Cobbler, Cobbler, Mend My Shoe Lyrics
In 1849 James Orchard Halliwell wrote down how English nurses used this rhyme: when a child's shoe was tight, they patted the little foot in time to the words to coax it in.
Cobbler, Cobbler, Mend My Shoe
Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe,
Give it a stitch and that will do.
Here's a nail, and there's a prod,
And now my shoe is well shod.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/cobbler-cobbler-mend-my-shoe/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 1 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe | Hold your child's foot and pat the sole. |
| Give it a stitch | Pretend to sew along the side of the shoe. |
| Here's a nail, and there's a prod | Tap the heel twice with a finger, like a tiny hammer. |
| And now my shoe is well shod | Give the foot a squeeze and set it down. |
What Does Cobbler, Cobbler, Mend My Shoe Mean?
A cobbler is someone who mends shoes. The rhyme asks him for a quick repair: a stitch, a nail and a tap, and the shoe is well shod, meaning properly fitted. Many children today learn a later version that ends "Get it done by half past two", which teachers use when talking about telling the time.
History and Origin
Halliwell printed the rhyme in Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales (1849), with a note that nurses said it while trying on a tight shoe. Cobblers were a common sight in every town until factory-made shoes became cheap, so children would have known exactly what the rhyme was about. The "half past two" lines are newer and are usually sung to a simple tune in school.
Learning Activities
- Getting-dressed helper: say it while putting on shoes in the morning. It turns a daily struggle into a small game.
- Shoe shop: set out a few pairs of shoes, take turns being the cobbler and the customer, and "mend" each shoe with the rhyme.
- Tell the time: try the half past two version with a toy clock and change the time each round.