Round and Round the Garden facts for kids

"Round and Round the Garden" is a popular English nursery rhyme. It is often sung or recited while playing a fun finger game. This rhyme is well-known and has a special number (19235) in a big list of folk songs called the Roud Folk Song Index.

What Are the Words?

The most common words for "Round and Round the Garden" today are:

Round and round the garden

Like a teddy bear;

One step, two step,

Tickle you under there!

Where Did the Rhyme Come From?

This rhyme was first written down in Britain in the late 1940s. Since teddy bears became popular in the 1900s, the rhyme probably isn't much older than that in its current form. However, some experts like Iona and Peter Opie thought it might be a newer version of an older rhyme.

Older Versions of the Rhyme

One older rhyme, collected between 1945 and 1949, was called 'Round about there, went a little hare'. Its words were:

Round about there

Sat a little hare

The bow-wows came and chased him

Right up there!

Other countries also have their own versions of this rhyme:

• Irish Version:

 :Round and round the racecourse  :Catch a little hare  :One step, two steps  :Thickly under there!

• South African Version:

 :Round and round the mulberry bush  :Like a teddy bear  :One step, two step  :Tickly under there!

• Scottish Version:

 :Round and round the garden  :Like a wee mouse  :Up the stair, up the stair  :And in the wee house

How to Play the Game?

This nursery rhyme comes with fun actions that an adult can do on a child, or a child can do on an adult. Here's how to play:

• First, the person performing the rhyme gently moves their index finger in slow circles on the other person's open palm. This is for the "Round and round the garden" part.
• Next, for "One step, two step," they walk their index and middle fingers up the arm. They usually go first to the elbow and then up to the shoulder.
• Finally, after a short pause, for "Tickle you under there!", the person gives a gentle tickle under the other person's arm. This tickle is usually expected and makes people giggle!