Perhaps one of the first rhymes we learn as babes in our mother’s arms is Patty Cake. And as an adult, who hasn’t been charmed by a sweet little one clapping their hands for the very first time as you sang Patty Cake to them.
I say:
Patty cake, patty cake baker’s man
Roll it up, Roll it up and put it in the pan.
Patty cake, patty cake baker’s man
Make me a cake as fast as you can.
Pat it and roll it and mark it with a B
And bake it in the oven
for baby and me.
——————–
Other versions:
Patty cake, patty cake baker’s man
Pat him and prick him as fast as you can.
Pat him and prick him and mark him with B
Put him in the oven for Billy and me.
——————–
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man
Sure I will as fast as I can.
Pat it and prick it and mark it with a T
And put it in the over for Tommy and me.
——————–
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man
Beat it and roll it as fast as you can.
And toss it in the over for little Sallie Ann.
——————–
According to the website Mother Goose Club, children have been hearing the patty cake patty cake rhyme since the 17th century as it was first published in 1698.
What version of Patty Cake do you say?
Tipper
I think it was “pit it and pat it and mark it with a B” – but I should have tried to remember before reading all these comments because now I’m not sure if there was a “roll it” in there sometimes too!
I’m babysitting a 7-month old little girl four days a week, and we patty-cake several times a day because she LOVES it: Patty-cake patty-cake, baker man. Roll ’em and roll ’em as fast as you can. Pat ’em and prick ’em and mark ’em with “b” and throw ’em in the oven for baby and me.
LOL Miriam! I so agree-but many of our nursery rhymes were directly connected to the politics of days gone by : ) Check out the history of Jack Sprat to see what I mean https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/blind_pig_the_acorn/2014/02/jack-sprat-.html I never knew that many nursery rhymes were based on horrific happenings or the ruling politics of the day until I started researching them-truly fascinating!
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
I loved Gina’s use of the word “chortled.” Had I thunk of it sooner then others might have thought me as literate as I perceive her.
I have said several of the versions and have NEVER ONCE thought that there might be some “veiled political comments” as expressed by Miss Cindy in her comments on March 12th. Does EVERYTHING today have to be political; why can’t we just enjoy a child’s nursery rhyme????????
Tipper,
When my baby girls learned to laugh,
I did this alot, and said ‘throw it in
the pan.’ (like Ann Applegarth said.)
Lordy, what I’d give to go thru all
that again! Nice memories…Ken
Tipper,
My computer got the got the “slow-downs”, “back-ups” and “pitch-overs” this morning, soo, after deleting some “Junk” or “NOT”, not sure, it is a little better.
I hate to be late reading the Blind-Pig! “Stuff” happens, I guess!
Being as old as I am…I have Grandchildren that haven’t heard Patti-Cake in a long time. The youngest just turned 6 in January!
Like all the others, and their Daddys, they giggled and loved Patti-Cake, too.
I usually made the rhyme up as I went, sometimes getting in a hurry. I would Patti-Cake one for them, one for their Pappaw, (who was usually there listening and watching), one for their Mommy, one for their Daddy and one for their sissy! LOL
I would be getting tired by this time, but usually had to go on and make Patti-Cakes for their other Granny and Pappy, etc. LOL
Sometimes, just to confuse and as a learning tool, I would insert the wrong letter, or exchange a letter…That got a “confused look”, after they had learned which letter went with a certain name! I would say, “Oh, wrong one!” and back up and put the right letter in for them…LOL
Sometimes saying, “Quick, take it out of the oven!” Not only laughing but getting real excited! (may have a nervy effect later in life) Hope not! Ha!
Don’t tell anyone but I do “Patty-Cake” for my “it” cat! Especially, if “it” has been on my lap and trying to get comfy, after trying to knead dough on my belly! You know how cats do that right before they want to curl up and sleep on your lap! He, (it), Fluffy, usually gets aggravated, when I grab his paws while he is “kneading”! Then “he/it” jumps off to go to a more “still place” to his liking…That way, I’ve got the cat off my lap and not hurt his feelings! LOL
I usually say,
Pat a cake, Pat a cake, baker’s man
Bake me a cake as fast as you can;
Roll it out, pat it and mark it with and ‘F’
And put it in the oven for Fluffy and Me!
Now that I think about and see it written down, “Fluffy” may not like the “rhythm of the rhyme”!
Thanks Tipper,
Loved this post and I don’t know how in the world you did Patty-Cake for twin girls? Did you just take turns or did you put one on one knee and one on the other knee? Ha, ha , he he!
roll ’em out, roll ’em out
THROW them in the pan (arms outstretched followed by captivating giggles).
We always started with the littlest ones (not yet able to hold themselves up) sitting facing forward in our laps while leaning against us. We would hold their hands and make the song motions as we bounced them to the rhyme:
Patty cake, patty cake, baker man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Knead it, and roll it, and mark it with a B.
And put it in the oven for baby and me.
What a fun post this morning!
I’d like to have a nickle or dollar(lol) for everytime I’ve played patty cake with my daughter and grandchildren.
Your version is the one we used also.
I always sang:
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it & pat it & mark it with a B,
and put it in the oven for baby & me.
Interesting post. I never knew there were all these versions, just the one I grew up with – I am the eldest of six.
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man,
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it and pat it and mark it with a B
And put it in the oven for baby and me.
We always sang something like Kim posted:
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it & pat it & mark it with a B,
throw it in the oven for baby & me.
If you want to hear some real interesting responses, ask how everyone did the “Eeny meany miny moe game picking rhyme.
The first version is the one I remember learning and using with my children. Good memory!
In her version, my mother ended on “And throw it in the oven for baby and me.” While reciting the line she pretended to throw the baby forward as if into an oven. My grandsons chortled every time we played patty cake.
Pat a cake, pat a cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can!
Pat it and roll it and mark it with a B,
and throw it in the oven for Baby and me.
(with actions, of course) (and if the baby’s name begins with a B, C, D, E, G, P, T, V, or Z, I substitute
that letter and the baby’s name)
Your version is the one my mother sang to me and me to mine.
I know the same one you do. I am assuming this rhyme contains no veiled political comments and it’s purpose/meaning is solely our first attempts to teach our children hand and eye coordination. It is such a delight to see little eyes light up when they can accomplish the hand to hand connection with mama!
From a seated position you place the child on your knees facing you. You hold their hands while bouncing them on your knees and clapping their hands together. At the same time you sing:
Patty cake, patty cake, bakers man.
Roll’em and roll’em and pitch’em in the pan.
At roll’em you roll their hands over and over. At pitch’em you grab on tight to their hands, spread your knees and let them fall. This is guaranteed to evoke peals of laughter. It also helps teach the child to say “do dat aden Daddy!”