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267 Responses to “Do You Know a Rhyme That Starts… “Head Knocker, Eye Blinker,…”?”

1. Kelly Covey Says:
   June 22nd, 2022 at 2:21 pm

   I learned this as a summer camp song at Herman’s Son’s Youth Camp. Herman’s Sons is a German immigrant fraternal benefit society in Texas. “Hand on myself. Was ist Das hier? Das ist my ____ my mama dear. ____, ____ rinky dinky do. That’s what we learn in the school. Ja ja. Sweat boxer, eye blinker, nose blower, food pusher, chin chopper, heart tinker, bread basket, knee bender, toe stopper!

2. Kati Says:
   July 26th, 2022 at 4:56 pm

   When I was little I remember my parents and siblings doing this to me
   And now I do it with my babies.

   Head bumper (point to forehead)
   Eye blinker (point to eye)
   Nose smeller (point to nose)
   Mouth eater (point to mouth)
   Chin chomper (point to chin)
   Golly whopper (tickles under chin where meets neck)

3. Angela Clay Says:
   August 25th, 2022 at 2:01 am

   Hello,
   I know the poem well. My grandfather would say it to My Father, who then passed it down to me, where I then used it with all 3 of my children. My kids are almost all grown up now, and still love when I say that riddle. It goes a little something like this;

   Here’s where the cat sits
   Here’s where he jumps
   Eye-winker
   Tom-tinker
   Nose-smeller
   Mouth-eater
   Chin-chopper
   Coochie, Coochie, coo

4. Wayne Says:
   September 13th, 2022 at 7:27 pm

   Here is the rhyme my uncle used with me in the mid 50’s:

   Head bumper
   Eye winker
   Nose dropper
   Mouth eater
   Chin chopper

   And, Gully, Gully, Gully

5. Jean Says:
   October 10th, 2022 at 11:46 pm

   It was originally
   Forehead bumper,
   Eye blinker;
   Nose sniffer,
   Mouth eater;
   Chin chucker, (*you dont chop a chin, you chuck it)
   Gullet gullet gullet (* gullet —pronounced gully—refers to the throat area)

6. Michelle Says:
   October 19th, 2022 at 1:17 am

   My Canadian born dad used to sing, My hand on myself. Was ist Das hier? Das ist my sweat boxer my mama dear.
   Eye winter, nose smaller, food pusher, chin chopper, wind chester, bread basket, knee knocker, toe stubber, Niki niki new das what I learned at da school. He would sing it with a German accent.

7. Alyce Says:
   October 23rd, 2022 at 6:17 pm

   My hand on myself, what is this here, this is my “Sweat Boxer” mother dear.
   Nicky, Nicky, Nicky Doo… That’s what I learned at the school
   {repeat above for each of the body parts below}
   Sweat Boxer
   Eye Blinker
   Nose Blower
   Chin Chopper
   Soup Slopper
   Chest Chinker (???)
   Bread Basket
   Knee Knocker
   Toe Stomper

8. Eileen Says:
   November 9th, 2022 at 12:25 am

   My 4th grade teacher taught us this. It is a German song.
   Wit my hands on myself, vas ist das hier? Das is my eye peeper, my mama dear.
   eye peeper, nose blower, chin chopper, bread basket, knee knocker (repetitive)
   Das what I learned in the school. Jah Jah

   I was hoping for the correct words.

9. Mary Says:
   November 15th, 2022 at 6:45 pm

   Head bumper, eye winker, tom tinker, nose smeller, mouth eater, chin chopper and then tickle the throat. I’m over 70, it was used on me, I used it on my two girls, my three grandchildren And now with two great grands.

10. Mary Noel Says:
    December 20th, 2022 at 3:17 pm

    With a head on my shoulders and what have we here?
    Das is mein tinker-boxer my mama dear.
    Tinkerboxer, tinkerboxer jah, jah, jah
    That’s what we learn in this school This School!
    With a head on my shoulders and what have we here?
    Das is mein breadbasket my mama dear.
    Breadbasket, tinker boxer jah, jah, jah
    That’s what we learn in this school This School!
    (Go through the body parts, adding one each time. This is a song, not just a poem.)

11. Crystal Says:
    December 29th, 2022 at 3:41 am

    My family may have adapted our own version of this, but it started by someone pointing at the forehead, eyes, nose, etc down to the neck where we’d get a tickle and we’d say:

    “Head thinker,
    Eye blinker,
    Nose smeller,
    Mouth eater,
    Chin chomper…
    Gitcha gitcha golly womper!”

    I do it with my kids and just found this because I was searching to find out if A) this was a common thing and B) was it eye blinker or winker? Chin chomper/golly womper or chin chopper/golly wopper”? It’s been many years and I don’t entirely trust my memory

12. Pixie Says:
    December 31st, 2022 at 7:50 pm

    Forebumper eye winker Tom tinker nose smeller mouth eater chin chomper gilly gilly gilly gilly … I love all the variations you all shared .. but this is the one my mom taught me

13. Sharlene Says:
    January 27th, 2023 at 2:49 pm

    I forgot all about this rhyme til the other day when I was wiping my grandbaby’s nose, and instinctively finished by tickling under her chin. My mother use to say it to my much younger brother. Then later, she said to my babies/her grandbabies. Thank you everyone that remembered the words I’d forgotten.

14. old geezer Says:
    February 22nd, 2023 at 7:01 pm

    My grandmother
    did the below…

    Head acher
    Eye winker
    Nose dropper
    Mouth eater
    Chin chopper

    And, Gully, Gully, Gully

15. Johanna Says:
    April 2nd, 2023 at 4:02 am

    Omg, yes! My grandmother did this to us all the time when we were little:). I did it to my son, And now I do it to my grandbaby and he loves it!💙💙💙

    My grandmother’s version:

    Head achy
    Eye winky
    Nose dropper
    Mouth eater
    Chin chopper
    -then tickle the neck😆❤️❤️❤️

16. Andrea Says:
    April 17th, 2023 at 5:31 am

    My aunt used to play this with us when we were kids and taught me it for my little girl

    four bumper
    eye blinker
    nose blower
    mouth muncher
    chin Chomper
    hehehe

    but it goes to show you how you can take the same game and play it in different ways or use different words

17. Faith Says:
    May 10th, 2023 at 2:38 pm

    I came across this thread looking for the lyrics of the song my Granny used to sing so I could sing it to my baby daughter. Between me and my sisters we remembered what she used to sing –

    ‘He touched me on the toe and said what’s that my dearo, that is my toe tapper my old bandolier’ then you go up the whole body

    Toe tapper, heel hopper, shin shanker, knee knocker, thigh thumper (when you get to the genital region you make a sniff sniff sound 😆) belly bumper, breast heaver, chin chomper

    Then you repeat the one you were on and go ‘that is my chin chomper my old bandolier’

    Can’t find any other evidence of this anywhere on the internet so absolutely no idea where it came from! Interesting to see the other versions too.

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