Some nursery rhymes have a fun take that can get children moving and also enhance their language skills and coordination. The ‘B-I-N-G-O’ song is one of them. It’s almost like a counting song, but instead of saying the numbers out loud, kids clap for the letters of the word ‘BINGO’ as the English nursery rhyme progresses. While the origin of the song is unknown, its earliest reference was made in a songbook named ‘The Humming Bird’ in 1785. Read on to know more!
‘B-I-N-G-O’ Lyrics In English
The most recent version of the ‘B-I-N-G-O’ poem is a shortened and simplified version compared to the older one. Let’s take a look at it:
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
B-I-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o.
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
(clap)-I-N-G-O
(clap)-I-N-G-O
(clap)-I-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o.
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o.
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o.
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O
And Bingo was his name-o.
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-o.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)
And Bingo was his name-o.
What Will Your Child Learn From ‘B-I-N-G-O’?
Songs with repetitive lyrics like ‘B-I-N-G-O’ help develop early reading skills and boost kids’ confidence. This rhyme is a great way to teach kids to identify letters, invent new words (even if they sound funny) and rhyme with the last line of each verse.
Theme Of ‘B-I-N-G-O’
The song is a word rhyme to encourage kids to read and spell the words they read.
Rhyming Scheme/Pattern Of ‘B-I-N-G-O’
The song has a fun rhyming scheme created by adding the letter ‘o’ at the end of the second and the last line of each verse and the word ‘BINGO’ spelt out in the remaining lines.
Words That Your Child Will Learn From ‘B-I-N-G-O’
This rhyme also has ample words your child can learn. First, they will learn how to spell the word ‘BINGO’, and also sight words like had, a, there, was, his, etc. and nouns like dog and farmer.
Suggested Activities
Accompany these activities with the B-I-N-G-O nursery rhyme and make them a bit more fun and engaging for your child.
1. Count, Clap, And Clean B-I-N-G-O
For this activity, you’ll need a slate or a whiteboard. Write ‘BINGO’ in bold letters on the board. Then, write 1 to 5 from left to right under ‘BINGO’ such that each letter of the name has a number written under it. Now, ask your child to sing the first verse of the rhyme as usual. From the second verse, the child will need to say the number out loud, clap instead of saying the letter, and then wipe the letter from the board. The child must do this for each letter of the name as they sing the nursery rhyme till the end.
2. Clap, Stomp, Jump B-I-N-G-O
Let the child sing the entire nursery rhyme as usual and clap for each letter. Then, replace the clapping with stomping, jumping, etc., each time the nursery rhyme is repeated.
FAQs
1. What is the original version of this nursery rhyme?
One of the earliest versions of the nursery rhyme known goes like this:
The farmer’s dog leapt over the stile,
his name was little Bingo,
the farmer’s dog leapt over the stile,
his name was little Bingo.
B with an I — I with an N,
N with a G — G with an O;
his name was little Bingo:
B—I—N—G—O;
His name was little Bingo.
The farmer loved a cup of good ale,
he called it rare good stingo,
the farmer loved a cup of good ale,
he called it rare good stingo.
S—T with an I — I with an N,
N with a G — G with an O;
He called it rare good stingo:
S—T—I—N—G—O;
He called it rare good stingo
And is this not a sweet little song?
I think it is —— by jingo.
And is this not a sweet little song?
I think it is —— by jingo.
J with an I — I with an N,
N with a G — G with an O;
I think it is —— by jingo:
J—I—N—G—O;
I think it is —— by jingo.
This nursery rhyme can also be a wonderful icebreaker for kids as it can get them to sing and clap together. Add some more fun ways to enact the rhyme, and the activity is sure to be the highlight of the day!
