This Is the Key of the Kingdom Lyrics
A chain that zooms in step by step: from a kingdom to a city, a town, a street, a lane, a yard, a house, a room, a bed, a basket, and finally some flowers.
This Is the Key of the Kingdom
This is the key of the kingdom.
In that kingdom there is a city.
In that city there is a town.
In that town there is a street.
In that street there is a lane.
In that lane there is a yard.
In that yard there is a house.
In that house there is a room.
In that room there is a bed.
On that bed there is a basket.
In that basket there are some flowers.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/this-is-the-key-of-the-kingdom/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Spoken chain rhyme
- Best for ages
- 3 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| This is the key of the kingdom | Hold up a pretend key. |
| In that kingdom there is a city | Spread your arms wide. |
| In that basket there are some flowers | Cup your hands small, as if holding flowers. |
What Does This Is the Key of the Kingdom Mean?
Each line takes one step closer, like zooming in on a map: kingdom, city, town, street, lane, yard, house, room, bed, basket, flowers. After the last line the chain is usually said backward, all the way from the flowers to the kingdom, which makes it a memory game. The key at the start is the key that opens the whole kingdom.
History and Origin
This chain rhyme is one of hundreds gathered by James Orchard Halliwell for The Nursery Rhymes of England. Rhymes like this train memory, and the zooming idea is the same one used in The House That Jack Built, only in reverse.
Learning Activities
- Say it backward: after the flowers, go back up the chain to the kingdom.
- Map zoom: draw it as circles inside circles, from kingdom down to flowers.
- Your own chain: start from your country and zoom in to your bedroom.