Itsy Bitsy Spider

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” also known as the “Incy Wincy Spider” is a popular modern rhyme with finger play that describes the adventures of a spider (named ‘Itsy Bitsy’ or ‘Incy Wincy’)  as it ascends, descends, and re-ascends the downspout or “waterspout”. Babies and kids will love learning to follow along with the spider’s adventure!

The song first published in an alternative version in the book, Camp and Camino in Lower California (1910), where it was
referred to a “Spider Song.” It appears to be a different version of this song using “blooming, bloody” instead of “itsy bitsy”. It was later published in one of its several modern versions by the California Folklore Society (1948) in Western Folklore, Mike and Peggy Seeger’s, American Folk Songs for Children (1948).

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” Lyrics

“The itsy bitsy spider crawled 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 went up the spout again”

As the song proved to be very popular with kids and more versions
appeared in where “crawled” is replaced with “climbed” or” went”.

“Incy Wincy Spider” Alternative Version

Incy Wincy spider went up the spout.
Down came the rain, and washed poor Incy out.
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain
And Incy Wincy spider went climbing up again.

In some more versions the “Incy Wincy” spider can be referred as “teeny tiny” spider

The teeny tiny spider went 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 teeny tiny spider went up the spout again

Or as “big humongous” spider.

The big humongous spider went 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 big humongous spider went up the spout again

“Itsy Bitsy Spider” Original Version

Oh, the blooming, bloody spider went up the spider web,
The blooming, bloody rain came down and washed the spider out,
The blooming, bloody sun came out and dried up all the rain,
And the blooming, bloody spider came up the web again.