There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe Lyrics
So many children, so little room, and a house shaped like a shoe. This rhyme was first printed in the late 1700s, and most modern books use a gentler ending than the original.
There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children she didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread.
She kissed them all gently and put them to bed.
The original wording (The Real Mother Goose, 1916)
There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children she didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread.
She whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/there-was-an-old-woman-who-lived-in-a-shoe/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- First published
- Late 1700s
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 3 to 7 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| There was an old woman who lived in a shoe | Make a shoe shape with your hands, or point to your own shoe. |
| She had so many children she didn't know what to do | Hold your head and look around in a fluster. |
| She gave them some broth without any bread | Pretend to spoon soup into bowls. |
| And put them to bed | Rest your head on your hands and close your eyes. |
What Does There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe Mean?
The rhyme is a funny picture of a very crowded home: a house shaped like a shoe, full of children, and a tired mother doing her best. Children love the idea of living in a giant shoe.
The original ending, shown below, has her punishing the children before bed, which reflects how people wrote about children centuries ago. Many modern books change it to a kiss goodnight, which is the version we show first.
History and Origin
The rhyme was first printed in the late 1700s, in early English collections of nursery rhymes. Shoes were linked with good luck and families in old folklore, and some people connect the old woman with Queen Caroline or other historical figures, but none of these ideas is proven.
Learning Activities
- Shoe house: draw or build a house shaped like a shoe, with windows and a door.
- Counting children: count how many children could fit inside a shoe house.
- Bedtime routine: talk about what your family does to get ready for bed.