# Itsy Bitsy Spider

"Itsy Bitsy Spider" is a traditional English-language fingerplay rhyme about a spider climbing a waterspout, washed out by rain and drying in the sun; it was in print by 1910 and is known as "Incy Wincy Spider" in the UK and Australia.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | 1910 (as the “Spider Song”) |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | dancing, playful |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/itsy-bitsy-spider/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

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.

## How to sing it

1. Touch the thumb of one hand to the index finger of the other, then twist and swap them over and over to make the spider "climb" upward.
2. Wiggle your fingers while lowering both hands to show the rain coming down.
3. Sweep your arms out wide to wash the spider away.
4. Raise your arms in a big circle overhead for the sun, then start the climbing motion again for the last line.

## Common questions

**When was "Itsy Bitsy Spider" first written down?**

The earliest known printing is from 1910, in Arthur Walbridge North's book "Camp and Camino in Lower California", where it is called the "Spider Song". A variant was recorded in 1912, and the familiar "itsy bitsy" version became established as a children's rhyme around 1948.

**Why is it called "Incy Wincy Spider" in some countries?**

"Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Incy Wincy Spider" are the same rhyme with the same actions; "itsy bitsy" and "incy wincy" both simply mean very small. "Incy Wincy Spider" is the usual name in the United Kingdom and Australia, while "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is more common in the United States.

**Who wrote "Itsy Bitsy Spider"?**

No author is known. Like most nursery rhymes it is traditional — it was passed around and printed in several slightly different forms in the early twentieth century before settling into the version sung today.

**What are the hand actions for "Itsy Bitsy Spider"?**

The spider climbs when you touch thumb to opposite forefinger and twist your hands upward; wiggling fingers moving downward are the rain; arms sweeping wide wash the spider out; and a big circle of the arms is the sun that dries the rain before the spider climbs again.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Itsy Bitsy Spider](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itsy_Bitsy_Spider)
- [Mental Floss — the history of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”](https://www.mentalfloss.com/literature/nursery-rhymes/itsy-bitsy-spider-nursery-rhyme-history)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q759432