.
Que llueva, que llueva
la virgen de la cueva.
Los pajaritos cantan,
la luna se levanta.
Que sí, que no
que caiga un chaparrón.
Que sí, que no
Le canta el labrador.
Listen to it here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- llover – to rain
- la cueva – cave
- cantar – to sing
- la luna – moon
Pimpón
Pimpón is a handsome, cardboard doll who likes to wash his face with water and soap. He combs his hair and even if he pulls it a little bit, he doesn’t cry. It’s like the perfect song to show to your kid that they can have good hygiene habits and still have fun.
Pimpón es un muñeco
muy guapo y de cartón
se lava la carita con agua y con jabón.
Pimpón siempre se peina
con peine de marfil
y aunque se hace tirones
no llora ni hace así.
Pimpón dame la mano
con un fuerte apretón
que quiero ser tu amigo
Pimpón, Pimpón, Pimpón
Listen to the Spanish rhyme here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- guapo – handsome
- el cartón – cardboard
- el agua – water
- el jabón – soap
- llorar – to cry
- la mano – hand
- el amigo – friend
Rock de la ovejita
I personally loved this Spanish rhyme when I was a child. It’s about a sheep’s rockin’ style and how with other sheep they give wool, milk, and even butter. It’s super fun to learn and parents love it, too!
Rock, rock, rock de la ovejita
rock, rock, rock de la ovejita
rock, rock, rock de la ovejita
Cantemos y bailemos todos juntos
El rock de la ovejita.
Tengo tengo tengo,
tú no tienes nada.
Tengo tres ovejas en una cabaña.
Una me da leche,
otra me da lana,
y otra mantequilla para toda la semana.
Rock, rock, rock de la ovejita
rock, rock, rock de la ovejita
rock, rock, rock de la ovejita
Cantemos y bailemos todos juntos
El rock de la ovejita.
Listen to the full combined version here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- la oveja – sheep
- cantar – to sing
- bailar – to dance
- la cabaña – cabin
- la lana – wool
Hickory Dickory Dock
This is the Spanish version for “Hickory Dickory Dock.” It’s short, easy and similar to the English version.
Hickory, Dickory, Dock,
el ratón subió al reloj.
Marcó la una,
el ratón bajó.
Hickory, Dickory, Dock.
Listen to the full Spanish rhyme here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- el ratón – mouse
- el reloj – clock
- uno – one
Un elefante se balanceaba
This is a must know! One elephant starts swinging in a cobweb, and because it resists the weight, she decides to add more elephants. It’s great for really young children because it’s repetitive. The only thing that changes is the number of elephants swinging in the cobweb, which empowers your child to learn how to count.
Un elefante se balanceaba
Sobre la tela de una araña.
Como veía que resistía,
fue a llamar a otro elefante.
Dos elefantes se balanceaban
Sobre la tela de una araña.
Como veían que resistía,
fueron a llamar a otro elefante.
(and it goes on and on).
Listen to the Spanish rhyme here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- el elefante – elephant
- balancear – to swing
- la tela de araña – cobweb
- llamar – to call
Si las gotas de lluvia fueran de caramelo
One of the favorites, this Spanish rhyme talks about how if drops were made of caramel, we’d love to be under the rain to taste them; if snowflakes were made of malted milk, we’d love to be there; and if sun rays were made of chocolate ice cream, we’d definitely enjoy them. Children have lots of fun opening their mouths and pretending they actually eat some caramel drops.
Si las gotas de lluvia
fueran de caramelo
me encantaría estar ahí
abriendo la boca
para saborear
ahahahaha (x2)
Si los copos de nieve
fueran leche malteada
me encantaría estar ahí
abriendo la boca
para saborear
ahahahaha (x2)
Si los rayos de sol
fueran helado de chocolate
me encantaría estar ahí
abriendo la boca para saborear
ahahaha (x2)
Si las gotas de lluvia
fueran de caramelo
me encantaría estar ahí
abriendo la boca
para saborear
ahahahaha (x2)
Listen to it here: YouTube
Vocabulary words:
- las gotas – drops
- la lluvia – rain
- el caramelo – caramel
- la boca – mouth
- el copo de nieve – snowflake
- el rayo de sol – sun ray
- el helado – ice cream
- el chocolate – chocolate
Time to Sing Along with Your Kids!
Now that you’ve seen some of the most popular Spanish rhymes for your children, tell me what you thought of them! Did you know some of them already? Did you like one in particular or think your kids will? In the end, the most important thing is to bring these songs to real life and learn in a fun way!
If you’d like to encourage your child to sing or speak with a native Spanish speaker, we offer different programs for kids at HSA that will help them achieve their language goals and improve their confidence. Our kid-friendly, certified teachers will be happy to show them what this beautiful language has to offer. Try a free class with your kids and see how they maximize their potential!
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