Language focus: Counting down from 10 to 1, "Roll over!"

Classroom benefits: Ten in the Bed is an incredibly popular song with young learners. It's a great song for creative play and children will want to sing it over and over again. It's also great for introducing substraction.

Lyrics and actions:

(Thank you to Val in Argentina for introducing these actions to us!)

(Start with 10 students seated in ten chairs in a row. If you have more than 10 students, have part of the class watch and sing. If you have less than 10 students, start the song later or place stuffed animals on the extra chairs.)

Here we go!

There were ten in the bed (Hold up 10 fingers.)
and the little one said, (Hold your hands close together, indicating 'small'.)
"Roll over, roll over" (Roll hands around each other, or each student turns to the right and says, "Roll over! Roll over!")
So they all rolled over and one fell out. (Everyone rolls to the right and the student in the first chair 'falls out' of the bed.)

Nine! (Hold up 10 fingers and then take one away, leaving 9.)

There were nine in the bed (Hold up 9 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Eight! (Hold up 9 fingers and then take one away, leaving 8.)

There were eight in the bed (Hold up 8 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Seven! (Hold up 8 fingers and then take one away, leaving 7.)

There were seven in the bed (Hold up 7 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Six! (Hold up 7 fingers and then take one away, leaving 6.)

There were six in the bed (Hold up 6 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Five! (Hold up 6 fingers and then take one away, leaving 5.)

There were five in the bed (Hold up 5 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Four! (Hold up 5 fingers and then take one away, leaving 4.)

There were four in the bed (Hold up 4 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Three! (Hold up 4 fingers and then take one away, leaving 3.)

There were three in the bed (Hold up 3 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

Two! (Hold up 3 fingers and then take one away, leaving 2.)

There were two in the bed (Hold up 2 fingers.)
and the little one said,
"Roll over, roll over"
So they all rolled over and one fell out.

One! (Hold up 2 fingers and then take one away, leaving 1.)

There was one in the bed (Hold up 1 finger.)
and the little one said,
"I'm lonely...[sigh]" (The one remaining student lays down on the chair, then everyone shouts "WAKE UP!" and the student falls out of bed.)

Activity ideas:

If you have a Ten in the Bed storybook, try reading it as you sing the song together. The teacher or parent can sing, "There were ten in the bed and the little one said..." and the children sing "Roll over, roll over!"

If you have a class with 10 or more students, have 10 of the students act out the song while the other students sing! You can also use stuffed animals to act out the song, or try using finger puppets!

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