Sleep, Baby, Sleep Lyrics
Sung slowly, this little lullaby compares a sleepy child to a lamb resting on the grass. The English words come from a German cradle song, "Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf".
Sleep, Baby, Sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep,
Our cottage vale is deep:
The little lamb is on the green,
With woolly fleece so soft and clean,
Sleep, baby, sleep.
Sleep, baby, sleep,
Down where the woodbines creep;
Be always like the lamb so mild,
A kind, and sweet, and gentle child.
Sleep, baby, sleep.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/sleep-baby-sleep/
- Type
- Lullabies, Animal Rhymes
- First published
- 1800s (English)
- Tune
- Traditional German
- Best for ages
- 0 to 3 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Sleep, baby, sleep | Rock slowly and pat your baby's back to the beat. |
| The little lamb is on the green | Stroke baby's hair softly like woolly fleece. |
| Down where the woodbines creep | Trace a slow wavy line on baby's arm. |
| A kind, and sweet, and gentle child | Give a gentle kiss on the forehead. |
What Does Sleep, Baby, Sleep Mean?
The lullaby paints a peaceful countryside: a deep valley, a lamb resting on the grass and climbing woodbine flowers. It gently wishes that the child will grow up as kind and mild as a lamb.
"Woodbine" is an old name for honeysuckle, a sweet-smelling climbing plant.
History and Origin
The song comes from the German cradle song Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, which appeared in the famous collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn in 1808. English versions spread in the 1800s, and many English and American nursery books include it.
Learning Activities
- Same song, two languages: learn the German first line, "Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf".
- Lamb cuddle: give your child a soft toy lamb to hold during the song.
- Nature walk: look for honeysuckle (woodbine) flowers outside.