The Sparrows Lyrics
A finger play in which sparrows are asked in for crumbs, water and a rest, but fly away to their own snug house in the tree-tops.
The Sparrows
"Little brown sparrows,
Flying around,
Up in the tree-tops,
Down on the ground,
"Come to my window,
Dear sparrows, come!
See! I will give you
Many a crumb.
"Here is some water,
Sparkling and clear;
Come, little sparrows,
Drink without fear.
"If you are tired,
Here is a nest;
Wouldn't you like to
Come here to rest?"
All the brown sparrows
Flutter away,
Chirping and singing,
"We cannot stay;
"For in the tree-tops,
'Mong the gray boughs,
There is the sparrows'
Snug little house."
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/the-sparrows/
- Type
- Poems for Children, Animal Rhymes
- Written by
- Emilie Poulsson
- Tune
- Spoken softly, with the hand motions in the book
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Little brown sparrows, flying around | Flutter the fingers of both hands in the air. |
| Up in the tree-tops | Stretch both hands up high. |
| Down on the ground | Press palms down with the fingers resting on the ground. |
| Come to my window | Rest the fingers of one hand on the fingers of the other to make a square top. |
| Many a crumb | Rub the thumb against the fingertips. |
| Here is some water | Cup one hand with the palm up. |
| Here is a nest | Interlace the fingers of both hands to make a circle. |
| Snug little house | Put the palms together with the fingers pointing up like a roof. |
| Flutter away | Raise both hands and flutter the fingers. |
What Does The Sparrows Mean?
The poem is an invitation followed by a polite refusal. A child calls to the brown sparrows and offers a crumb, a drink of clear water and a nest to rest in. The sparrows chirp and sing that they cannot stay, because their own snug little house is up in the tree-tops among the gray boughs. A bough is a big branch.
Each offer has its own hand shape, so the child builds the window, the water, the nest and the house one after another, then lets the fingers fly away.
History and Origin
The rhyme comes from Emilie Poulsson's Finger Plays for Nursery and Kindergarten (1889). Her book printed a picture of the hand position beside the verses, and the motions above follow those pictures.
The book was made for both nursery and kindergarten use, so the same finger play could be shared at home or in a classroom.
Learning Activities
- Crumbs for sparrows: watch birds from a window and talk about what small birds eat.
- Build the house: make the window, nest and house shapes with hands one after another, slowly.
- Fly away: end with both hands in the air and then a quiet stillness before starting again.