Pit, Pat, Well-a-Day Lyrics
Little Robin has flown off, and the rhyme wonders where he could be. The answer is right there in the last line: up in the cherry tree.
Pit, Pat, Well-a-Day
Pit, pat, well-a-day!
Little Robin flew away;
Where can little Robin be,
But up in yon cherry-tree?
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/pit-pat-well-a-day/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 1 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Pit, pat, well-a-day | Pat your knees twice. |
| Little Robin flew away | Flap your arms like wings. |
| But up in yon cherry-tree | Point up high. |
What Does Pit, Pat, Well-a-Day Mean?
Well-a-day is an old cry that means "oh dear" or "alas", said when something goes wrong. "Pit, pat" sounds like small feet or raindrops. Yon means "that one over there". So the rhyme is a little worry with a quick, happy answer: the robin has only gone up into the cherry tree.
History and Origin
This version comes from Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes. Robins appear in many British nursery rhymes because they stay in gardens all year and come close to people, especially in winter.
Learning Activities
- Hide the robin: hide a toy bird and say the rhyme while your child looks for it.
- Bird watch: look out of the window for birds sitting in trees.
- Old words: say "well-a-day" in a sad voice, then "cherry tree" in a happy one.