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This traditional Hispanic Nursery Song and Rhyme was brought to the Americas by the Spaniards around the Sixteenth Century. Traditional Nursery songs have been passed down orally from generation to generation sung by grandparents and parents to their children and grandchildren. These songs foster imagination as well as promote the value of the Hispanic culture.

“Los Pollitos Dicen” is a traditional Spanish nursery rhyme song that has been taught to children for many generations. This is a very warm and family oriented song that teaches children the role of mothers within a chick theme.

The use of nursery rhymes promotes singing and dancing which increases the development of motor skills and improves a child’s creativity and early language skills.

Below are the lyrics of this beloved song:

Los pollitos dicen pío, pío, pío
cuando tienen hambre, cuando tienen frío.
La gallina busca el maíz y el trigo
Les da la comida y les presta abrigo.
Bajo sus dos alas, acurrucaditos,
duérmen los pollitos

hasta el otro dia.

Many nursery rhymes usually involve moving, examples include the rhyme, "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and the "Itsy Bitsy Spider," among many others. Studies of the brain suggest that the integration of movement with learning activities, such as with singing or reciting nursery rhymes, can increase memory retention. Below are the hand motions that can be done in conjunction with the song "Los Pollitos Dicen."

Hand Gestures

Los pollitos dicen

pío, pío, pío (open and close your hands outwards)

cuando tienen hambre, (open and close your hand inwards towards your mouth)

cuando tienen frío. (wrap arms around yourself and tremble as if you were cold)

La gallina busca el maíz y el trigo (Move your head and upper body from side to side as if looking for something)

Les da la comida (extend and open hand as if giving something)

y les presta abrigo. (wrap arms around yourself)

Bajo sus dos alas, (show two fingers, bend your arms and put your elbows up and down as if your arms were wings)

acurrucaditos, (hug the person next to you)

duérmen los pollitos hasta el otro dia. (turn your head to the side and put both hands below your cheeks with your eyes closed)

Video with hand gestures coming soon!

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