Thirty Days Hath September Lyrics
How many days are in April? For more than 500 years, English speakers have answered that question with this short memory rhyme.
Thirty Days Hath September
Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November;
February has twenty-eight alone,
All the rest have thirty-one,
Excepting leap-year, that's the time
When February's days are twenty-nine.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/thirty-days-hath-september/
- Type
- Counting Rhymes
- First published
- 1500s
- Tune
- Spoken rhyme
- Best for ages
- 5 to 10 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Thirty days hath September | Hold up three fingers, then make a zero with your hand. |
| April, June, and November | Count the three months on your fingers. |
| February has twenty-eight alone | Hold up a lonely single finger. |
| All the rest have thirty-one | Sweep your arms wide to show all the others. |
What Does Thirty Days Hath September Mean?
It is a mnemonic, a rhyme to help you remember facts. September, April, June and November have 30 days, February has 28 (29 in a leap year) and every other month has 31.
Another popular trick is counting on your knuckles: make two fists, and every month that lands on a knuckle has 31 days, while the months in the dips between have fewer.
History and Origin
Rhymes like this were used in England by the 1500s, and a Latin version is older still. Many versions exist, with different last lines for February, and it is still one of the most widely taught memory rhymes in English.
Learning Activities
- Knuckle trick: count the months on your knuckles and compare with the rhyme.
- Calendar check: look at a calendar and check each month together.