London Bridge Is Falling Down

London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, wood and clay.
Build it up with wood and clay,
My fair lady.

Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away.
Wood and clay will wash away,
My fair lady.

This English singing game dates back to around 1744 in print, though the rhyme itself is believed to be even older, and it has long doubled as both a song and a group activity where children act out an arch falling. It works best for preschoolers and early elementary children, roughly ages 3-8, since the game version requires enough coordination to form an arch with arms and time a "catch" to the music. The stop-and-go structure of the accompanying game, children moving until the music cues a pause, gives kids practice with listening for auditory cues and reacting quickly, and early-childhood educators often use musical games like this to build the kind of attentive listening and impulse control needed later for classroom routines. Its centuries-old repetitive verses also make it an easy, low-pressure way for a group of children to sing together without anyone needing to lead. As both a song and a playground game, it has endured across generations in a way few other nursery rhymes have managed. For related songs that build these listening and movement skills, see this piece on movement songs and gross motor development.

Free printable from kidsongstv.com — more free songs, lyrics, tales and games at kidsongstv.com