A Sailor Went to Sea facts for kids

"A Sailor Went to Sea" is a popular children's nursery rhyme that many kids enjoy! It's often used as a clapping game and a skipping rhyme, which means you can sing it while playing with friends or jumping rope. This fun rhyme was first known as 'My Father Went to Sea' before its name changed to the one we know today. It's usually sung to the lively tune of The Sailor's Hornpipe, a traditional dance tune often associated with sailors.

What is "A Sailor Went to Sea"?

This simple rhyme is a great example of a nursery rhyme, which is a short poem or song for young children. It helps kids learn about words and sounds. When played as a clapping game, children often do actions like touching their nose, knee, or ear each time the word "see" is sung. As a skipping rhyme, kids jump rope to the rhythm of the song, making it a fun way to exercise and play.

The Words and Music

The tune for "A Sailor Went to Sea" is called "The Sailor's Hornpipe". This is a very old and famous folk tune that has been around for hundreds of years. It's often played with a lively beat, perfect for dancing or, in this case, singing a catchy rhyme.

The Rhyme's Lyrics

Here are the words to "A Sailor Went to Sea":

A sailor went to sea, sea, sea

To see what he could see, see, see

But all that he could see, see, see

Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.

Where Else Has It Appeared?

You might have heard this rhyme in other places too! It's quite famous and has been featured in different shows and series.

• The song was made into a funny version in an episode of VeggieTales. This popular animated series teaches kids about good values using talking vegetables. Their version was called "Some Veggies Went To Sea".
• The rhyme also appeared in "Gloriana", which was episode 10 of season 1 of the Netflix drama The Crown. This show tells the story of the British royal family.