Cuckoo, Cherry Tree Lyrics
An old rhyme for throwing and catching a ball outdoors. It names the cuckoo and the cherry tree, two signs that spring has arrived in Britain.
Cuckoo, Cherry Tree
Cuckoo, cherry tree,
Catch a bird, and give it to me;
Let the tree be high or low,
Let it hail, rain, or snow.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/cuckoo-cherry-tree/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes, Action Songs
- Tune
- Chanted rhyme
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Cuckoo, cherry tree | Toss a soft ball up into the air. |
| Catch a bird, and give it to me | Catch it and pass it to the next player. |
| Let the tree be high or low | Throw high, then low. |
| Let it hail, rain, or snow | Wiggle your fingers down like falling rain. |
What Does Cuckoo, Cherry Tree Mean?
The player calls on the cuckoo and the cherry tree, then asks for a "bird", which here means the ball. The last lines say the game goes on whatever happens: whether the tree is high or low, and whether it hails, rains or snows.
History and Origin
Halliwell printed the rhyme in The Nursery Rhymes of England with a one-line note: "A game at ball." In Britain the cuckoo's call is heard from about April, the same weeks cherry trees come into blossom, so both were cheerful signs that the outdoor playing season had begun.
Learning Activities
- Ball game: stand in a circle and pass or toss a soft ball, one throw for each line.
- Listen for spring: play a recording of a cuckoo's call and listen for it on spring walks.
- Weather words: talk about hail, rain and snow, and what each one feels like.