Little King Boggen
Little King Boggen he built a fine hall,
Pie-crust and pastry-crust, that was the wall;
The windows were made of black puddings and white,
And slated with pancakes, — you ne’er saw the like!
Origin
Little King Boggen is one of the oldest and most beloved nursery rhymes in the English language. It was first printed in the 1719 collection of English Nursery Rhymes compiled by Robert Dodsley, who included it alongside other classic favorites such as “Hey Diddle Diddle” and “Hickory Dickory Dock”.
Meaning
Little King Boggen is a simple rhyme that tells the story of a king who built a grand hall. In the poem, it is described as being constructed with piecrust and pastry-crust walls and windows made of black puddings and white, and slated with pancakes.
This poem has a few possible interpretations. On one hand, it could simply be a folktale about a grand and impressive structure created by King Boggen. On the other hand, it could be an allegory for how different people come together and work together to create something great. Whatever the original meaning of the poem is, it is clear that it has great potential for teaching children about cooperation and teamwork.
Children's Activities
There are many fun activities that children can do to help them learn and remember the nursery rhyme Little King Boggen. One idea is to have them make a Little King Boggen puppet show. Using materials such as paper, glue, and markers, they can make simple puppets of King Boggen and his castle. This can be used to re-enact the scene from the poem and make the story come to life.
Pastry-Crust Boxes
Kids can explore their creativity and make pastry-crust boxes, drawing inspiration from the rhyme. Start by making a pastry-crust dough, roll it out and cut it into a large rectangle. Then, have your kids cut out shapes, like stars, circles and squares, and decorate the box with a variety of design elements. Finally, fold the box together and bake it.
Boggen Storytelling Game
Challenge your children to tell an imaginative story with the characters from "Little King Boggen". Have them draw characters from the rhyme onto pieces of cardstock and cut them out. Then have them place the characters on a table and spin a bottle. Whoever the bottle points to must start the story using their character as the main protagonist. Players can take turns adding to the story for a creative and interactive game.
Finally, children can also have fun looking for items that match the materials mentioned in the rhyme. For example, they can search for different types of puddings, pancakes, and other foods that can be used to create the walls and windows. This is a great opportunity for them to explore their environment and learn more about different types of food.
