Often referred to as the Roll Over song, Ten in the Bed is a much-loved nursery rhyme but its origins are unknown. Children often enjoy acting out the narrative of the rhyme, but it’s best done on the floor to stop anyone from incurring an injury!
The rhyme provides a solid introduction to counting, giving youngsters the chance to count all the way down from ten to one. There are alternative versions of the lyrics available which reduce the headcount in the bed by two on each verse, making this rhyme useful for more advanced numeracy skills too.
The nursery rhyme was later adapted into a book for children in 1988 by Penny Dale, giving parents and children the opportunity to enjoy the fun of the story but at bedtime instead of playtime. It remains one of the most popular nursery rhymes for children, being credited for helping to teach children their first numbers.
Ten in the Bed Lyrics
There were ten in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and
one fell out
There were nine in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over
And one fell out
There were eight in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out
There were seven in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out
There were six in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out
There were five in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out
There were four in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out
There were three in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out
There were two in the bed
And the little one said,
“Roll over! Roll over!”
So they all rolled over and one fell out
There was one in the bed
And the little one said,
“Alone at last!”
“Good Night!”
Ten in the Bed Music Sheet
