Leg Over Leg Lyrics
A dog trots all the way to Dover, and when he meets a stile, he jumps right over it. Your child gets to do the jump too, riding on your crossed legs.
Leg Over Leg
Leg over leg,
As the dog went to Dover;
When he came to a stile,
Jump, he went over.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/leg-over-leg/
- Type
- Action Songs, Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Chanted knee ride
- Best for ages
- 1 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Leg over leg | Cross your legs and sit your child on your foot or ankle, holding their hands. |
| As the dog went to Dover | Swing your leg up and down at a steady trot. |
| When he came to a stile | Slow down, as if the dog is stopping to look. |
| Jump, he went over | Lift your leg high so your child goes up in the air. |
What Does Leg Over Leg Mean?
A dog is walking to Dover, a town on the south-east coast of England, famous for its white cliffs. On the way he meets a stile, a set of steps or a gap that lets people climb over a fence or wall, and he jumps it in one go.
History and Origin
The rhyme is printed in The Real Mother Goose (1916). Knee-ride rhymes, where a grown-up bounces a child on a knee or foot and saves a big lift for the last line, are some of the oldest games in the nursery.
Learning Activities
- Build up: trot slowly at first and save the big lift for "jump".
- Stile hunt: look for stiles on country walks and climb over them together.
- Where's Dover? find Dover and its white cliffs on a map or in photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a stile?
Steps or a narrow gap that let people climb over a fence or wall.
How do you play Leg Over Leg?
Sit your child on your crossed leg, bounce them, and lift them up on the word jump.