Tip, Tip, Toe, Leerie, Lo (Turn the Ship) Lyrics
A Scottish game for two children, found at Fochabers: they join hands, trip along with the arms crossed, turn from side to side and cross their arms over their heads without letting go.
Tip, Tip, Toe, Leerie, Lo (Turn the Ship)
Tip, tip, toe, leerie, lo!
Turn the ship and away you go;
A penny to you, and a penny to me,
And a penny to turn the basket.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/tip-tip-toe-leerie-lo/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Chanted in time with a light tripping step
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Tip, tip, toe, leerie, lo | Two children join hands with the arms crossed and trip along side by side. |
| Turn the ship and away you go | Turn from one side to the other, lifting the crossed arms over the head without letting go. |
| A penny to you, and a penny to me | Nod to each other: one to you, one to me. |
| And a penny to turn the basket | Turn once more. |
What Does Tip, Tip, Toe, Leerie, Lo (Turn the Ship) Mean?
The old name of the game is Turn the Ship, and the words tell the pair what to do. The second line is the signal: on turn the ship the pair swing round together, still holding hands, and on away you go they are off again.
The last two lines are a small share-out: a penny to you, a penny to me, and a third penny to turn the basket, which brings in one more turn to end on. Neither leerie nor lo has a known meaning; they are sounds that carry the beat of the tripping step, as tip, tip, toe does.
History and Origin
Alice Bertha Gomme gives the game in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (volume 2, 1898) and says it is commonly a girls' game. Her version was sent by the Rev. W. Gregor from Fochabers in Scotland. She describes the action in one sentence: two join hands and trip along, with hands crossed, turning from one side to the other, and crossing their arms over their heads without letting go their hold of each other, singing at the same time.
The same entry gives a second, shorter version that begins in the same way, names a girl called Mary Ann, and sends her away with the turn.
Learning Activities
- Practise slowly: try the turn without the words first, with an adult helping the pair to keep hold of each other's hands.
- Switch partners: after each round, find a new partner and start again.
- Penny share: give each child a real or paper penny at the line that shares them out.
- Make a basket: weave a small paper basket for the 'basket' in the last line.