Eena, Deena, Dina, Duss Lyrics
Who goes first? Who has to be it? Line up, start pointing and chant this Scottish counting-out rhyme. Whoever the last word lands on is out.
Eena, Deena, Dina, Duss
Eena, deena, dina, duss,
Catalaweena, wina, wuss;
Tittle, tattle, what a rattle,
O-U-T spells out!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/eena-deena-dina-duss/
- Type
- Counting Rhymes
- Tune
- Chanted counting-out rhyme
- Best for ages
- 4 to 10 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Eena, deena, dina, duss | Point at a different child on each word. |
| Catalaweena, wina, wuss | Keep pointing around the circle, one child per beat. |
| Tittle, tattle, what a rattle | Keep going round the circle. |
| O-U-T spells out! | Point at one child per letter. The last one pointed at steps out. |
What Does Eena, Deena, Dina, Duss Mean?
Most of the words are nonsense, chosen for their bouncy sound. The person counting points at each player in turn, one for every beat. When the rhyme reaches "O-U-T spells out", the player pointed at on the final word leaves the circle. The counting starts again until only one player is left, and that player is it.
History and Origin
Robert Ford recorded this rhyme from Scottish playgrounds for his early-1900s collection, Children's Rhymes, Children's Games, Children's Songs, Children's Stories. Counting-out rhymes with made-up words are found all over the world, and many share the same sounds, which shows how they travel from one playground to the next.
Learning Activities
- Choose who's it: use the rhyme to pick who starts a game of tag or hide-and-seek.
- Spell it: point out that O, U and T spell out, and try spelling other short words.
- Invent one: make up your own nonsense counting rhyme with silly sounds.