The Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater song is one of the fun English nursery rhymes. The earliest surviving version was published in Infant Institutes, part the first: or a Nurserical Essay on the Poetry, Lyric and Allegorical, of the Earliest Ages, &c., in London around 1797. However, there is debate over the song’s origins. There is a very similar song that originates from Scotland; however, it does not feature pumpkins in the rhyme. It is possible that song is actually of Scottish origin and was adapted and later taken to the USA. Currently, the Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater rhyme in English is very popular in America and is gaining popularity in the UK and in other countries too.
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater Lyrics In English
The lyrics of the Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater poem are:
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Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but couldn’t keep her;
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.
Peter, Peter pumpkin eater,
Had another and didn’t love her;
Peter learned to read and spell,
And then he loved her very well.
What Will Your Child Learn From Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater?
The Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater song will teach your child rhyming words and new vocabulary. The song has rhyming words as well as verbs such as read and love. You can also teach your little one about the different kinds of relationship and relatives that they have. Since the Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater song talks about Peter’s wife, you can explain to your children who a wife is. You can then extend that into understanding the different kind of relationships one has with other people. You can use real-life examples around you to teach your little one the concept of relationships with this poem as a starting point.
Theme Of Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater song is not like many other English nursery rhymes. It hints at concepts which may not be familiar to children, but serves as a good opportunity to talk to them about it sensitively.
This rhyme talks about a man named Peter, who likes eating pumpkins. However, when it comes to his family, he was unable to keep his wife. This could have various connotations; it may mean that the wife left him and went away, or it could mean that he didn’t have the capability of providing for the family.
Peter proceeds to keep his wife in a pumpkin shell, which could mean, trapped in a place where she couldn’t express her feelings, or it could mean literally within smaller means. There, he was able to keep his wife well.
Peter then goes on to bring himself another wife, whom he didn’t love very much. But later, he gets educated, and learns to read and write. This makes him a better man and then he loves her well.
Rhyming Scheme Of Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater uses several devices to make this song poetic and rhyming. The rhyming pattern that this quatrain follows is AABB AABB.
Words That Your Child Will Learn From Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
Verbs: Had, Keep, Put, Kept, Love, Learned, Read, Spell
Nouns: Pumpkin, Wife, Shell
Suggested Activities
This rhyme is a bit complex for children to understand as it goes to the point of being over-imaginative. Some activities that will help kids understand this song and remember it are as follows:
1. Let’s Make A Pumpkin House
- Carve out a pumpkin and clean it well, removing most of the moisture.
- Get some plastic dolls or any toys that are washable.
- Pretend to be Peter, and let the doll be your wife.
- Place the doll inside the pumpkin shell, just like Peter does.
- Let your child rationalise why they are putting the doll in the pumpkin shell.
2. DIY Pull-Out Picture
- You will need: 3 sheets of paper, a printed photograph, a pair of scissors, crayons
- Cut out two sheets of paper in the shape of a pumpkin and glue them together only along the borders.
- Cut out the top of the pumpkins in a zig-zag shape using scissors.
- Get a vertical photograph of any lady (you can cut this out from your newspaper too).
- Paste this photograph between the two layers of paper on the top part of the pumpkin.
- Insert the rest of the photograph in the bottom part of the pumpkin.
- Pull out the top of the pumpkin to reveal the “wife” kept inside the pumpkin shell.
- Psst: A larger, life-size version of this DIY can also be done to make a Halloween costume.
FAQs
1. Is the rhyme Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater based on a true story?
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater is an eerie poem if one tries to read deeper between the lines. Theories are that it hints at the 13th-century English King John, who was known to have bricked a rebellious noble’s wife into a wall.
2. Why Couldn’t Peter The Pumpkin Eater Keep His Wife?
Various interpretations of this rhyme suggest that Peter’s wife kept leaving him and going away. She was not loyal to him, so he had a hard time trying to make her stay with him.
Also Read:
Three Blind Mice Nursery Rhyme for Children
Wee Willie Winkie Rhyme for Nursery Kids
Once I Saw A Little Bird Rhyme for Children
