Little Jumping Joan Lyrics
Three lines, one jump, and a joke that takes children a moment to get: when nobody is with her, Joan is alone. Of course she is.
Little Jumping Joan
Here am I, little jumping Joan,
When nobody's with me
I'm always alone.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/little-jumping-joan/
- Type
- Action Songs, Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 1 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Here am I, little jumping Joan | Jump up with both feet and land with your arms out. |
| When nobody's with me | Look left and right, as if searching for friends. |
| I'm always alone | Shrug and give a big, silly smile. |
What Does Little Jumping Joan Mean?
Joan introduces herself with a jump and then says something that is completely obvious: when nobody is with her, she is alone. That is the joke. Old nursery rhymes often end like this, with a line that sounds wise but says nothing at all, and children enjoy catching it.
History and Origin
Jumping Joan turns up in more than one old rhyme. James Orchard Halliwell's 1840s collection has another rhyme that ends with "nobody at home, but jumping Joan", and the short version here is the one printed in The Real Mother Goose (1916).
Learning Activities
- Name jump: each child jumps and says "Here am I, little jumping" followed by their own name.
- Spot the joke: ask older children what is funny about the last line.