# Where Is Thumbkin?

"Where Is Thumbkin?" is an English finger-play sung to the tune of "Frère Jacques", in which each finger — Thumbkin, Pointer, Tall Man, Ring Man and Pinkie — pops up, says hello, and hides away again.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | traditional; sung to the "Frère Jacques" tune |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/where-is-thumbkin/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am, here I am.
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away, run away.

### Verse 2 (en)

Where is Pointer?…
Where is Tall Man?…
Where is Ring Man?…
Where is Pinkie?…
Where is the whole family?…

## How to sing it

1. Hide both hands behind your back to start.
2. On "Here I am", bring out one thumb at a time, then make them "bow" to each other as they chat.
3. On "Run away", whisk each hand back behind you — then repeat for each finger in turn.

## Common questions

**How do you play "Where Is Thumbkin?"?**

As a finger-play. Both hands start hidden behind your back. When the song asks "Where is Thumbkin?", out come your thumbs — "Here I am!" — and they greet each other politely before running away again. You work through all five fingers: Thumbkin (thumb), Pointer (index), Tall Man (middle), Ring Man (ring finger) and Pinkie (little finger).

**What tune is "Where Is Thumbkin?" sung to?**

To the melody of "Frère Jacques" (the tune of "Are You Sleeping, Brother John?"). The words are set to that familiar round, which makes it simple for little children to follow.

**What is "Where Is Thumbkin?" good for?**

Learning the names of the fingers and practising moving them one at a time. The hide-and-reveal game — each finger appearing and disappearing — also keeps very young children delighted and engaged.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — Frère Jacques (the tune this song uses)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A8re_Jacques)