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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be irritated by people's inability to sing a decent version of sleeping bunnies?

222 replies

ajamore · 23/09/2009 12:04

This is standard fare at the toddler groups I have been going to for some years now. It seems to me that the success of this song is the gentle "ssshhhh! shushes while the little ones are lying on the floor, followed by (and I believe this is an absolute ESSENTIAL element) the suspenseful "ohhhhh" (getting louder and louder) that then erupts into an enthusiastic clambering upright of the children and a jolly "hop little bunnies, hop hop hop etc.."

So,

"See the sleeping bunnies sleeping till it's nearly noon, come and let us wake them gently with our merry tune"

Oh how still: Ssshhhhh, Shhhhhh (finger to lips action by all mothers/fathers/nannies/childminders etc.)

Are they ill? (always find that bit a bit disturbing to be honest): Shhhh Shhhhh

Wake up soon, Wake up soon

BIT OF A PAUSE then a very slowly building Ohhhhhhhhh and then,

Hop little bunnies hop hop hop; Hop little bunnies hop, hop, hop; Hop little bunnies hop hop hop; Hop then stop.

I am fed up of being at groups where it is all rushed and there are no shushes after the "oh how still, are they ill" bits but then there are a few uncoordinated shushes after the "wake up soon, wake up soon" bit if you're lucky. There are awkward glances from all the mothers/fathers/nannies/childminders etc. with this misappropriation of the shushing part because everbody is looking to someone else to come in with the "Hop little bunnies, hop hop hop" and the children are confused too. The shushes have their place in this song but NOT in this bit!!

I would like to know what the Mumsnet consensus is on this VERY important issue.

Thank you.

OP posts:
nickschick · 24/09/2009 18:28

Ohhhhh I could kill half an hour with 2 rounds of the bunny song .

At the end of my version we do ....hop hop hop and stop and the children have to stop promptly.

nickschick · 24/09/2009 18:29

Nobody else seems to do the 'pes in a pod 'rhyme right either .

CheerfulYank · 24/09/2009 18:34

Um...I don't know what this is. But I wish I did, my DS would love it from the sound!

Shall google.

BagAndShoeLady · 24/09/2009 20:26

.....I saw a doctor lying on a nurse
nurse your baby nurse it well (by singing sleeping bunnies to it the correct way !!!!!!!!!!
That is the end of the tale I have to tell!

Persephoponce · 24/09/2009 20:34

See the little bunnies sleeping in til noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune?
They're so still
Are they ill?

PAUSE

No!

Up little bunnies up, up, up!
Hop little bunnies hop,hop,hop
Jump little bunnies jump jump jump
Stop little bunnies stop stop stop!

THAT is the official norf London version . We didnt do it when I was a kid, either. I learned it at posh London toddler groups.

I love the disturbing ones. 'Miss Polly had a Dolly' is my favourite. The sinister doctor who'll be back in the morning for the bill. Bastard.

MadBrooklynLee · 24/09/2009 20:43

This is a fantastic thread. I've just sat and read it all.
Wanted to sort out how the sleeping bunnies started as I always forget - and learned so much more!!

My 15 month old son always wells up when we sing the first part of Dingle Dangle 'when all the cows are sleeping....' WHY?

Maria2007 · 24/09/2009 21:03

I'm sorry! This is an outrage!

The CORRECT version is:

See the little bunnies sleeping 'til it's nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a merry tune
Oh so still
Are they ill?

PAUSE..........

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! (screamed by all)

HOP LITTLE BUNNIES HOP HOP HOP
HOP LITTLE BUNNIES HOP HOP HOP
HOP LITTLE BUNNIES HOP HOP...
STOP!!!!!!

(and then again ad infinitum).

Maria2007 · 24/09/2009 21:05

And also, this thread has opened my eyes to the paradox that is '10 little ducks went swimming one day / over the hill and far away'. Never ever thought about the fact that you can't possibly swim over a hill. How stupid am I? I've sung it countless times at toddler groups & never once noticed...

ZZZenAgain · 24/09/2009 21:09

Those who missed out on the delights of toddler groups, this is the song:

hop hop hop

We did it a bit differently at our toddler group. Isn't the dd sweet? One of those wriggly ones who stand up when you sing: "they're so still"

Maria2007 · 24/09/2009 21:22

Sorry ZZZenAgain, yes, she's very very cute (is she your DD??!!) BUT the 'hop little bunnies hop hop hop' bit is sung completely wrong! Unfortunately I can't sing what I think is the correct version through Mumsnet

Here's another cute version (STILL not the correct one in the hop hop hop bit). But cute.

hanaboo · 24/09/2009 22:57

YES bagandshoelady, thats it i just knew there was more, thanx

i've never sang the little bunnies song but am gonna do it with my dd tomorrow... only problem is, i can't decide which version lol

blondeslatternwithbigtits · 24/09/2009 23:53

Am I the only one who thinks that the bit about bunnies sleeping "till it's nearly noon" is purely inserted to taunt knackered parents who would gladly sell their left kidney for a lie-in of such fantastic dimensions.
Bastard bunnies.

Maria2007 · 25/09/2009 07:08

Quite right blonde. Yesterday my toddler woke at 7.01 exactly- & I consider that a lie-in (how sad).

diddl · 25/09/2009 07:23

I think Maria2007 has the best/correct version.

But, OP I think YABU to be irritated by such a trivial thing.

And there shouldn´t be any shushing!

nickschick · 25/09/2009 07:41

zzzenagain .....is that you singing? you could be in c-beebies!!!!

Your dd is adorable (mum of boys x3 here).

but.....unfortunately ds1 aged 16 heard this as I was listening to it and he was getting ready for college and remembered it - hes now gone to college with a distinct feeling this borders on child abuse and that I as a mum and a NNEB need help.

RamblingRosa · 25/09/2009 08:17

I've only heard this song a few times at toddler groups and I haven't got the hang of it at all. DD's started trying to sing it (think they must do it at nursery) and I wish I could help her (she only knows a few of the words and then starts singing something else).

I always found the "are they ill?" bit a bit weird too.

broccoliandchips · 25/09/2009 08:58

Actually, at home we sing .......

Here are sleepy bunnies, sleeping until noon. Shall we wake them with a wooden spoon! Oh so still, are they ill......

Horton · 25/09/2009 10:48

A wooden spoon? I think that's bunny abuse!

SausageRocket · 25/09/2009 10:52

what the heck is this song ? have never heard in my life, despite parenting 3 kids to way beyond preschool age !

southeastastra · 25/09/2009 10:53

i never sing this at toddler group ever as i have hardly ever seen my rabbit sleeping so it wouldn't make sense

maybe they're drugged

sherby · 25/09/2009 10:58

See the sleeping bunnies, sleeping till noon
Shall we go and wake them with a merry tune
Oh so still, are they ill???????

Wake up bunnies up up up

Jump up bunnies up up up

Wake up bunnies up up up

Jump up bunnies up up up

ZZZenAgain · 25/09/2009 11:15

ha ha ha no, that's not me singing (I sound different to that unfortuantely) and my dd is a lot older than that little girl. Isn't she cute though? It was the only version I found quickly.

We did a bit differently at our toddler group but I hadn't known the song before I went there, so I just learnt it there (and had no idea how differently this song is sung at other toddler groups).

Original poster
ajamore · 25/09/2009 12:59

Fighting talk Diddll!! And I see you are voting in favour of the curt version put forward by Maria2007 as the "correct" version!! Don't like the sound of that shouted "NO" sounds a bit uncouth and no shushing. What's wrong with a bit of shushing for God's sake - gives the whole song a bit more atmosphere.

I tell you what though, you'll be able to tell the Mumsnetters at you toddler groups now by the shifty, embarassed glances when they come to do this song at the end of the session! If anyone puts forward any extra verses about lions, crocodiles etc. you'll just know that they've been spending time on Mumsnet

I feel all warm and tingly that some people have been introduced to the world of sleeping bunnies via this thread (whatever version you perform).

Spread the bunny love

OP posts:
Original poster
ajamore · 25/09/2009 13:07

Oh, just feel it my duty to match-make on the bunny front here

Persephoponce could I introduce you to AmazingMabel who on Wed 23-Sep-09 12:59:37 wrote the following plaintive post:

Am I the only person who does:

"Up little bunnies up up up
Hop little bunnies hop hop hop
Jump little bunnies jump jump jump
Stop little bunnies stop stop stop"

And in that order so the "hop" rhymes with "stop" at the end. ??

They sang it like that the first ever plygroup I went to, nowhere else hever has, the original mums in the original playgroup have moved on. Now it's only me, feeling like I'm getting it wrong.

At last a kindred spirit AmazingMabel - perhaps you are in the North London area too as Persephoponce purports this to be the accepted version round them there parts?

OP posts:
Abitbaffled · 25/09/2009 13:42

I hope you realise I had to stop myself sniggering at playgroup this morning during sleeping bunnies!

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