Humpty Dumpty lyrics
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Actions to do together
- Sit up tall on a cushion or low step, like Humpty on his wall.
- On “had a great fall”, tumble gently onto something soft.
- Gallop on the spot like the king’s horses, then march like the king’s men.
- Shrug your shoulders for “couldn’t put Humpty together again”.
What children learn
- Rhyming pairs (wall/fall, men/again)
- Cause and effect: what happens when something falls?
- Big movements: sitting, tumbling, galloping and marching
The story behind the rhyme
Humpty Dumpty was first printed in the late 1700s. Look closely and you’ll see the rhyme never says Humpty is an egg. It began as a riddle, and “an egg” was the answer: something that can’t be put back together once it falls.
The egg pictures came later and stuck. Humpty is a favourite at KiddiesTV too: our own Humpty stars in the Humpty the Train and Humpty the flying egg videos.
Questions parents ask
Is Humpty Dumpty an egg?
The rhyme never says so. It started life as a riddle, and the answer was an egg, which is why Humpty is almost always drawn as one.
Is Humpty Dumpty a sad rhyme for toddlers?
Most toddlers find the tumble funny rather than sad. If yours worries, add a happy ending: “…but Humpty’s friends gave him a great big hug!”
Keep playing
More from KiddiesTV that goes with this rhyme.
More nursery rhymes
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Ages 1–5 · 2:20 video
The finger-play everyone knows. Up the spout, down with the rain, and up again when the sun comes out.
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Johny Johny Yes Papa
Ages 1–4 · 1:37 video
Caught with the sugar! A question-and-answer rhyme that toddlers love to act out with a grown-up.
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Jack and Jill
Ages 1–5 · 1:44 video
Up the hill, down the hill, and home again. Most people know the first verse; here are both, with the funny old words explained.
Sing along