The Yankee Doodle song is one of the most popular English nursery rhymes in the United States of America. The song is a patriotic nursery rhyme written to inculcate the values of love for one’s country in little ones. The first written form was discovered in 1775. The Yankee Doodle song is the state anthem of Connecticut. The melody of the song is maybe older than the lyrics, going back to folk songs of Medieval Europe. The origin of the poem is believed to be the American Seven Year’s War. It was originally sung by British soldiers to mock the inexperienced American soldiers. As the war progressed in favour of the Americans, they adopted the song to be their own! Although the rhyme seems to be talking about a serious topic, it has been adopted to teach children new words and make learning fun.
Yankee Doodle Lyrics In English
The lyrics of the Kid’s version of the Yankee Doodle poem are below:
Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony,
Stuck a feather in his cap
And called it macaroni.
Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
Father and I went down to camp,
Along with Captain Gooding,
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding.
There was Captain Washington,
Upon a slapping stallion,
Giving orders to his men-
I guess there were a million.
What Will Your Child Learn From Yankee Doodle?
Your child can learn the emotions of patriotism from the poem Yankee Doodle. We must teach our children the values of loyalty and love for their country, as they are the country’s future.
The poem is a beautiful example of how the American soldiers turned the British soldier’s mockery into something they could adopt and call their own. It is very difficult to stand against mockery and bullying, but the American soldiers gave us a beautiful example of standing strong even in the worst situations. You can teach your children to be kind but also never tolerate mockery and bullying.
They should also be taught to look at the world as a whole. In today’s world, we interact with people of different races and ethnicities on a regular basis. Start by teaching your child the importance of loyalty and love for their country, and then you can extend the teachings to loving and being loyal to the Earth. It is the earth that nurtures us, and it is important that we take care of it together, regardless of the political boundaries drawn between us.
Theme Of Yankee Doodle
The theme of the Yankee Doodle song is patriotism. It is a song that the British soldiers first sang to mock the inexperienced American soldiers. But when the American soldiers won, they adopted the song and made it their own!
Rhyming Scheme Of Yankee Doodle
The rhyming scheme of Yankee Doodle is ABCB. In this rhyming pattern, alternate lines end in rhyming words.
Words That Your Child Will Learn From Yankee Doodle
Words your child will learn from the Yankee Doodle Song:
- Nouns: Town, Macaroni, Riding, Feather, Dandy, Hasty Pudding, Stallion
- Verbs: Riding, Slapping
- Adjectives: Dandy, Handy
Your child will also learn rhyming words and action words from the poem.
Suggested Activities
1. Ride A Horse
- As the poem talks about a pony and a stallion, you can let your little one ride a horse.
- Get a broom or any toy like a bat, hockey stick, etc.
- As you recite the poem, encourage your little one to gallop around on their ‘horse’ and sing along to the patriotic song.
2. A Lesson In History
- Since the poem is about American pride and was adopted during the American Revolution, you can teach your little one about the American Revolution.
- Teach them the story of how the United States was colonised and then how the Americans fought for their freedom from Britain.
- If your child shows interest in this, you can even teach them about the Native Americans whose land the British colonised.
- Northern America belonged to the Native Americans who fought wars against British colonisers to defend their land. However, they could not do so, and most of their people were wiped out.
3. DIY Soldier Hat
- You can make a hat of a Revolutionary (American) soldier!
- Make a triangle-shaped crown and paint one side of it the same as the American flag.
- Once you have the base of the hat, stick a red-coloured feather into it.
- Once you have made this, put it on your little one’s head and teach them to march around the house just like a Revolutionary soldier! This will be a fun and exciting activity for you and your little one to do together.
FAQs
1. How does one sing the Yankee Doodle song?
The tune is the same as “Jack and Jill”.
2. Where does the Yankee Doodle song originate?
The Yankee Doodle song possibly originates in 15th Century Holland.
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