Feetikin, Feetikin Lyrics
A parent holds a baby's little feet and asks when they will start walking. The answer: when summer comes and the days grow long.
Feetikin, Feetikin
"Feetikin, feetikin,
When will ye gang?"
"When the nichts turn short,
And the days turn lang,
I'll toddle and gang,
Toddle and gang!"
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/feetikin-feetikin/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Spoken or crooned
- Best for ages
- 6 months to 2 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Feetikin, feetikin | Hold both of your baby's feet. |
| When will ye gang? | Walk the feet gently in the air. |
| When the nichts turn short, and the days turn lang | Stretch the legs out long. |
| I'll toddle and gang | Stand your baby up with support for a few steps. |
What Does Feetikin, Feetikin Mean?
The words are Scots. Feetikin means little feet, gang means go or walk, nichts are nights and lang is long. The question asks when the baby will walk, and the answer is in summer, when the nights are short and the days are long. To toddle is to walk with small, wobbly steps, which is where the word toddler comes from.
History and Origin
Walter Jerrold printed this version in The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes (1903), and Robert Ford recorded it in his book of Scottish children's lore. In northern countries like Scotland, the long light evenings of summer were the natural time for children to be outside practicing their first steps.
Learning Activities
- First steps: say it while holding your baby's hands as they practice walking.
- Foot play: pat and wiggle the feet on each line during nappy changes.
- Scots words: learn gang, lang and nichts.