Little Jack Horner


The first known publication date of the Little Jack Horner lyrics was in 1725.

As the story goes, the character in this rhyme was reputed to be the Steward to the Bishop of Glastonbury. He was entrusted to take a gift of twelve title deeds to manorial estates to King Henry VIII.

On the way, it is claimed he stole the deed to the Manor of Mells (considered the "plum" of the manors). The eleven remaining deeds were given to the King but the manor of Mells became the property of the Horner family.

This story has been disputed by the family in question and all that is left is a fun, simple rhyme.

I actually used the rhyme as a reference for proper etiquette while eating. Some foods are made to be eaten with your fingers (how many can you name? I was surprised by how many the kids came up with!). Others, like pie, you should use utensils for.





Little Jack Horner Lyrics

Little Jack Horner


Sat in the corner,


Eating a Christmas pie;


He put in his thumb,


And pulled out a plum,


And said 'What a good boy am I!


Bring out the coloring pages as you are teaching this rhyme... kids always learn better and faster if an activity is included. The kids and I also tried to see who could say the rhyme the fastest and slowest. Both ways produced lots of giggles.

Simply click on the activity of your choice to open the file in PDF format. You'll need to have Adobe installed on your computer to see the files. If you don't have it, you can get it free at get.adobe.com/reader/



Lots more fun stuff for kids:

Holiday Tic-Tac-Toe

"Buggy" Snacks

Tooth Fairy Award/Envelope

Number Coloring Pages

Create Your Own Toys

Cooking with Children

Printable A-Z Flashcards

Group Art Activities

Butterfly Craft

Super Simple Pizzas

Painting Activities

Apple Activities

Printable Santa Letter

Under the Sea Project

Super Simple Art

Teaching Shapes

Easy Theme Word Searches

Dramatic Play Ideas

Apple Crafts

Crayon/Marker Art

Fun Snack Ideas

Picnic Ideas

Toddler Lotto Games

Winter Activities

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Beyond "How to Start a Daycare", take a peek into the DAYCARE TIPS area.

Find helpful articles on:

  • Making a Child's First Day go Smoothly
  • Potty Training
  • Guidance Issues
  • Keeping Daycare Parents Happy
  • and MUCH more...

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