All for Baby Lyrics
A finger play made of baby's favorite things: a ball, a hammer, clapping music, a row of soldiers, a trumpet, peek-a-boo, an umbrella and finally the cradle.
All for Baby
Here's a ball for Baby,
Big and soft and round!
Here is Baby's hammer,
O, how he can pound!
Here is Baby's music,
Clapping, clapping so!
Here are Baby's soldiers,
Standing in a row!
Here's the Baby's trumpet,
Toot-too-toot! too-too!
Here's the way that Baby
Plays at "Peep-a-boo!"
Here's a big umbrella,
Keep the Baby dry!
Here's the Baby's cradle,
Rock-a-baby-by!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/all-for-baby/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Finger play, spoken or sung
- Best for ages
- 6 months to 3 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Here's a ball for Baby | Curve your fingers and touch the tips to make a ball. |
| Here is Baby's hammer | Tap one fist on top of the other. |
| Clapping, clapping so | Clap your hands. |
| Here are Baby's soldiers | Hold up all ten fingers in a row. |
| Here's the Baby's trumpet | Put your fists to your mouth like a trumpet. |
| Plays at Peep-a-boo | Cover your eyes, then peek out. |
| Here's the Baby's cradle | Rock your arms like a cradle. |
What Does All for Baby Mean?
Each line is a toy or game, and each one has its own hand shape, so a baby can watch and slowly learn to copy. The rhyme moves from busy play (hammering, clapping, trumpeting) to quiet things at the end: an umbrella to keep dry and the cradle for sleep. That makes it a good rhyme for winding down.
History and Origin
The finger play comes from Emilie Poulsson's Finger Plays for Nursery and Kindergarten (1889), with music by Cornelia C. Roeske. It has been used with babies and toddlers in nurseries ever since.
Learning Activities
- Real toys: gather a ball, a toy hammer and a blanket and show each one as you say its line.
- Copy me: do the hand shapes slowly and let your baby try to copy.
- Wind down: say the last verse slowly and end with a real cuddle.