Goosey Goosey Gander Lyrics
In old English a gander is a male goose, and this one wanders all over the house, upstairs and down. Goosey Goosey Gander was printed in 1784.
Goosey Goosey Gander
Goosey, goosey, gander,
Whither dost thou wander?
Upstairs and downstairs
And in my lady's chamber.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/goosey-goosey-gander/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes, Mother Goose
- First published
- 1784
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Goosey, goosey, gander | Flap your elbows like wings and waddle. |
| Whither dost thou wander? | Shade your eyes and look around, asking "where are you going?" |
| Upstairs and downstairs | Step up high, then crouch down low. |
| And in my lady's chamber | Tiptoe with a finger on your lips. |
What Does Goosey Goosey Gander Mean?
The rhyme asks a goose where it is wandering: upstairs, downstairs and even into a lady's chamber, an old word for a bedroom. "Whither dost thou wander" is old English for "where are you going?"
As it is sung today, it is a short nonsense rhyme about a nosy goose that goes where it should not, and toddlers like it for the up-and-down movement in the words.
History and Origin
The rhyme was first printed in 1784 in Gammer Gurton's Garland, one of the early English collections of nursery rhymes. Versions of it may have circulated earlier as a simple rhyme for toddlers.
Learning Activities
- Goose walk: waddle around the room and change direction every time you sing "upstairs" or "downstairs".
- Animal names: learn that a gander is a male goose and a gosling is a baby. Try other pairs, like a drake and duckling.