Pop Goes the Weasel
Lyrics
Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle.
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
Up and down the City road,
In and out the Eagle,
That’s the way the money goes,
Pop! goes the weasel.
But for a story seemingly as old as time, how much do you really know about it?
Today we aim to help you enrich you and your children’s experience with the nursery rhyme Pop Goes the Weasel by providing some background information on this iconic song.
We will go over the history of the rhyme, provide some topics you can discuss with your kids involving the story, and even go over a few sharp tips that will make the experience of the song a little bit more exciting.
History:
Like most English nursery rhymes, Pop Goes the Weasel seems to have nineteenth century origins. That said, the precise point of origin is hard to pinpoint. Competing stories suggest different things.
Believe it or not, one of the origin stories has Pop Goes the Weasel originating as an elegant ball room dance of the mid nineteenth century.
Indeed, there was a dance called Pop Goes the Weasel that may very well be the origin of the song. This is a particularly plausible point of origin because it seems that the words were added retroactively to the song.
In other words, the music existed for the dance, and it seems that people later added words to it.
While you children might not be to interested in the history of nineteenth century English dancing, they may enjoy the opportunity to get dressed up and waltz around to the tune of this song!
Lessons:
Now that the boring grown up stuff is out of the way, let’s dive into some fun the whole family can enjoy.
What lessons can Pop Goes the Weasel teach us?
Different ages are going to take different things from the story. Your youngest children might simply enjoy the fact that it is sung in a soothing rhythm.
It’s time to bring your kids into the discussion. Feel free to read over the lyrics to the song below while elaborating with comments that will be of interest to your kids.
Half a pound of tenpenny rice, have a pound of treacle. That’s the way the money goes. Pop goes the weasel!
Woah! There is the weasel. Aren’t animals cool? What sound do you think weasels make?
Up and down the city road, in and out the eagle. That’s the way the money goes. Pop goes the weasel!
Oh my! The weasel is back! Not only that, but she has a friend. There is also an eagle. Eagles are big birds? Can you flap your arms like an eagle? Or would you rather pop like a weasel?
Tips for Parents:
Now, here are a few tips that will help make the story even more exciting for your kids.
First things first, think about having your kids sit on your lap when you tell the story. That way you can “reenact” the tale as you go.
This way, you can lift your kids into the sky anytime the weasel “pops.”
These motions will be fun, and they will also help your kids connect words of the song (like the word pop) with their literal meaning.
And of course, you can always get creative with this idea to tailor the experience to activities you know that your kids will really like.
Conclusion:
Simple stories stand the test of time. Use the tips and lessons provided today to have a fuller experience of Pop Goes the Weasel with your children.
