Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History BookOpen Original Text um or a peach.
But if I should grow as old as you
Lots of little things these hands can do.
PAT A CAKE
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker's man.
So I do, master, as fast as I can.
Pat it, and prick it, and mark it with T,
And then it will serve for Tommy and me.
CLAP YOUR HANDS
Baby, Baby, clap your hands!
Where London's built, there London stands.
And there's a bed in London Town,
On which my Baby shall lie down.
THE BIRD'S NEST
_A Froebel Finger Play_
Here upon the leaves at rest
A little bird has built her nest.
Two tiny eggs within she's laid,
And many days beside them stayed.
Now she's happy; listen well!
Two baby birds break through the shell.
Don't you hear them? "Peep! peep! peep!
We love you, mother. Cheep! cheep! cheep!"
TWO LITTLE BLACKBIRDS
There were two blackbirds sitting on a hill,
(_Little pieces of paper perched on forefingers._)
One named Jack, the other named Jill.
Fly away, Jack; fly away, Jill.
(_Fingers soar gently in the air._)
Come again, Jack; come again, Jill.
(_Fingers fly back._)
MASTER SMITH
Is Master Smith within? Yes, that he is.
Can he set a shoe? Ay, marry, two.
Here a nail, and there a nail,
Tick--tack--too.
LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST
Little Robin Redbreast
Sat upon a rail,
(_Right hand extended in shape of a bird is poised
on extended forefinger of left hand._)
Niddle noddle went his head,
And waggle went his tail.
(_Little finger of right hand waggles from side to
side._)
GREETING
Good little Mother,
How do you do?
Dear strong "Daddy,"
Glad to see you!
Big tall Brother,
Pleased you are here.
Kind little Sister,
You need not fear,
Glad welcome we'll give you,
And Babykins, too.
Yes, Babykins,
How do you do?
A PLAY FOR THE ARMS
Pump, pump, pump,
Water, water, come;
Here a rush, there a gush,
Done, done, done.
THE LITTLE WINDOW
_A Froebel Finger Play_
Look, my dear, at this window clear.
See how the light shines through in here.
If you would always see the light,
Keep your heart's window clean and bright.
SING A SONG OF SIXPENCE
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four-and-twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie;
When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish
To set before the King?
The King was in his counting-house,
Counting out his money;
The Queen was in the parlor,
Eating bread and honey;
The maid was in the garden
Hanging out the clothes;
When up came a blackbird
And nipped off her nose.
(_At this line somebody's nose gets nipped._)
THE PIGEON HOUSE
_A Froebel Finger Play_
Now I'm going to open my pigeon-house door.
The pigeons fly out to the light,
Straight to the meadows so pleasant they soar,
And flutter about with delight.
But at evening they'll all come home at last,
And the door of the house I'll then shut fast.
SAID THIS LITTLE FAIRY
Said this little fairy, "I'm as thirsty as can be."
Said this little fairy, "I'm hungry, too, dear me!"
Said this little fairy, "Who'll tell us where to go?"
Said this little fairy, "I'm sure that I don't know."
Said this little fairy, "Let's brew some dewdrop tea."
So they sipped it and ate honey beneath the maple tree.
A BURROWING GAME
See the little mousie, creeping up the stair,
Looking for a warm nest--there, oh, there!
(_Mother's fingers creep up the body, and finally fumble in baby's neck._)
PAT A CAKE
_A Froebel Finger Play_
Baby, would you like to make
For yourself a little cake?
Pat it gently, smooth it down.
Baker says: "Now, in to brown;
Bring it here, baby dear,
While the oven fire burns clear."
"Baker, see, here is my cake;
Bake it well for baby's sake."
"In the oven, right deep down,
Here the cake will soon get brown."
A KNEE GAME
What do I see? Baby's knee.
Tickily, tickily, tic, tac, tee.
One for a penny, two for a pound;
Tickily, tickily, round and round.
A FOOT PLAY
Up, down--up, down.
One foot up and one foot down,
All the way to London town.
Tra la la la la la.
PUTTING THE FINGERS TO SLEEP
My fingers are so sleepy
It's time they went to bed,
So first, you Baby Finger
Tuck in your Little Head.
Ringman, come now its your turn,
And then come, Tallman Great;
Now, Pointer Finger, hurry
Because its getting late.
Let's see if all are snuggled.
No, here's one more to come,
So come, lie close, little brothers,
Make room for Master Thumb.
TEN LITTLE SQUIRRELS
Ten little squirrels up in a tree--
(_Ten fingers outspread._)
The first two said: "What do I see?"
(_Thumbs only._)
The next two said: "A man with a gun."
(_Forefingers only._)
The next two said: "Let's run, let's run."
(_Middle fingers only._)
The next two said: "Let's hide in the shade."
(_Ring fingers only._)
The last two said: "We're not afraid."
(_Little fingers only._)
Bang! went a gun.
(_Clap hands._)
Away they all run.
(_All fingers scamper off._)
MY LITTLE GARDEN
See my little garden,
How I rake it over,
Then I sow the little brown seeds,
And with soft earth cover.
Now the raindrops patter
On the earth so gayly;
See the big round sun smile
On my garden daily.
The little plant is waking;
Down the roots grow creeping;
Up now come the leaflets
Through the brown earth peeping.
Soon the buds will laugh up
Toward the springtime showers;
Soon my buds will open
Into happy flowers.
THE FAMILY[B]
BY EMILIE POULSSON
This is the mother, so busy at home,
Who loves her dear children, whatever may come.
This is the father, so brave and so strong,
Who works for his family all the day long.
This is the brother, who'll soon be a man,
He helps his good mother as much as he can.
This is the sister, so gentle and mild,
Who plays that the dolly is her little child.
This is the baby, all dimpled and sweet,
How soft his wee hands and his chubby pink feet!
Father, and mother, and children so dear,
Together you see them, one family here.
[B] From "Songs and Music of Froebel's Mother Play"; used by permission
of the publishers, D. Appleton & Co.
[Illustration: IN DREAMLAND]
JOHNNY SHALL HAVE A NEW BONNET
Johnny shall have a new bonnet,
And Johnny shall go to the fair,
And Johnny shall have a new ribbon
To tie up his bonny brown hair.
And why may not I love Johnny?
And why may not Johnny love me?
And why may not I love Johnny?
As well as another body?
And here's a leg for a stocking,
And here is a foot for a shoe,
And he has a kiss for his daddy,
And two for his mammy, I trow.
And why may not I love Johnny?
And why may not Johnny love me?
And why may not I love Johnny
As well as another body?
#RIDING SONGS for FATHER'S KNEE#
TO MARKET RIDE THE GENTLEMEN
To market ride the gentlemen,
So do we, so do we;
Then comes the country clown,
Hobbledy gee, Hobbledy gee;
First go the ladies, nim, nim, nim,
Next come the gentlemen, trim, trim, trim;
Then come the country clowns, gallop-a-trot.
HERE GOES MY LORD
Here goes my lord--
A trot! a trot! a trot! a trot!
Here goes my Previous Next |