Queen, Queen Caroline Lyrics
A short chant about a queen with very shiny hair. Scottish children used it for counting out, pointing at one player per beat.
Queen, Queen Caroline
Queen, Queen Caroline,
Dipped her hair in turpentine;
Turpentine made it shine,
Queen, Queen Caroline.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/queen-queen-caroline/
- Type
- Counting Rhymes
- Tune
- Chanted counting-out rhyme
- Best for ages
- 4 to 10 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Queen, Queen Caroline | Point at a new player on each beat. |
| Turpentine made it shine | Keep pointing around the circle. |
| Queen, Queen Caroline | Whoever gets the last word is out. |
What Does Queen, Queen Caroline Mean?
Turpentine is a strong-smelling oil made from pine trees, used for thinning paint. It is certainly not for washing hair, which is the joke: the queen's hair shines because she has dipped it in paint thinner. The rhyme may have started as a cheeky song about a real queen.
History and Origin
Robert Ford printed it among Scottish counting-out rhymes in Children's Rhymes, Children's Games, Children's Songs, Children's Stories (1904). It is often linked to Caroline of Brunswick, wife of King George IV, who was queen from 1820 and was much talked about in her day.
Learning Activities
- Count out: stand in a circle and use the chant to choose who is "it".
- Safety talk: turpentine is not for hair. Talk about which things in the house are not safe to touch.
- Rhyme hunt: find the words that rhyme with Caroline.