The North Wind Doth Blow Lyrics
Snow is coming, and everyone worries about the little robin. The North Wind Doth Blow is a quiet winter rhyme with a cozy ending: the robin tucks his head under his wing in a warm barn.
The North Wind Doth Blow
The north wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then,
Poor thing?
The second verse
He'll sit in a barn,
And keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing,
Poor thing!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/the-north-wind-doth-blow/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes, Lullabies
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 1 to 5 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| The north wind doth blow | Blow gently and sway your arms like wind. |
| And we shall have snow | Flutter your fingers down like snowflakes. |
| He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm | Hug yourself tight. |
| And hide his head under his wing | Tuck your head into your elbow. |
What Does The North Wind Doth Blow Mean?
"Doth" is an old way of saying "does", so the first line means "the north wind blows". In Britain the north wind brings cold weather and snow, and the rhyme asks what a small bird can do about it. The answer is comforting: he finds a barn, keeps warm and sleeps with his head under his wing, which is just what real birds do.
History and Origin
The rhyme has been sung in British and American nurseries since at least the 1800s, and the robin, a bird that stays through the winter, is its hero. It is often sung slowly at bedtime on cold nights.
Learning Activities
- Bird care: put out seeds or a fat ball for garden birds on a cold day.
- Wing tuck: show a picture of a sleeping bird with its head tucked in, then copy the pose.
- Wind words: talk about north, south, east and west, and which wind brings cold.