Handy Pandy Lyrics
He loves plum cake and sugar candy, he buys some at the grocer's, and he comes out hopping. Handy Pandy is four lines long and ends with the best part: three big hops.
Handy Pandy
Handy Pandy, Jack-a-dandy,
Loves plum cake and sugar candy.
He bought some at a grocer's shop,
And out he came, hop, hop, hop!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/handy-pandy/
- Type
- Action Songs, Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 1 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Handy Pandy, Jack-a-dandy | Clap hands in time with the words. |
| Loves plum cake and sugar candy | Rub your tummy. |
| He bought some at a grocer's shop | Pretend to hand over coins. |
| And out he came, hop, hop, hop! | Three big hops, one on each hop. |
What Does Handy Pandy Mean?
A jack-a-dandy is an old word for a little show-off, someone who likes to look smart. So Handy Pandy is a cheerful, well-dressed little fellow with a sweet tooth. He spends his money on treats and is so pleased with himself that he hops all the way out of the shop.
History and Origin
Handy Pandy is found in Halliwell's Nursery Rhymes of England, where Halliwell wondered in a note whether it had anything to do with handy-dandy, an old guessing game in which you hide something in one hand and ask which one. Shakespeare mentions that game in King Lear. Halliwell was not sure of the link, and we are not either, but it is a nice old game to play alongside the rhyme.
Learning Activities
- Play handy-dandy: hide a raisin in one fist, hold both out, and let your toddler guess which hand. If they are right, they eat it.
- Play shop: set up a toy grocer's with play food and let children "buy" a cake, then hop out.
- Count the hops: change the last line to four hops, then five, for early counting.