Little Arabella Miller facts for kids

Little Arabella Miller is a very popular English nursery rhyme. It is often sung in preschools. This song is also an action song, which means you do movements while you sing it. It uses the same tune as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". Most people do not know who wrote the song. However, Ann Eliott has sometimes been named as the person who created it.

About "Little Arabella Miller"

"Little Arabella Miller" is a well-known nursery rhyme from England. It is a favorite in many preschools. Children often learn it when they are very young. The song is special because it is an action song. This means you can do fun movements with your hands and body while you sing. The tune for "Little Arabella Miller" is the same as the famous song "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star". This makes it easy to learn and sing along to.

The Words to the Song

The rhyme "Little Arabella Miller" has only one short verse. But there are a few different ways people sing the words. These changes often focus on how the caterpillar is described. For example, it might be called "furry," "fuzzy," or "woolly." The songs also sometimes mention different family members. These can include a mother, brother, grandmother, or baby brother.

Here is one common version sung in England:

Little Arabella Miller
Found a furry caterpillar
First it climbed upon her mother
Then upon her baby brother
"Ugh" said Arabella Miller
"Take away that caterpillar!"

Other versions might have slightly different words. For example, the caterpillar might be "fuzzy" or "hairy." Also, the family members might react differently to the caterpillar. Sometimes they like it, and sometimes they want it gone!

Here are a couple of other ways the song is sung:

Little Arabella Miller
Had a fuzzy caterpillar
First it crawled upon her brother
Then upon her dear grandmother
Gran said, "Arabella Miller,
How I love your caterpillar."

Little Arabella Miller
Found a hairy caterpillar,
First it crawled upon her mother,
Then upon her baby brother.
All said, "Arabella Miller,
Take away that caterpillar!"

Actions for the Song

Since "Little Arabella Miller" is an action song, you can do movements as you sing. These actions help tell the story of the caterpillar. They also make the song more fun and engaging.

Here are some actions you can do with the song:

Little Arabella Miller
Had a fuzzy caterpillar
(Tickle palm with two fingers)
First it crawled up on her mother
(Walk fingers up left arm)
Then upon her baby brother
(Walk fingers up right arm)
They said, "Arabella Miller!
(Walk fingers up over head)
Put away your caterpillar!"
(hide hands behind back)

Another way to do the actions involves different movements:

Little Arabella Miller
Found a wooly caterpillar (wiggle one finger)
First it crawled upon her mother (tickle mom)
Then upon her baby brother (tickle a friend)
Take away that caterpillar!" (shake finger)

These actions help bring the rhyme to life. They also help children learn about the words and the story.