I was thrilled to discover recently that there are rhymes to help kids (and adults) learn how to knit!

The most well-known knitting rhyme is to help you remember the basic knit stitch:

In through the front door,
Around the back
Peep through the window,
And off jumps Jack!

Here’s a quick video so you can see how the rhyme works with the stitch…

This rhyme is used at the Waldorf School where they teach knitting and crocheting to young girls and boys as part of the curriculum (read more about that here).

Here’s another rhyme for the knit stitch found on YouTube:

In through the rabbit hole
Round the back of the big tree
Up through the rabbit hole
And off goes she!

Here’s nice simple one:

In through the front door,
Once around the back,
Peek through the window
And off jumps Jack!

Here’s a rhyme for learning the Purl Stitch:

In under the fence
Grab that sheep
Out of the fence
And off we leap.

You can hear the rhyme and see the purl stitch in the video below…

Here’s another rhyme for the purl stitch:

In front of the fence,
Catch the goat,
Back we go,
Jump off the boat!

Note: These rhymes are for English style knitting.

It’s great to teach children how to knit or crochet. I still have fond memories of my mother teaching me how to crochet and my husband’s grandmother teaching me the basic knit stitches.

There are also health benefits to knitting. according to Wikipedia, “Studies have shown that hand knitting, along with other forms of needlework, provide several significant health benefits. These studies have found the rhythmic and repetitive action of hand knitting can help prevent and manage stress, pain and depression, which in turn strengthens the body’s immune system, as well as create a relaxation response in the body which can decrease blood pressure, heart rate, help prevent illness, and have a calming effect. Pain specialists have also found that hand knitting changes brain chemistry, resulting in an increase in ‘feel good’ hormones (i.e. serotonin and dopamine) and a decrease in stress hormones.”

So what are you waiting for? Pick up some knitting needles or a crochet hook and create something from scratch!

-Mama Lisa

UPDATE: We came across some more rhymes, including one for the very young and another for older kids…

Here’s a nice simple one for little kids…

In, around, through and off.
Or:
In, over, through, and off.

Here’s a gruesome one for learning the knit stitch, one that would be difficult to forget. It seems many use this to teach kids 8 and up…

Stab it
Strangle it
Scoop out the guts
Toss it off the cliff!

Or this variation:

Stab them,
Strangle them,
Let them down,
Dump the body.

*****

Here’s one for the knit stitch Continental style:

Under the Fence
Catch the Sheep
Back you go
Off you leap.

For the purl stitch Continental style:

In through the back way,
Then rope the hog,
Back out the gate,
And jump off the log!