"Five Little Ducks" is an American nursery rhyme. The rhyme also has an associated finger play. Canadian children's folk singer Raffi released it as a single from the Rise and Shine (1982) album. Denise Fleming's 2016 picture book 5 Little Ducks tells a reimagined version of the song. The Wiggles would also release it on their Wake Up Jeff album.
Like all folk songs, the exact wording varies. A common variant is:
Five little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away.
Mummy duck said, "quack quack quack quack,"
But only four little ducks came back.
Four little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away.
Mummy duck said, "quack quack quack quack,"
But only three little ducks came back.
Three little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away.
Mummy duck said, "quack quack quack quack,"
But only two little ducks came back.
Two little ducks went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away.
Mummy duck said, "quack quack quack quack,"
But only one little duck came back.
One little duck went swimming one day,
Over the hills and far away.
Mummy duck said, "quack quack quack quack,"
And five little ducks came swimming back.
Hold up five fingers
Wave hand as if going up and down a hill
Make opening and closing motion with hand, as if a beak
Hold up four fingers
Repeat actions,
using the corresponding number of fingers
as the numbers count down.
On some recordings of the song, the tune of the lullaby "Hush, Little Baby" is used.
