What the Winds Bring Lyrics
Four children ask which wind brings the cold, the heat, the rain and the flowers. The answers: the north wind brings cold and snow, the south wind heat and ripening corn and peaches, the east wind rain, and the west wind flowers and birdsong.
What the Winds Bring
"Which is the wind that brings the cold?"
"The north wind, Freddy, and all the snow;
And the sheep will scamper into the fold
When the north begins to blow."
"Which is the wind that brings the heat?"
"The south wind, Katy; and corn will grow
And peaches redden for you to eat,
When the south begins to blow."
"Which is the wind that brings the rain?"
"The east wind, Arty; and farmers know
That cows come shivering up the lane
When the east begins to blow."
"Which is the wind that brings the flowers?"
"The west wind, Bessie; and soft and low
The birdies sing in the summer hours,
When the west begins to blow."
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/what-the-winds-bring/
- Type
- Poems for Children
- Tune
- A call-and-answer chant, one child asking and one answering, with the last line of each verse sung the same way
- Best for ages
- 4 to 8 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| When the north begins to blow." | Hug your arms to your chest and shiver. |
| When the south begins to blow." | Fan your face with one hand, as if warm. |
What Does What the Winds Bring Mean?
Each verse asks the same question, which is the wind that brings something, and answers it with a direction and a name. The north wind brings the cold and snow, and the sheep scamper into the fold, which is the pen where they are kept. The south wind brings heat, so the corn grows and peaches redden. The east wind brings rain, and the cows come shivering up the lane. The west wind brings the flowers, and the birds sing soft and low in the summer hours.
This is a weather lesson that fits in a child's head, because each wind has one job and one picture. It is also a game for four voices: the poem names Freddy, Katy, Arty and Bessie, so four children can each take a question. The poem gives one simple answer for each wind. Winds can behave differently in different places, so the child can check what the wind brings where you live.
History and Origin
This poem is in Songs for the Little Ones at Home, compiled by Mary O. Ward, first made in 1884 and revised in 1911. The book gives no author for it.
Learning Activities
- Four winds: stand in four places in the room, label them north, south, east and west, and let each child say their wind's answer.
- Wind check: use a ribbon on a stick outdoors to see which way the wind blows today.
- Compass: find north on a compass or a map and place the four winds around a drawing.
- Weather picture: draw four panels, one for each wind and what it brings.