Little Betty Blue Lyrics
Every parent has lived this one: a child, a special day, and one shoe missing. Little Betty Blue's problem is solved in six lines with the most practical answer possible.
Little Betty Blue
Little Betty Blue
Lost her holiday shoe;
What shall little Betty do?
Give her another
To match the other
And then she'll walk upon two.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/betty-blue/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 1 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Little Betty Blue lost her holiday shoe | Hold up one foot and look worried. |
| What shall little Betty do? | Shrug with both hands out. |
| Give her another to match the other | Hold two hands side by side, like a pair of shoes. |
| And then she'll walk upon two | Walk proudly on the spot. |
What Does Little Betty Blue Mean?
A holiday shoe was a best shoe, kept for Sundays, festivals and special days rather than everyday wear. Betty has lost one, and the rhyme asks what she can do. The answer is simple: give her another that matches, and off she goes on two feet again.
It is a small rhyme about a small problem, which is exactly the size of problem toddlers understand best.
History and Origin
Betty Blue appears in Halliwell's Nursery Rhymes of England, where she is "old Betty Blue" rather than little, and in most Mother Goose books printed since. The version here comes from The Real Mother Goose (1916).
Learning Activities
- Shoe match: mix up a pile of family shoes and let your child find the pairs.
- Hide a shoe: hide one of your child's shoes somewhere easy and go on a hunt together.
- Getting ready: say the rhyme while putting shoes on in the morning, one line for each foot.