🛑 Racism
Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed – and all its derivatives – appears on our list of Problematic Songs because of its racist history.
The tune is also problematic, as it derives from a racist song – “Shortnin’ Bread.”
You can learn more about its history from these sources:
- 12 Childhood Nursery Rhymes You Didn’t Realize Were Racist
- The Racist Roots Of The “Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed” Chant
- 5 Children’s Songs With Racist Histories
- Uncle Devin (Devin Walker) on why he wrote “Count Our Numbers” as a replacement for “Five Little Monkeys”
- Derives from “Shortnin’ Bread”
đź’š Suggested replacement songs:
- Five Ants Marching Up a Tree (counts down from five)
- Five Little Pieces of Bubble Gum (counts down from five)
- Five Little Ducks (counts down from five)
- Five Green and Speckled Frogs (counts down from five)
- Count Our Numbers by Uncle Devon (goes up to 5 and back down)
- ¡Salta, Salta! — 123 Andrés (jumping)