American Chant · Elementary Music · Grades PreK–6
A classic American counting-out chant that sneaks in tiri-ti rhythm, steady beat, and a little mental math — all at the same time.
American counting-out chant
About this chant
Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum in a Dish is one of the most recognized counting-out chants in American childhood. Most students already know it before they walk into your classroom — which makes it an ideal teaching tool. Because the chant is familiar, students can focus entirely on the musical concept being introduced rather than spending energy learning new words.
It's also unusually rich for such a short text. The word "bubblegum" alone is a perfect vehicle for teaching the tiri-ti (sixteenth-eighth) rhythm pattern — three syllables that fall naturally into that pattern every single time. The chant also reviews ti-tiri (the reverse pattern).
Add steady beat pointing and a number-selection game — complete with spontaneous mental math — and you have a complete lesson in under two minutes.
Teaching guide
Sit or stand in a circle. Point to a new child on every beat — steady and even. On the word "wish," the child you land on says a number between 1 and 10. The pointing must be strictly on the beat, because the count only works out fairly if the beat is steady.
Continue pointing from where you stopped, counting out the number the child chose. The child you land on at the end is selected — for a solo, a special role, or to go first in the next activity.
Older students will quickly figure out which number to say so the count lands on themselves or a friend. This is spontaneous, genuine arithmetic — no worksheets required. It's worth pointing out to the class once you notice it happening.
Once the chant is well known, draw students' attention to the word "bubblegum." Have them clap or pat the syllables: bub-ble-gum. That three-syllable pattern is tiri-ti — two sixteenth notes followed by an eighth note. Because the fit is so natural, students recognize the pattern immediately once you point it out.
What teachers say
"I use this chant to choose who goes first in almost every game. The kids love it — and I love that it's actually teaching tiri-ti at the same time."
"The mental math moment is one of my favorite things to observe. By 3rd grade, students are calculating before I've even finished the chant. It never fails to amuse me."
"'Bubblegum' is the perfect tiri-ti word. Once students hear the pattern in that word, they start finding it everywhere. That's when you know the concept has really landed."
Related songs
The classic counting-out chant with a guessing game element — tiri-tiri, AA form, and a gentle solo singing moment.
See teaching guide →A railroad counting-out chant with multiple game variations — excellent for steady beat and a natural context for quarter and eighth note rhythms.
See teaching guide →A selection game in do-based pentatonic with a delightful surprise ending — one of the most versatile songs in the early elementary repertoire.
See teaching guide →Common questions
Because the word "bubblegum" is a natural, effortless match for the tiri-ti pattern. Students don't have to think about fitting syllables to a rhythm — it just lands. Once they feel tiri-ti in "bubblegum," they can recognize and apply it anywhere. The chant also reviews ti-tiri (the reverse pattern), making it doubly useful.
Model it clearly first, then have students clap the beat while you point. If the beat wavers, stop and reset — the counting only works out fairly if every beat is even. The game itself creates natural accountability: if the count doesn't land where students expect, they notice immediately.
PreK through 6th grade. Younger students enjoy the familiar words and the game. Older students engage with the rhythm analysis and the mental math strategy involved in choosing a number. The chant is short enough to use as a quick warmup or transition activity at any grade level.
The real problem
Every teacher knows this feeling. You find a song, try it on Monday, and something goes sideways — the kids don't engage, you're not sure how to introduce it, the lesson loses momentum. It's not that the song was wrong. You just didn't have a clear picture of how it actually goes.
That's what makes The Singing Classroom different. Every song in the library — including this one — has a full video of Deborah teaching it with real students. You don't have to guess how to introduce it, how to structure the activity, or how to handle the tricky moments. You watch it. Then you teach it.
150+ songs. Every one demonstrated. No more hoping it works — you already know it will.
The real problem
Every teacher knows this feeling. You find a song, try it on Monday, and something goes sideways — the kids don't engage, you're not sure how to introduce it, the lesson loses momentum. It's not that the song was wrong. You just didn't have a clear picture of how it actually goes.
That's what makes The Singing Classroom different. Every song in the library — including this one — has a full video of Deborah teaching it with real students. You don't have to guess how to introduce it, how to structure the activity, or how to handle the tricky moments. You watch it. Then you teach it.
150+ songs. Every one demonstrated. No more hoping it works — you already know it will.
The real problem
Every teacher knows this feeling. You find a song, try it on Monday, and something goes sideways — the kids don't engage, you're not sure how to introduce it, the lesson loses momentum. It's not that the song was wrong. You just didn't have a clear picture of how it actually goes.
That's what makes The Singing Classroom different. Every song in the library — including this one — has a full video of Deborah teaching it with real students. You don't have to guess how to introduce it, how to structure the activity, or how to handle the tricky moments. You watch it. Then you teach it.
150+ songs. Every one demonstrated. No more hoping it works — you already know it will.
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