Snip, snap crocodile

Poems + action and other rhymes for children

A wise old owl sat on an oak

Are you going to golf sir?

Here are grandma’s glasses

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck?

I wish I lived in a caravan

If you should meet a crocodile

Jack Frost is about!

Knock, knock, knock, knock

Looe

Moby Dick

Mousie, mousie

Old John Muddlecombe

Pussy willow

Rat-a-tat-tat

Six little mice

The cold old house

This is the boat, the golden boat

Under a stone where the earth was firm

Under the blanket

When you see a daffodil

Whisky Frisky

Have fun with this collection; it’s a great way to:

• increase verbal skills, expand vocabulary and horizons

• interact with a partner or larger groups and understand turn taking

• learn to follow or synchronise actions with each other

• learn to start and stop and discover the value of rules

• use children’s natural response to rhythm and rhyme

• sharpen listening skills

• improve memory

• continue the tradition of children’s verse from this and other countries

• be creative, there are many opportunities change words or actions, add verses, use different

voices or change roles

• above all to have lots of tremendous fun – even the most timid child will follow the rhyme

and with the group soon begin to join in.

The rhymes and poems below are part of ‘Away we go!’

compiled and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

Last updated: 12/22/2015 9:26 PM

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To watch and listen to the rhyme click on the title at:

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A wise old owl sat on an oak

I first came across this wise saying when it was put in my autograph book at the age of eleven in the 1950s. It can be found in the Opie’s Oxford dictionary of Nursery Rhymes.

Find out more about this rhyme at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Wise_Old_Owl .

A wise old owl sat in an oak,

The more he heard the less he spoke,

The less he spoke the more he heard,

Why aren’t we all like that a wise old bird?

Are you going to golf sir?

A question and answer rhyme. Traditionally it is played as a playground ball game.

Sit the children in two lines facing and looking at each other. Once the children are familiar with the rhyme each group take turns to ask and answer questions using good expression (make sure you sound quizzical for the questions). Swap over. Who was most effective? Why? Encourage use of different voices – loud, soft, angry, amused. What other voices could they use?

Are you going to golf sir?

No sir.

Why sir?

Because I’ve got a cold sir.

Where did you get the cold sir?

Up at the North Pole sir.

What were you doing there sir?

Catching polar bears sir.

How many did you catch sir?

One sir, two sir, three sir, four sir, five sir, six sir, seven sir, eight sir, nine sir, ten sir

– that’s all there were sir!

Indicate counting fingers to ten.

Shrug and throw out hands.

Here are grandma’s glasses

Glasses are among the most desirable objects for young babies – shiny and great to put in the mouth but with a bit of luck they might learn how to place them back on their owner’s nose especially if it belongs to grandma or granddad having a nap!

Here are grandma’s glasses,

Here is grandma’s hat,

This is the way she folds her hands

And puts them in her lap.

Here are grandad’s glasses,

Here is grandad’s hat,

This is the way he folds his arms

And has a little nap.

Make glasses with thumbs and fore fingers.

Make hat above head.

Link hands.

Place in lap.

Make larger glasses with thumbs and fore fingers.

Make a big hat above head.

Fold arms.

Place in lap.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck?

A tongue twister.

Challenge yourself and say it faster each time.

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck,

If a woodchuck could chuck wood?

As much wood as a woodchuck could chuck,

If a woodchuck could chuck wood?

I wish I lived in a caravan O

William Brighty Rands was a Victorian children’s poet who also wrote ‘Gypsy Jane’ and a thoughtful poem ‘The world’.

I wish I lived in a caravan,

With a horse to drive, like the pedlar man!

Where he comes from nobody knows,

Or where he goes to, but on he goes.

His caravan has windows two,

And a chimney of tin that the smoke comes through,

He has a wife and a baby brown,

And they go riding from town to town.

Chairs to mend and delf to sell -

He clashes the basins like a bell.

Tea-trays, baskets, ranged in order,

Plates, with the alphabet round the border.

The roads are brown and the sea is green,

But his house is just like a bathing machine.

The world is round, but he can ride,

Rumble, and splash to the other side.

With the pedlar-man I should like to roam,

And write a book when I came home.

All the people would read my book,

Just like the Travels of Captain Cook.

If you should meet a crocodile

A crocodile is not a pet and is not there to be petted!

If you should meet a crocodile

Don’t take a stick and poke him

Ignore the welcome in his smile,

Be careful not to stroke him.

For as he sits upon the Nile,

He thinner gets and thinner;

And whenever you meet a crocodile,…

He’s ready for his dinner!

SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!

Wag finger back and forth.

Wag finger from side to side and poke.

Draw big smile with two fore fingers.

Stroke back of hand.

Put one hand on top of the other, open and close.

Move palms slowly together.

Wag finger back and forth.

Rub tummy.

Extend arms, open and close.

Jack Frost is about!

A poem for winter by Cecily E. Pike.

Explore the wonderful ice patterns made on windows and trees.

Look out! Look out!

Jack Frost is about!

He s after our fingers and toes;

And all through the night,

The gay little sprite

Is working where nobody knows.

He’ll climb each tree,

So nimble is he,

His silvery powder he’ll shake.

To windows he’ll creep,

And while we’re asleep,

Such wonderful pictures he’ll make.

Across the grass

He’ll merrily pass,

And change all its greenness to white;

Then home he will go,

And laugh “Ho! ho! ho!

What fun I have had in the night!”

Knock, knock, knock, knock

From the ‘Young Puffin book of verse’; not sure if it is still politically correct!

Knock, knock, knock, knock,

Hear the knockings four!

Each a knock for someone standing

At our kitchen door.

The first is a beggar man,

The second is a thief,

The third is a pirate,

And the fourth a robber chief.

Close all the windows,

Lock the door, and then

Call for the policeman quick

To catch those four bad men!

Looe

Hooray! Once again the trains are running through Exeter on their way to Looe and other parts of Cornwall after this year’s winter storms (2014) made the journey impossible. Once steam trains followed the same route and this poem by Roland Egan makes the excitement of the journey feel real.

Imitate the rhythm of the train when reciting this poem.

Make lines trains with hands on shoulders – move with a shuffle Don’t forget to wave and stoop down through the tunnel.

Bidderly-do, bidderly-do,

I'm on a train and I'm off to Looe.

Ra-ta-ta-tar, ra-ta-ta-tar,

I'm going to visit my Grandmamma.

Tickety-tack, tickety-tack,

Into a tunnel that's ever so black.

A-rumpety-tum, a-rumpety-tum,

I'm taking a present to Granny from Mum.

Tickety-boo, tickety-boo,

I always enjoy the journey to Looe.

Chi-chi-chi-choo,

Chi-chi-chi...........CHOO!

Moby Dick

A wonderful poem by R.C. Scriven.

Whales are the biggest mammals in the world which makes them a very attractive topic for young children; like many adults they can begin to understand the difficulties faced by whale populations in our world.

Moby Dick is the great white whale with a tiny little eye and a big black tail.

He snorts and wallows where the icebergs roll round and round the huge North Pole.

The ice at the Pole is ten feet thick.

What do I care?

What do I care? - asks Moby Dick.

I’m Moby Dick the great white whale with a tiny little eye and a big black tail

And I make my breakfast and my dinner and my tea

Of all the little fishes in the deep blue sea.

Mousie, mousie

A poem by Rose Fyleman.

Rose Fyleman is a wonderful children’s poet and you will find many more delightful rhymes

for 4-8 year olds in any anthology that includes her work.

More favourites by this poet: ‘The goblin’, ‘I think mice are rather nice’, ‘Wanted’.

Mousie, mousie,

Where is your wee little housie?

Here is the door,

Under the floor,

Said mousie, mousie.

Mousie, mousie,

May I come into your housie?

You can’t get in,

You have to be thin,

Said mousie, mousie.

Mousie, mousie,

Won’t you come out of your housie?

I’m sorry to say,

I’m busy all day,

Said mousie, mousie.

Old John Muddlecombe O

Losing things is common problem for the elderly but the young also have their moments of forgetfulness; a song to be enjoyed by all.

Old John Muddlecombe

Couldn’t find his hat.

He looked for it everywhere,

Poor old chap.

He went down the high street

And everybody said.

Silly Johnny Muddlecombe;

Your hat is on your head!

Pussy willow

A poem by Aileen Fisher.

Creep around the room with a sprig of pussy willow. Stroke it gently across the children’s cheek as they sit with eyes closed.

Close your eyes

And do not peep

And I’ll rub Spring

Across your cheek-

Smooth as satin,

Soft and sleek-

Close your eyes

And do not peep.

Rat-a-tat-tat

Another question and answer rhyme. Mime actions.

Rat-a-tat-tat

Who is that?

Only grandma’s pussy cat

What do you want?

A pint of milk

Where’s your money?

In my pocket

Where’s your pocket?

Oh I forgot it

Oh you silly old pussy cat!

Six little mice

Not all stories for children end happily and flattery can be successful. C’est la vie!

Six little mice sat down to spin.

Pussy passed by and she peeped in.

"What are you doing my fine little men?"

"We’re weaving coats for gentlemen."

"Can I come in and cut off your threads?"

"Oh no, Mistress Pussy, you'd bite off our heads."

Said pussy, “I think you’re wonderfully wise,

I love your long whiskers and your round black eyes.”

The mice were so pleased that they opened their doors.

And pussy soon laid them all dead on the floor!

Spin with first fingers and thumbs. Make hands into creeping paws. Slyly.

Spin with first fingers and thumbs.

Snip with fingers two and three.

Draw finger across throat.

In a flattering voice.

Indicate whiskers and eyes.

Open tiny door enthusiastically.

Sweep hand across.

The cold old house O

This anonymous rhyme came from BBC Radio’s wonderful Poetry Corner, Spring 1973; Tune by Dany Rosevear.

I know a house, and a cold old house,

A cold old house by the sea.

If I were a mouse in that cold old house,

What a cold, cold mouse I’d be!

This is the boat, the golden boat

A traditional rhyme that conjures up brilliant images. Some times the little men are ‘fairy’ or ‘ferry’ men.

The last four lines are written by Mary Thienes Schunemann in ‘Sing a song with baby’.

Line 1. Cup hands together and make them sway 2. Move hands like the waves 3. Interlace fingers with palms up 4. Lower and raise fingers 5. Show ten fingers 6. Fingers run 7. Interlace fingers with palms up 8. Lower and raise fingers 9. Cup hands together and make them sway 10. Move hands like the waves 11. Make a circle with thumbs and forefingers 12. Wiggle fingers 13. Cup hands together and make them move forward 14. Lift hands and cross them on the heart 15. Move hands like the waves

This is the boat, the golden boat,

That sails on the silvery sea.

These are the oars of ivory white,

That lift and dip, that lift and dip.

Here are the ten little sailor men,

Running along, running along,

To take the oars of ivory white

That lift and dip, that lift and dip,

That move the boat, the golden boat,

Over the silvery sea.

Here is the moon so big and round,

That shines on the boat

That is homeward bound;

Back to the harbour safe and sound,

From its sail on the silvery sea.

Under a stone where the earth was firm

A hand rhyme.

Discover other creatures under stones, logs and other vegetation. There is a world of fascinating minibeasts to be found.

Under a stone where the earth was firm,

I found a wriggly, wriggly worm;

(use forefinger for worm and cover with other hand)

‘Good morning’, I said.

‘How are you today?’

(uncover the forefinger)

But the wriggly worm just wriggled away! (wriggle forefinger up other arm)

Under the blanket

A poem for camping

Under the dark there is a star,

Under the star there is a tree,

Under the tree there is a blanket,

Under the blanket there is me!

When you see a daffodil

A poem by Aileen Fisher

When you see a daffodil

and know it’s spring,

all the songs inside of you

begin to sing.

Whisky, Frisky

A poem for Autumn

Whisky Frisky,

Hipperty hop,

Up he goes

To the tree top.

Whirly, twirly,

Round and round,

Down he scampers

To the ground.

Furly, curly,

What a tail,

Tall as a feather,

Broad as a sail.

Where's his supper?

In the shell,

Snappy, cracky,

Out it fell.

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