# I Wiggle

"I Wiggle" is a short settling-down action rhyme: the child wiggles fingers, toes, shoulders and nose — getting all the wiggles out — and then sits "as still as still can be".

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | traditional action rhyme; author unknown |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/i-wiggle/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

I wiggle my fingers,
I wiggle my toes,
I wiggle my shoulders,
I wiggle my nose.

### Verse 2 (en)

Now the wiggles are out of me,
And I am as still as still can be.

## How to sing it

1. Wiggle each part as it's named — fingers, toes, shoulders, nose.
2. Make the wiggling big and giggly on the first verse.
3. On "still as still can be", freeze completely — the quieter, the better.

## Common questions

**What is "I Wiggle" for?**

Getting the wiggles out. The child wiggles fingers, toes, shoulders and nose, and then — the whole point — announces that "the wiggles are out of me" and sits perfectly still. It is a calming-down rhyme that uses movement to arrive at stillness.

**When is "I Wiggle" used?**

Usually to settle a restless group. By letting children wiggle hard first and then freeze, it channels fidgety energy into a game and ends with everyone quiet and ready to listen.

**Who wrote "I Wiggle"?**

No author is recorded. It is a traditional preschool action rhyme, handed down in nurseries and classrooms with small variations.

## Sources

- [Favorite Songs and Finger Plays (University of Arkansas ECEP, PDF)](https://ecep.uark.edu/_resources/pdf_other/ccot/favorite_songs_and_fingerplays.pdf)