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Variations on row, row, row your boat

27 replies

Daddster · 09/08/2007 22:46

This came from a response to another topic, but it deserves a thread of its own as a lullaby.

So far, the variants on row your boat (all of which of course have actions to go with them) are:

down the river and if you see a polar bear, don't forget to shiver
to the shore - lion there - roar
down the creek - little mouse - squeak
down the stream - crocodile - scream
over the waterfall - telephone - call
over the weir - public house - the beer
cross the lake - jellyfish - shake
under the bridges and if you see an insect cloud, watch out for the midges!
down the brook - skinny dipper - look

There must be one for "loch", but I can't find one.

And courtesy of Wikipedia:

Rock, rock, rock the boat
Gently to and fro
If you do it hard enough
Into the water you go

Row, row, row the boat
Gently in the bath
If you see a spider
Don't forget to laugh

Row, row, row the boat
Gently as can be
'Cause if you're not careful
You'll fall into the sea!

Row, row, row the boat
Gently down the stream
Throw your teachers overboard
And listen to them scream!

Or my personal favourite:
Propel, propel, propel your craft,
Softly down the liquid solution.
Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically,
Existence is but an illusion.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
JARM · 09/08/2007 22:48

We do 3 verses....

1st - traditional - lifei s but a dream
2nd - gently down the stream - crocodile - scream
3rd - rock rock rock the boat gently down the shore, if you see a dinosaur dont forget to roar

Quite often substitute crocodile and dinosaur for mummy/daddy/grandad etc as a giggle

filchthemildmanneredjanitor · 09/08/2007 22:50

row row your boat
away from all your troubles
if you see them following you
better blow some bubbles! (blow lots of raspberries!)

LaylaandSethsmum · 09/08/2007 22:52

...Gently down the river
If you see a polar bear
Don't forget to shiver

3Ddonut · 09/08/2007 22:54

I'm loving these! We were so boring with our roars and screams!!!! We have to the wheels on the bus: the teenagers on the bus go text, text, text and to this little piggy, : this little piggy has an ipod, this little piggy has a playstation, this little piggy has a ds lite and this little piggy has a laptop but this piggy has a wiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!

tortoiseSHELL · 09/08/2007 22:54

Row row row the boat
Gently under the stream
Ha ha, fooled you
I'm a submarine!

hotchocscot · 09/08/2007 23:21

row row row your boat
quickly out to sea
when you've sailed the ocean long
just come home to me (big mummy cuddle)

Daddster · 09/08/2007 23:25

3D Donut - you are a genius. [doffing cap smiley]

OP posts:
3Ddonut · 11/08/2007 21:46

Daddster, not sure if you're being serious there, but in case you are, you should hear my bathtime take on Avril Lavine's 'girlfriend':

hey, hey, you, you, you can make a big splash,
hey, hey, you, you, keep that water in the bath.
Hey, hey, you, you, I know that you like it,
hey, hey, you, you, making everybody wet,

You're like, so whatever, we can make you even wetter now, THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY'S TALKIN 'BOUT.

Kids love it!

FrannyandZooey · 11/08/2007 21:49

over the lagoon / if you look up to the sky / you will see the moon

gently over the sea / can you see the pretty fish / swim from you to me?

flashfinn · 11/08/2007 21:51

Just to be pedantic

the crococdile one is 'down the jungle stream' not gently down the stream as everyone now sings.

3Ddonut · 11/08/2007 22:00

flash...so pedantic!! ( I sing it your way ) this thread is about your variations on a theme, so, technically, (pedantically) no-one is wrong!

pobletsmum · 11/08/2007 22:02

There are several transport ones too but I can't remember the words so have tried my best e.g.

Shunt, shunt, shunt the train (gently) down the track; merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, up the line and back toot!toot!

Drive, drive, drive your car quickly down the road..... merrily.... with a heavy load

plus

rock, rock, rock your boat gently to and fro; merrily... into the water we go Splash!

flashfinn · 11/08/2007 22:03

lol 3donut! I will shut up now

pobletsmum · 13/08/2007 21:52

Heard another verse on CBeebies yesterday. Something like...

row.....on the tide....to the other side

GreatGooglyMoogly · 13/08/2007 21:57

Row, row, row your boat
Gently in the bath
If you see a tall giraffe
Don't forget to laugh

peachygirl · 13/08/2007 21:59

Row row row your boat gently out to sea
If you see a big blue whale
Invite him home to tea...yum

ELF1981 · 13/08/2007 22:03

Anybody read "this little piggie wears Prada" and other variations of modern nursery songs?

I loved "twinkle twinkle diamond ring"

Also - there was an old lady who swallowed the sea?!?! Got sent that today and have NEVER heard that before!

I lurve these row row versions, we just do two and back and forth, but it doesn't matter that it doesn't last long because most of the time, she's launching herself backwards off our knees in a spin while we're singing.

heifer · 13/08/2007 22:05

rock rock rock your boat
gently too and fro
if you rock your boat too hard
into the water you go SPLASH

heifer · 13/08/2007 22:07

I love the version of Twinkle Twinkle that DD learnt at preschool

Twinkle, twinkle chocolate bar
How I drive my rusty car,
Start the enging
pull the choke
off I go in a cloud of smoke
twikle, twinkle chocolate bar
how I drive my rusty car...

Thought it was fab the first time I heard it...

Ellbell · 13/08/2007 22:11

Can I share this one, courtesy of dh:

Row, row, row your ferry
Gently 'cross the Channel
Up and down, over the bumps
Like a giddy camel

(First two lines, do rowing action, as per normal, but with lo sitting on outstretched legs of parent. 3rd line bounce lo up and down as if waves are getting up. Final line... wobbly lo about all over the place till they fall off legs.)

Always had my two in fits of laughter. (My dh is a bit odd though...!)

RubyRioja · 13/08/2007 22:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

donut333222 · 09/02/2021 19:30

this little piggy has an ipod, this little piggy has a playstation, this little piggy has a ds lite and this little piggy has a laptop but this piggy has a wiiiiiiiiiii!!!

Davross · 05/11/2021 07:21

A few different rivers.

Gently down the Thames, if you see a hear on don’t forget your lense (click)
Gently down the Zambezi if you see a hippo, remember to take it easy
Gently down the Nile if you see a camel don’t forget to smile
Please make up some more!

PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/11/2021 11:57

Row Row Row your boat gently out to sea, if you see a sailor there, say hello from me.
Row Row Row your boat gent through the ocean, if you see a container ship avoid all the commotion.

EdithGrantham · 09/11/2021 21:58

Love all these! We're always making up/adapting songs for our baby girl, one of our favourites is Shake Your Booty by KC and the Sunshine Band but we sing Shake the Baby whilst jiggling her about.

As for Row Your Boat, how about
across the pond...if you see a witch there watch out for her wand