About this rhyme
A delightfully silly rhyme full of impossible things.
Traditional English nonsense rhyme, printed around 1765.
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Traditional words — in the public domain.
What children learn
- Silly vs. real
- Animal and kitchen words
- Imagination
Vocabulary
- fiddle
- a violin
- sport
- here, fun or a funny sight
- dish
- a plate or bowl
Movement & activity idea
Jump “over the moon” (a cushion), laugh like the little dog, and run away holding a spoon.
Parent tip
Ask “Can a cow really jump over the moon?” — a great way to talk about pretend and real.
Try a Learning Activity
Read → quiz → practise on the Language island and work towards a 🏅 Gold Medal.
FAQ
Where does “Hey Diddle Diddle” come from?
Traditional English nonsense rhyme, printed around 1765.