Going on a Bear Hunt

Origin: USA

Lyrics

We're going on a bear hunt.We're going to catch a big one.What a beautiful day!We're not scared.

Oh-oh! Grass!Long wavy grass.We can't go over it.We can't go under it.Oh no! We've got to go through it!Swishy swashy! Swishy swashy!

Oh-oh! A river!A deep cold river.We can't go over it.We can't go under it.Oh no! We've got to go through it!Splash splosh! Splash splosh!

Oh-oh! Mud!Thick oozy mud.We can't go over it.We can't go under it.Oh no! We've got to go through it!Squelch squerch! Squelch squerch!

Oh-oh! A forest!A big dark forest.We can't go over it.We can't go under it.Oh no! We've got to go through it!Stumble trip! Stumble trip!

Oh-oh! A snowstorm!A swirling whirling snowstorm.We can't go over it.We can't go under it.Oh no! We've got to go through it!Hoooo woooo! Hoooo woooo!

Oh-oh! A cave!A narrow gloomy cave.We can't go over it.We can't go under it.Oh no! We've got to go through it!Tiptoe! Tiptoe!WHAT'S THAT?One shiny wet nose!Two big furry ears!Two big goggly eyes!IT'S A BEAR!Quick! Back through the cave! Tiptoe! Tiptoe!Back through the snowstorm! Hoooo woooo!Back through the forest! Stumble trip!Back through the mud! Squelch squerch!Back through the river! Splash splosh!Back through the grass! Swishy swashy!Get to our front door.Open the door.Up the stairs.Oh no! We forgot to shut the door.Back downstairs.Shut the door.Back upstairs.Into the bedroom.Into bed.Under the covers.We're not going on a bear hunt again!

History and Meaning

Going on a Bear Hunt is an adventurous children's chant that relies on call-and-response repetition and physical mimicry. Children act out walking through various obstacles, including long grass, thick mud, and a swirling snowstorm, before encountering a bear and running all the way back home.

The chant is popular in preschools, classrooms, and summer camps. Its repetitive pattern and physical actions make it an excellent tool for language development, sequencing, and group participation.

Origins

The exact origins of the Bear Hunt chant are undocumented, as it began as a traditional American campfire song and oral chant during the mid-twentieth century. Children and camp counselors passed it down through oral tradition for decades before it was written down.

In 1989, British author Michael Rosen and illustrator Helen Oxenbury adapted the traditional chant into the picture book We're Going on a Bear Hunt. This book version won numerous awards and popularized the chant globally, introducing the specific sound effects like "swishy swashy" and "squelch squerch" to a wider audience.

Meaning & Interpretation

The chant functions as an adventure game that helps children learn to face imaginary fears in a safe, controlled environment. The cumulative tension of the journey builds up to the humorous panic of encountering the bear, followed by the rapid-paced retreat back to the safety of the bed.

The language of the chant emphasizes spatial prepositions such as "over," "under," and "through." By acting out these prepositions physically, young children build cognitive associations between words and physical space.

Who wrote the original Going on a Bear Hunt chant?

The original creator of the chant is unknown. It was an anonymous folk chant used at American summer camps and school playgrounds during the mid-1900s before Michael Rosen adapted it into his award-winning 1989 picture book.

Is Going on a Bear Hunt a traditional folk song?

Yes, it is a traditional American campfire chant and action song. While it is best known today through Michael Rosen's book, the spoken-word rhythm and structural pattern were already part of oral folklore decades before the book was published.