I'll Buy You a Tartan Bonnet Lyrics
A parent promises the baby a tartan bonnet with feathers, tartan trews and a phillibeg, because the baby is so like Daddy.
I'll Buy You a Tartan Bonnet
I'll buy you a tartan bonnet,
And some feathers to put on it,
Tartan trews and a phillibeg,
Because you are so like your daddy.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/ill-buy-you-a-tartan-bonnet/
- Type
- Lullabies
- Tune
- Sung softly as a lullaby
- Best for ages
- 1 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| I'll buy you a tartan bonnet | Put your hands on top of your head like a bonnet. |
| And some feathers to put on it | Wiggle your fingers above your head like feathers. |
| So like your daddy | Point to the baby, then to a grown-up. |
What Does I'll Buy You a Tartan Bonnet Mean?
The lullaby is a list of presents. The parent promises a tartan bonnet, a cap made in the checked cloth of Scotland, with feathers to put on it. The baby will also get tartan trews and a phillibeg, which are the close-fitting trousers and the short kilt of Highland dress. All of these are promised for one reason: the baby is so like Daddy.
The promises keep the singer's voice soft and slow, so the song is good at helping a baby settle for sleep.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell prints the verse in The Nursery Rhymes of England as a lullaby. He names no author, and the book does not say where the verse was sung. The words themselves are about Scottish dress.
It comes right after a short verse about a baby in a cradle, so it sits among the lullabies in the book.
Learning Activities
- Make a bonnet: cut a paper hat and decorate it with checks and a feather.
- Tartan patterns: draw crossed lines in different colors to make a tartan.
- Gift list: think of other presents to promise a baby in a lullaby.
- Slow singing: sing it slowly and stop on the word daddy.