Little Jenny Wren Lyrics
A tiny wren sits by the shed, wagging her tail and nodding her head. The second verse says it all again in reverse order, which makes it an easy action rhyme for little ones.
Little Jenny Wren
As little Jenny Wren
Was sitting by the shed,
She waggled with her tail,
And nodded with her head.
She waggled with her tail,
And nodded with her head,
As little Jenny Wren
Was sitting by the shed.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/little-jenny-wren/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes, Action Songs
- Tune
- Spoken or sung
- Best for ages
- 1 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| As little Jenny Wren | Tuck your hands under your arms like folded wings. |
| She waggled with her tail | Wiggle your hips from side to side. |
| And nodded with her head | Nod your head up and down. |
What Does Little Jenny Wren Mean?
Jenny Wren is the old pet name for the wren, one of the smallest birds in Britain. Wrens often hold their short tails straight up and flick them, and they bob about busily, so the rhyme is a good picture of a real wren. The second verse turns the first one around, so children hear the same words twice in a new order.
History and Origin
The rhyme comes from Walter Jerrold's The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes (1903). The wren appears in many old rhymes, usually as "Jenny Wren", and is often paired with the robin.
Learning Activities
- Bird watch: look for small brown birds in the garden and watch how they move their tails.
- Wren dance: waggle and nod in time with the words, faster on the second verse.
- Tiny bird: a wren weighs about as much as a sheet of paper or two. Hold a piece of paper and feel how light that is.