Doctor Foster Lyrics
Doctor Foster steps in a puddle so deep it comes up to his middle, and he never goes back. The rhyme is set in Gloucester, a real English city, and it has been a rainy day favorite since the 1800s.
Doctor Foster
Doctor Foster went to Glo'ster,
In a shower of rain;
He stepped in a puddle, up to his middle,
And never went there again.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/doctor-foster/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- First published
- 1844
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Doctor Foster went to Glo'ster | Walk on the spot, swinging a pretend doctor's bag. |
| In a shower of rain | Wiggle your fingers down like rain. |
| He stepped in a puddle, up to his middle | Pretend to sink down, holding your hands at your waist. |
| And never went there again | Shake your head and walk away. |
What Does Doctor Foster Mean?
"Glo'ster" is how Gloucester is said out loud, which is why it rhymes with Foster. The joke is the size of the puddle. Old country roads were often dirt tracks, and after heavy rain some holes really could fill up surprisingly deep.
History and Origin
The rhyme was first recorded in 1844 by the collector James Orchard Halliwell. A popular story connects it to King Edward I getting stuck in the mud on a visit to Gloucester, but that link was only suggested much later.
Learning Activities
- Puddle test: on a rainy walk, measure puddles with a stick and find the deepest one.
- Say it like a local: practice saying Gloucester the way people there do.
- Pair it with Rain Rain Go Away on a wet afternoon.