Tumblelight Garden · for parents and caregivers

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Itsy the tiny spider climbs the rain spout. Down comes a sun-shower, out comes the sun, and up she goes again! The traditional nursery rhyme with copy-me echoes, plus an original chant and bridge, for ages 2–5.

Actions: Climbing: touch the thumb of one hand to the pointer finger of the other, then swap, again and again, so your hands climb up. Rain: hold both hands up and wiggle your fingers as you lower them. Washed out: sweep your hands out to the sides. Sun: raise both arms and sweep them round into a big circle over your head. Dried up: wiggle your fingers upward. Chant: whisper 'Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... shh', then throw your arms wide on 'SHINE!'. Verses: sing each line, then let your child copy it back. Verse 3: make tiny whisper-quiet spider fingers. In the 'Again!' round, sing along with the words on screen!

Words of the rhyme: traditional (public domain). A 'Spider Song' version was printed in 1910 (A. W. North, Camp and Camino in Lower California); the familiar 'itsy bitsy' wording comes from oral folk tradition. The chant ('Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... SHINE!'), the bridge ('Wiggle fingers, rain comes down...') and the story are original to Tumblelight Garden.

Chorus

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.
Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... shh...
Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... SHINE!

Verse 1

The itsy bitsy spider (itsy bitsy spider)
Climbed up the water spout. (Up the water spout!)
Down came the rain (down came the rain)
And washed the spider out! (Washed the spider out!)

Verse 2

Out came the sun (out came the sun)
And dried up all the rain. (Dried up all the rain!)
And the itsy bitsy spider (itsy bitsy spider)
Climbed up the spout again! (Up the spout again!)

Chorus

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.
Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... shh...
Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... SHINE!

Bridge

Wiggle fingers, rain comes down,
Pitter-patter on the ground.
Arms up high, a big round sun,
Warm and dry for everyone!

Verse 3

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

Chorus

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.
Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... shh...
Climb-a-climb, drip-a-drop... SHINE!

Outro

Up the spout again... SHINE!