Hand actions for The Grand Old Duke of York
The Grand Old Duke of York is an action rhyme, so act it out together as you sing. Here are the movements that go with each part:
- March in place through the song
- Stand up tall on every "up"
- Crouch down low on every "down"
- Hover halfway for "neither up nor down"
What does The Grand Old Duke of York mean?
A marching song about a duke who leads his men up a hill and back down again, teaching the words up and down with lots of standing and crouching. It is made for moving your whole body.
What The Grand Old Duke of York teaches
Beyond being fun to sing, this rhyme quietly builds several early skills:
- The opposites up and down
- Marching and moving to a beat
- Following along with actions
- A big number, ten thousand, just for fun
When your child knows it well, our fun games for kids carry the same early skills into playful practice.
Where The Grand Old Duke of York comes from
The Grand Old Duke of York is a traditional English rhyme, likely hundreds of years old, sung for generations as a marching game. It is in the public domain.
Fun activities
- Stand up and crouch down as you sing
- March around the room like the duke's men
- Go faster and faster to mix everyone up
Frequently asked questions
What are the words to The Grand Old Duke of York?
The grand old Duke of York, he had ten thousand men. He marched them up to the top of the hill, and he marched them down again. And when they were up, they were up, and when they were down, they were down, and when they were only halfway up, they were neither up nor down.
What are the actions for The Grand Old Duke of York?
March in place, stand up tall on every "up", crouch down low on every "down", and hover halfway for "neither up nor down". It is a fun way to learn opposites.
What does The Grand Old Duke of York teach?
It teaches the opposites up and down through movement, and it gets children marching and following actions to a steady beat.