Wee Willie Winkie Nursery Rhyme For Kids

Wee Willie Winkie is a classic nursery rhyme that is often recited to children at bedtime. The unique character that the rhyme describes has become very popular among kids, especially in tales and conversations related to bedtime rituals.

Origin Of The Rhyme Wee Willie Winkie

Wee Willie Winkie was originally a Scottish nursery rhyme written by William Miller, a children’s poet who was born in Glasgow, Scotland. The poem was published in the Scottish poetry and song anthology ” Whistle-Binkie” in 1841. The English version as we know it was published for the first time in 1844, and soon became one of the most popular poems about bedtime.

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Lyrics Of The Rhyme Wee Willie Winkie

Here are the English lyrics of the full rhyme Wee Willie Winkie

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs in his night-gown,
Tapping at the window, crying at the lock,
Are the children in their bed, for it’s past ten o’clock?
Hey, Willie Winkie, are you coming in?
The cat is singing purring sounds to the sleeping hen,
The dog’s spread out on the floor, and doesn’t give a cheep,
But here’s a wakeful little boy who will not fall asleep!
Anything but sleep, you rogue! glowering like the moon,’
Rattling in an iron jug with an iron spoon,
Rumbling, tumbling round about, crowing like a cock,
Shrieking like I don’t know what, waking sleeping folk.
Hey, Willie Winkie – the child’s in a creel!
Wriggling from everyone’s knee like an eel,
Tugging at the cat’s ear, and confusing all her thrums
Hey, Willie Winkie – see, there he comes!”
Weary is the mother who has a dusty child,
A small short little child, who can’t run on his own,
Who always has a battle with sleep before he’ll close an eye
But a kiss from his rosy lips gives strength anew to me. 

Here are the original Scottish lyrics of the full rhyme:

Wee Willie Winkie rins through the toon,
Up stairs an’ doon stairs in his nicht-goon,
Tirlin’ at the window, crying at the lock,
“Are the weans in their bed, for it’s now ten o’clock?”
“Hey, Willie Winkie, are ye comin’ ben?
The cat’s singin grey thrums to the sleepin hen,
The dog’s speldert on the floor and disna gie a cheep,
But here’s a waukrife laddie, that wunna fa’ asleep.”
Onything but sleep, you rogue, glow’ring like the moon,
Rattlin’ in an airn jug wi’ an airn spoon,
Rumblin’, tumblin’ roon about, crawin’ like a cock,
Skirlin like a kenna-what, waukenin’ sleepin’ fock.
“Hey Willie Winkie, the wean’s in a creel,
Wamblin’ aff a bodie’s knee like a verra eel,
Ruggin’ at the cat’s lug and raveling a’ her thrums-
Hey Willie Winkie – see there he comes.”
Wearit is the mither that has a stoorie wean,
A wee, stumpie, stousie, that canna rin his lane,
That has a battle aye wi’ sleep afore he’ll close an e’e-
But a kiss frae aff his rosy lips gies strength anew to me.

What Will Your Child Learn From The Rhyme Wee Willie Winkie?

Wee Willie Winkie song is all about bedtime rituals. This rhyme teaches kids about the nighttime routine, and enforces the importance of bedtime. While the poem describes an entire night’s scene when a little boy doesn’t go to sleep on time, it talks about various other elements, people and even animals who are around. This introduces children to concepts like cats purring, the moon glowering, cocks crowing, dogs sprawled on the floor sleepily and more. Kids have a hard time giving up all the fun to call it a day. This rhyme brings to their notice how running around and not sleeping on time causes trouble for everyone. It also increases children’s imagination power as they think about all the mayhem at night. But most importantly, they understand that even after their mother is tired at the end of the day, a good night kiss will make them feel refreshed.

Theme Of The Rhyme Wee Willie Winkie

The poem Wee Willie Winkie is based on the theme of a child who refuses to sleep even though it’s bed time. This little boy is ready for the night in his night suit but still remains out of bed. He runs around across the town, not listening to his mother who is tired of trying to tuck him in. His actions disturb the people and animals that are asleep. Finally, the tired mother receives a good night kiss from the child as he falls asleep.

Rhyming Scheme Of Wee Willie Winkie

If you are familiar with the original Scottish version of the rhyme, you will notice that the rhyming pattern of the poem is AABB. In this, two consecutive lines rhyme with each other. The English adaptation of the rhyme also tries to maintain the same rhyme scheme. However, the English words in certain instances don’t rhyme as well as the original lyrics, giving away the pattern.

Words That Your Child Will Learn From The Rhyme Wee Willie Winkie

Children will get to learn several old English words as well as descriptive words through this rhyme.

• Alliterations: Wee Willie Winkie is an alliteration that immediately gets children interested in the rhyme.
• Rhyming Words: town-gown, lock-o’clock, cheep-asleep, moon-spoon, creel-eel, thrums-comes.
• Actions: runs, tapping, crying, coming, sleeping, waking, wriggling, tugging, confusing
• Sound words: purring, rattling, rumbling, tumbling, crowing, shrieking,
• Common nouns: town, nightgown, windows, lock, bed, moon, jug, spoon, folk, mother, child
• Animal names: cat, hen, dog, cock, eel,

Suggested Activities

As your child learns this rhyme, you can involve them in some fun activities to make them understand the poem better.

1. The Memory Game

• Ask your child to get ready with a pencil and notebook.
• Let them recite the rhyme in their mind.
• Make them note down all the animals that are mentioned in this rhyme.
• Did they get them all?
• This game will help them sharpen their memory as well as practice spellings.

2. The Dress-Up Game

This could be a fun once-in-a-while bedtime fun activity. How easy is it to dress up as Wee Willie Winkie…

• Put on a cool pair of pyjamas and keep your eyes wide open.
• Pretend to be this fun character who wants to run around and play at night.
• Recite the poem together.

FAQs

1. Is the poem Wee Willie Winkie based on King William?

Many people believe that there may have been a reference to King William III as he was referred to as Willie Winkie in Jacobite songs. However, this rhyme was not intended as a Jacobite satire and simply uses the name in the alliteration.

2. Who was the original writer of the poem?

William Miller, the original creator of this song, was a Scottish Poet who came to be known as The Laureate of the Nursery. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and wrote mainly in the Scots language.

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