Green Cheese, Yellow Laces Lyrics
Two or more children dance up and down, and on "turn, cheeses, turn" everyone spins around. A three-line game rhyme from old English market towns.
Green Cheese, Yellow Laces
Green cheese, yellow laces,
Up and down the market-places,
Turn, cheeses, turn!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/green-cheese-yellow-laces/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Chanted dancing game
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Green cheese, yellow laces | Two children hold hands. |
| Up and down the market-places | Walk or dance forward and back. |
| Turn, cheeses, turn | Let go and spin around. |
What Does Green Cheese, Yellow Laces Mean?
Green cheese was fresh, young cheese, and Halliwell was told that green cheeses could be flavored with sage, which turned them green. The children are the cheeses, dancing through the market and turning on command. Two girls playing together were called "cheese and cheese".
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell printed the rhyme with a note on how it was played: two or more girls walk or dance up and down, turning when they say "turn, cheeses, turn". Market days, with stalls of cheese and ribbons, were a big event in English towns, and children turned them into games.
Learning Activities
- Play it: dance up and down the room and spin on the last line.
- Cheese tasting: try a young cheese and an older one and compare them.
- Market game: set up a pretend market stall with play food.