Children's Song Lyrics: Apples and Bananas

You may remember Raffi singing this kid classic when you were little. Whether your own kid is already singing this tune or you're looking for new songs to sing together, Apples and Bananas is a great choice. It's not only fun and silly, but it teaches letter sounds and encourages early literacy.

This children's song is a fantastic way to introduce vowel sounds to young children while having fun! Here are the lyrics to "Apples and Bananas":

I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas I like to eat, eat, eat apples and bananas

I like to ate, ate, ate ay-pples and bay-nay-nays I like to ate, ate, ate ay-pples and bay-nay-nays

I like to eat, eat, eat ee-pples and bee-nee-nees I like to eat, eat, eat ee-pples and bee-nee-nees

I like to ite, ite, ite i-pples and bi-ni-nis I like to ite, ite, ite i-pples and bi-ni-nis

I like to ote, ote, ote oh-pples and bo-no-nos I like to ote, ote, ote oh-pples and bo-no-nos

I like to ute, ute, ute oo-pples and boo-noo-noos I like to ute, ute, ute oo-pples and boo-noo-noos

The Origins and Popularity of "Apples and Bananas"

While the exact origins of this catchy song are unclear, it became popular in the 1980s when Canadian children's musician Raffi included it on his 1980 album "Singable Songs for the Very Young." But all signs point to this song existing well before Raffi, passed down through generations as a playful language exercise.

What makes "Apples and Bananas" special is its educational value wrapped in a fun, silly package. The song cleverly teaches phonics and vowel sounds by substituting different vowels throughout the verses. This simple yet effective approach has made it a staple in preschools, kindergartens and music classes for decades.

Why Kids Love It

Children are naturally drawn to "Apples and Bananas". The song's repetitive structure makes it easy to learn and remember, while the silly wordplay makes it fun. Kids delight in the challenge of changing vowel sounds and often giggle at the nonsensical variations of "apples and bananas."

From an educational perspective, the song is a great introduction to phonemic awareness—a crucial pre-reading skill. As children sing along, they practice manipulating sounds within words, building fundamental literacy skills without even realizing they're learning.

The song's enduring appeal across generations speaks to its balance of learning and entertainment, making it a timeless classic.