The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching one by one, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching one by one, Little Ant shouts, "Let's have some fun!" And they all go marching down, to the ground, To find a friend — TAP, TAP, TAP! The ants go marching two by two, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching two by two, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching two by two, They find a beetle feeling blue. And they all go marching down, to the ground, "Come with us too!" — CLICK, CLICK, CLICK! The ants go marching three by three, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching three by three, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching three by three, A spider swings down from a tree. And they all go marching down, to the ground, So happily! — STOMP, STOMP, STOMP! The ants go marching four by four, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching four by four, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching four by four, A butterfly shouts, "Wait, there's more!" And they all go marching down, to the ground, Let's explore! — FLUTTER, FLUTTER, FLUTTER! The ants go marching five by five, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching five by five, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching five by five, A grasshopper leaps in with a jive! And they all go marching down, to the ground, Feel alive! — HOP, HOP, HOP! The ants go marching six by six, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching six by six, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching six by six, A ladybug shows off her tricks! And they all go marching down, to the ground, What a mix! — BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ! The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching seven by seven, A caterpillar says, "Hi, I'm Kevin!" And they all go marching down, to the ground, Oh what fun! — WIGGLE, WIGGLE, WIGGLE! The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching eight by eight, A dragonfly zooms in, "Am I late?" And they all go marching down, to the ground, "You're just great!" — ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM! The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching nine by nine, A worm pops up and joins the line! And they all go marching down, to the ground, Doing fine! — SQUELCH, SQUELCH, SQUELCH! The bugs go marching ten by ten, hurrah! Hurrah! The bugs go marching ten by ten, hurrah! Hurrah! The bugs go marching ten by ten, They're all best friends now — shout it then! And they all go marching down, to the ground, Round again! — HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY!
Ants Go Marching One by One
Download the App
Download the App Free & Create Your Own Stories
Make magical, interactive stories with your kids in seconds.
100% Kid-Safe
Ad Free
Perfect for ages 3 - 6
About Ants Go Marching
The Story of the Ants Go Marching One by One
The Ants Go Marching One by One is a classic counting song that has helped children learn their numbers for decades! While the ants in our story are busy making new friends like Kevin the Caterpillar and sparkly butterflies, the song itself has a very interesting history. It was inspired by a much older tune called "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" from the 1860s. Because ants are famous for marching in perfect lines, someone long ago decided they were the perfect characters for a fun counting parade!
Meaning and Lessons: Marching Together
Everyone is Welcome!: In our version of the story, the ants don't just march alone, they invite everyone they meet to join the fun! Whether it’s a beetle, a spider, or a ladybug, being kind and including others makes every adventure much more exciting. It's a great reminder that everything is better when we invite someone new to play.
Friends of All Shapes and Sizes: The ants make friends with bugs that hop, fly, and wiggle. Just like the ants, we can make friends with people who look or act differently than we do. Those differences are what make a parade—and a friendship—truly special!
Teamwork and Rhythm: When the bugs all march in one big happy line, they show how much we can achieve when we work together. Whether you are tidying up toys or playing a game, moving in rhythm and helping each other makes the work feel like play!
Ants Go Marching One by One Lyrics (Original Version)
Ready to practice your counting? Here are the complete Ants Go Marching lyrics that children have been singing and stomping to for years:
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one, the little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching two by two, the little one stops to tie his shoe,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching three by three, the little one stops to climb a tree,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching four by four, the little one stops to shut the door,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching five by five, the little one stops to take a dive,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching six by six, the little one stops to pick up sticks,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching seven by seven, the little one stops to check the time,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching eight by eight, the little one stops to shut the gate,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching nine by nine, the little one stops to check the time,
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching ten by ten, the little one stops to shout "The End!"
And they all go marching down to the ground, to get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!