Exploring the Nursery Rhyme 'Girls and Boys Come Out to Play' (Key stage 2)
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Have you ever sung a song that is super old but still really fun?
Today, we are going to learn about a very famous nursery rhyme called "Girls and Boys Come Out to Play."
It is a song that people have been singing for hundreds of years, the first written version was in 1708. That is over 300 years ago!
Explainer Video
What is a Nursery Rhyme?
A nursery rhyme is a short poem or song for children. They often have rhyming words and a simple tune. Many of them, like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or "Hickory Dickory Dock," are very old. They help us learn about sounds and rhythms.
The Words of the Song
Here are the words to the first part of
"Girls and Boys Come Out to Play"
Girls and boys, come out to play,
The moon doth shine as bright as day.
Leave your supper, and leave your sleep,
And come with your playfellows into the street.
Can you spot the rhyming words?
'Play' rhymes with 'day', and
'sleep' rhymes with 'street'
What Does it Mean?
This song is like a fun invitation!
"Girls and boys, come out to play,"
The song is calling all the children to come outside.
"The moon doth shine as bright as day."
'Doth' is an old-fashioned word for 'does'. This line means the moon is so bright it almost looks like daytime! This tells us the children are being invited to play in the evening or at night.
"Leave your supper, and leave your sleep,"
The children are so excited to play that they are being told to stop eating or to wake up!
"And come with your playfellows into the street."
'Playfellows' are your friends or companions. The street here means where they live, ready for an exciting game.
A Peek into the Past
When this song was first popular many years ago, children often had to work or help at home a lot. Playing outside in the evening was a special time!
In some old English villages, they did not have electric streetlights. So, the full moon was important because it gave them enough light to play games after the sun went down.
This simple song is a lovely memory of old-fashioned fun and the joy of playing with friends under the big, bright moon.
A Fun Challenge
Try drawing a picture of the scene the song describes.
What games do you think the "playfellows" are playing in the street?
We hope you enjoyed learning about this classic nursery rhyme, try singing along as you play the music in your lesson.
Quick Quiz!
Answer these questions to see what you learned about the nursery rhyme!
What time of day is the rhyme inviting the girls and boys to come out and play?
A) In the early morning.
B) In the middle of the afternoon.
C) In the evening, when the moon is shining.
D) At breakfast time.
What does the old-fashioned word 'doth' mean in the line, "The moon doth shine as bright as day"?
A) Doesn't
B) Does
C) Do
D) Dust
What is a 'playfellow' in the context of this song?
A) A toy you play with.
B) Your supper.
C) Your friends or companions.
D) A type of street game.
Download Selection
Explore Zone: Complete The Quiz
Develop Zone: Learn the Skill: Two Note Slurs
Achieve Zone: Play the Piece
Build Zone: Learn the Chords
Grow Zone: Alphonse's Research Request
Key Stage 2 Glossary
Here are some words from the song and article that might be new or interesting, with simple explanations:
Word | Simple Meaning | Context from the Article/Song |
Nursery Rhyme | A short, simple poem or song, usually for young children. | A nursery rhyme is a short poem or song for children. |
Tune | The melody or music of a song. | They often have rhyming words and a simple tune. |
Doth | An old-fashioned word meaning 'does'. | The moon doth shine as bright as day. |
Playfellows | Friends or companions you play with. | And come with your playfellows into the street. |
Context | The situation or background that something is part of. | What is a 'playfellow' in the context of this song? |
Classic | Something that is famous and has been important for a long time. | We hope you enjoyed learning about this classic nursery rhyme! |
Rhyme | Words that have the same ending sound (like 'play' and 'day'). | Can you spot the rhyming words? |
Invitation | A request to come to a place or to do something. | This song is like a fun invitation! |
