Snow, Snow Faster Lyrics
Two tiny weather chants. Children called the first when snow began to fall, asking for more, and the second when they wanted it to stop.
Snow, Snow Faster
Snow, snow faster,
The cow's in the pasture.
Snow, snow, give over,
The cow's in the clover!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/snow-snow-faster/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Chanted
- Best for ages
- 2 to 7 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Snow, snow faster | Flutter your fingers down fast like falling snow. |
| Snow, snow, give over | Hold up a hand to say stop. |
What Does Snow, Snow Faster Mean?
A pasture is a field where cows graze, and clover is a low plant cows like to eat. "Give over" is an old way of saying stop. So in the first chant the children want the snow to come faster, and in the second, when they have had enough, they ask it to stop. The cows are in the field either way, which is why the rhymes mention them.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell recorded both chants in Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales (1849), saying boys in Yorkshire called them out at the start and end of a snowfall. He also notes that country people used "white" as a word for snow and "black" for rain.
Learning Activities
- Snow watch: say the first chant when snow starts and the second when you are ready to go out and play.
- Paper snow: cut paper snowflakes and let them flutter down as you chant.
- Weather words: make your own chant for rain or sunshine.