Little Boy Blue Lyrics
The sheep are in the meadow, the cows are in the corn, and the boy who should be watching them is asleep under a haystack. Little Boy Blue has been in print since the 1740s.
Little Boy Blue
Little Boy Blue, come, blow your horn!
The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn.
Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep?
Under the haystack, fast asleep!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/little-boy-blue/
- Type
- Mother Goose, Animal Rhymes
- First published
- c. 1744
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 1 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Little Boy Blue, come, blow your horn! | Cup your hands at your mouth and make a toot sound. |
| The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn | Say "baa" and "moo" and point in two directions. |
| Where's the little boy that looks after the sheep? | Shade your eyes and look around. |
| Under the haystack, fast asleep! | Rest your head on your hands and pretend to snore. |
What Does Little Boy Blue Mean?
Little Boy Blue is a young shepherd who is supposed to keep the animals out of the crops. The animals have wandered into the meadow and the corn, and someone calls for him to blow his horn to gather them, but he has fallen asleep.
A popular theory links him to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the son of a butcher, but it is only a guess.
History and Origin
Little Boy Blue appeared in Tommy Thumb's Little Song Book around 1744. In the days before fences everywhere, children really did guard animals in the fields, and a horn was used to call them.
Learning Activities
- Wake up game: one child pretends to sleep under the "haystack" and wakes up when everyone toots their horns.
- Farm sounds: add more animals and their noises.
- Color hunt: find things that are blue around the room.