Origin And Meaning of Wee Willie Winkie

“Wee Willie Winkie” is one of the best known Scottish nursery rhymes, sung all over the world. It was written by a famous poet, William Miller, title “Willie Winkie” and was first printed in 1841 in Whistle-binkie: Stories for the Fireside.  The titular figure in the song has become popular as personification of sleep across the globe.

Origin and meaning
Written by William Miller, “Wee Willie Winkie” was first published in 1841 and later it was re-printed in 1873 in Whistle-Binkie; a Collection of Songs for the Social Circle. Willie Winkie was referred to King William III of England in Jacobite songs.

Popular bedtime entity
Wee Willie Winkie was so popular that the character was counted among the well-known sleeping entities including Ole Lukøje of Scandinavia, Dormette of France[7], Klaas Vaak of the Netherlands, the Sandman and Billy Winker in Lancashire.

Enjoy watching Wee Willie Winkie video and learn all about this adorable character!!!

King And Queen Songs For Kids To Enjoy

A number of king and queen songs, which describes about various kings and their dreams, interest and lots more. Let's learn about some popular songs that have been entertaining the little ones from ages.

The Grand Old Duke of York
“The Grand Old Duke of York”, also sung as “The Noble Duke of York” is a popular children's song, often accompanied by a set of actions. There is much speculation about the Duke of the title, it unlikely to various holders of that office, including Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (1763-1827).

Old King Cole
“Old King Cole” is a well-known British song for preschoolers The King Cole of the title is unlikely identified as any historical figure. The poem tells about a merry king who called for his pipe, bowl, and fiddlers, with the details varying among versions.

Good King Arthur
“Good King Arthur” is a fun nursery rhyme about a king, who stoles three pecks of barley and wheat to make a bag pudding.

King Boggen
“King Boggen” describes about a king who builds a new hall using delightful desserts such as pie crust, black pudding, pancakes and more.

King Kokem
“King Kokem” is a joyful song for children. It tells about a king, who while sleeping dreams about a magical land full of surprises.

The King of France  
Another popular king and queen song is “The King of France” which is favorite among kids in English speaking world. It is single verse rhyme, which is easy for kids to memorize.  

Finger Family Nursery Rhymes For Children

Finger Family, also popularly known as Daddy Finger is one of the well-known nursery rhymes, sung all around the world. The song features Daddy Finger as the thumb, Mommy Finger as the index finger, Brother Finger as the middle finger, Sister Finger as the ring finger and Baby Finger as the pinky finger.

At Baby Hazel Nursery Rhymes, we have created exciting versions of Finger Family song that will keep the kids entertained while they learn lyrics to their favorite rhyme. The Finger Family Song, Stars Finger Family and Ducks Finger Family!!! The kids' songs incorporate mesmerizing visuals, playful music and compelling storytelling so the little ones will love to sing and dance to the melodious tunes.

The Finger Family Song
The Finger Family song is kids' favorite nursery rhyme, which is sung in preschools as well as at home. It is accompanied by a set of hand movements or gestures to keep the kids engaged.

Stars Finger Family
Stars Finger Family features a cute family of stars, twinkling bright in the sky. Enjoy watching adorable stars playing and hiding in clouds, having lots of fun. The dark night is brightened up by these brightly twinkling stars family and has made the ambiance lively.

Ducks Finger Family
Ducks Finger Family is a fun song, featuring a duck family, Daddy duck, Mommy duck, Brother duck, Sister duck and Baby duck. Parents duck and their ducklings enjoy a fun time near the waterfall and enjoy lots of mischievous activities.

Amazing Benefits Of Reading Short Stories And Fairy Tales

Reading stories and fairy tales play an essential role in developing kid's overall personality and building confidence. It is an age-old tradition, which is followed by next generation since the time immemorial. Indeed it was a part of most of our own childhood.

You will be surprised to know that story-telling is not only to entertain the kids but it has innumerable benefits for kids. It is a stepping stone for academic learning. Moreover, regular reading and listening can make kids better orators too. So keep an age-old tradition of reading stories fairy tales to your little ones. Let's read about some benefits of reading short stories to kids!

Enhanced imagination skills
In this digital time, visual stimulation is served up via various devices including iPad, television, Xbox and more. The little ones rarely get to cultivate their imaginations. Listening and reading tales allow kids to tap into their imaginations and they will be able to visualize in a better way.

Build strong vocabulary
Encourage your kids to read short stories and simultaneously their vocabulary will become strong as they come across numerous new words. Reading out stories to your children helps in making them acquainted with the language as well as in learning new words and phrases. This is also a great way to teach your child new words and pronunciation on a regular basis

Enhance reading skills
Reading skills of children will improve dramatically. As they listen to stories narrated by their parents, grandparents or caretakers, it will an interest of reading stories in kids, thus enhancing their reading skills.

Build a bond
Nothing is cozier than to listen to fairy tales read by our parents or grandparents. It allows the kids and parents to spend time together and helps in building a strong bond.

Improves listening skills
Listening to stories help in developing better listening skills. Few kids have a habit of memorizing their lesson without understanding the subject. And the children who listen and read stories and fairy tales, enjoy and understand what they are reading. This helps the little learners in learning their subjects faster and better.

Fun Nursery Rhymes To Act Out

Learning nursery rhyme becomes easy and fun-filled if accompanied by a set of actions. It adds a magical touch to the rhyme for little learners. Moreover, it keeps kids entertained and they can memorize their favorite rhymes.  As an introduction and to make the learning session joyful, perform some actions as your sing or recite a rhyme. The children will enjoy and sing along with you.

Some of the popular rhyme to act out:
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Sing “Head Shoulder Knees and Toes” to learn to identify body parts. It is a fun exercise song as kids might dance and touch their body parts in a sequence while singing each word. Thus, helping the little ones to identify head, shoulders, knees, toes, eyes, ears, mouth and nose.  

If You're Happy 
Act out “If You're Happy” rhyme to help reinforce learning lyrics to the rhyme. Dance and sing to this classic children's rhyme, popularly sung all over the world. Clap the hands, stomp the feet, nod the head and more fun actions to enjoy while singing the rhyme.

Two Little Hands Go Clap Clap Clap 
“Two Little Hands Go Clap Clap” is a joyful nursery rhyme. While reciting a poem, kids can perform the actions imitating the lyrics. And little ones will enjoy learning lyrics to their favorite rhyme as they will act it out.

Chubby Cheeks
Chubby Cheeks is a joyful rhyme, popularly sung in English-speaking world. Little ones love to learn rhyme, especially action rhymes. So enjoy singing Chubby Cheeks rhyme followed by a set of  actions while singing each word. 

Jack and Jill Nursery Rhyme Origin And Meaning

“Jack and Jill" is a well-known traditional nursery rhyme. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as no. 10266. Popularly sung in English-speaking world, Jack and Jill nursery rhyme dates back to 18th century and is printed in different numbers of verses, with variations in lyrics. It is made up of quatrains and various theories have been advanced to explain the meaning of lyrics.

Origin and meaning of rhyme
The rhyme has been traditionally observed as a nonsense verse, as Jack and Jill climbed up a hill to find the water, though the water is often to be found at the bottom of hills.

“Jack and Jill” in the lyrics usually referred to a boy and a girl in England. Moreover, a comedy, titled Jack and Jill was performed at the Elizabethan court in 1567-68. The phrase was used twice by Shakespeare. First was in “A Midsummer Night;s Dream”, in which a line as “Jack shall have Jill; Nought shall go ill” is used. The second time, the phrase as “Our wooing doth not end like an old play; Jack hath not Jill” was used in “Love's Labour's Lost”.

Till 18th century, Jack was commonly used in English-language rhymes and represented  an archetypal Everyman hero. While Jill was indicated as a young girl or a sweetheart by the end of the Middle Ages.

However, the wood engraving that contains the first recorded version of the nursery rhyme showed that two boys and not a girl and a boy. Moreover, the word “Gill” was used instead of “Jill”. This earliest printed version of the rhyme particularly comes from a reprint of John Newbery's Mother Goose's Melody, which is believed to first published in London in the year 1765. 

Baa Baa Black Sheep Origin and Meaning

“Baa, Baa, Black Sheep”, is one of the well-known traditional nursery rhymes. It is a single stanza rhyme, thus making it for kids to memorize easily. The earliest surviving version of the poem dates from 1731 and is sung in a French melody Ah! vous dirai-je, maman. Several theories are associated with the origin of this rhyme. One of the theories advanced to explain the meaning of a song is that it is a  resentment at Medical English taxes on wool.

Origin and meaning
Several theories have been explained to the meaning of “Baa Baa Black Sheep” rhyme. But these theories doesn't have any corroborating evidence. Katherine Elwes Thomas believes and has suggested in The Real Personaged of Mother Goose (1930) that it is a complaint against the heavy taxation on wool, which was levied till fifteenth century.

One of the theories includes that it is a slave trade, particularly in the southern United States. Even this theory has no supporting historical evidence.

Original version
“Baa, Baa Black Sheep” was first printed in Tommy Thum's Pretty Song Book with the lyrics as follows :
Bah, Bah, a black Sheep,
Have you any Wool?
Yes merry I Have,
Three Bags full,
One for my Master,
One for my Dame,
One for the Little Boy
That lives down the lane.