How Many Days Has My Baby to Play?

Origins

This little verse likely started in the nursery, not on the printed page. By the 1800s, it had already been written down in children’s collections. It’s the kind of rhyme that didn’t need inventing — it just grew out of ordinary moments between parent and child.

Meaning and Background

There’s no hidden message here. The rhyme is exactly what it looks like: a way to wrap the days of the week in rhythm and fun. For a baby, it’s the bouncing, the tickling, and the sound of a loved one’s voice. For an older child, it’s an easy way to start learning the names of the days. At heart, it’s about connection — making time together feel like a little celebration.

Rhymes like this were common in Victorian nurseries. They weren’t recited in classrooms or sung at fairs — they belonged to the quiet world of the home. A parent might bounce the baby higher on “Saturday, Sunday, Monday,” then slow the rhythm for “Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,” only to swing back into the chant again.