Nursery rhyme lyrics
Humpty Dumpty Lyrics
The words to Humpty Dumpty, with simple actions to do together and a little history for curious grown-ups.
Humpty Dumpty full 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.
Traditional, public domain. Many families sing slightly different versions.
Our 3D Humpty Dumpty video adds a happy ending where Humpty is put back together.
Actions to do together
- Sit your child on your knee and gently bounce.
- On "had a great fall", carefully lower them between your knees.
- Gallop like horses on "all the king's horses".
What your child learns
- Rhyme (wall / fall, men / again)
- Anticipation and turn-taking: children love waiting for the "fall"
- Talking about feelings and helping when something breaks
Where does Humpty Dumpty come from?
Humpty Dumpty is an English nursery rhyme that appeared in print in the late 1700s. Interestingly, the rhyme itself never says Humpty is an egg. That idea became popular through illustrations, especially Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass.
Questions parents ask
Is Humpty Dumpty an egg?
The rhyme doesn't say so. He is usually drawn as an egg, a tradition made famous by Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass.
How old is Humpty Dumpty?
Versions of the rhyme were printed in England by the late 18th century.
