Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock Lyrics
Three clocks sing in turn: a pretty cuckoo clock, a dainty crystal clock and an old grandfather's clock. Each says tick-tock and tick-tack, followed by a short saying about time flying on, working and waiting, and taking the better track.
Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock
Tick-tock, tick-tock,
Sings the pretty cuckoo clock;
Tick-tack, tick-tack,
Time flies on, but ne'er comes back.
Tick-tock, tick-tock,
Sings the dainty crystal clock;
Tick-tack, Tick-tack,
Work and wait, and never lack.
Tick-tock, Tick-tock,
Sings the old grandfather's clock,
Tick-tack, tick-tack,
Take and keep, the better track.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/tick-tock-tick-tock/
- Type
- Poems for Children
- Tune
- A steady clock rhythm, with a tick on every beat and a slower, wiser tone for each saying
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Tick-tock, tick-tock, | Swing your arm or head slowly from side to side like a pendulum. |
| Sings the old grandfather's clock, | Stand tall and swing both arms together, slowly, like a big clock. |
What Does Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock Mean?
Three clocks take a verse each, and the poem is really a sound to say: tick-tock twice and tick-tack twice in every verse. The verses go from the cuckoo clock, the dainty crystal clock and the old grandfather's clock, which is a tall clock that stands on the floor. Each one ends with a tiny saying.
The first is easy to read: time flies on, but ne'er comes back, and ne'er is short for never. The second is work and wait, and never lack, where to lack is to be short of something. The third, take and keep, the better track, is a little puzzling. Here a track is a path, so it seems to say to choose the better path and stay on it. A child does not need to understand all three to enjoy the swing of the words.
History and Origin
Mrs. E. P. Miller's 1896 book of rhymes for children includes this verse about three clocks.
Learning Activities
- Clock hunt: look around the house for different clocks and listen to which ones tick.
- Be the pendulum: sit on the floor and sway to the beat of the tick-tock lines.
- Clock drawing: draw a clock face together and put the hands at a time that matters in the child's day.
- Quiet minute: sit very still for one minute with a clock ticking nearby and listen.