“Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “Incy Wincy Spider” is a modern nursery rhyme that is very popular among children.

The origin of this song is unknown.

It was first published in 1920, more as a song for adults in “Camp and camino in lower California” with the words “blooming, bloody” instead of “itsy bitsy”.

The actual version of “Itsy Bitsy Spider” was later printed in 1947 by the California Folklore Society in the Western Folklore collection. It appears as a nursery rhyme in 1948 in the American Folk Songs for Children a collection by Mike and Peggy Seeger and in 1955 in Maxwell Slutz Stewart’ book “The Growing Family: A Guide for Parents”.

“Itsy Bitsy Spider”, more often recited than sung, is a finger-play rhyme for children. It tells the adventures of a Spider, named Itsy Bitsy (or Incy Wincy – more popular in England) who is going up and down, and up again, as the weather is chaining. The kids have to mimic its movements while singing the song, a very entertaining activity, useful to improve their manual dexterity.

Itsy-Bitsy Spider

The itsy-bitsy spider
Climbed 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
Climbed up the spout again