The Meaning of the song:
The time that this nursery rhyme was written is unknown, and the author of the rhyme is also unknown. The song clearly is about a little boy named Johny. Johny gets into the sugar jar and gets caught by his father, eating the sugar. When Johny’s father asks the little boy if he ate the sugar, Johny says, ” No PaPa.” The father then asks Johny if he is lying, again Johny’s response is, ” No PaPa.” At this point , Johny’s father tells him to open his mouth. When Johny opens his mouth, all the sugar is there and Johny laughs.
Interpretation of the song:
This song, is an excellent rhyme for young children to learn the difference between telling the truth and lying. This song is meant to be short and to the point. The lyrics are few, but the meaning is big. This song can help a child’s reasoning skills, and is helpful for healthy development. Talking to children after singing this song, about what they just heard, is a great way to teach them about honesty. This cute little nursery rhyme is sung all across the world, and no matter what language, the underlining meaning remains the same. This whole rhyme is about being honest and, when telling lies the truth will come out with the evidence. The evidence in this song is clearly when Johny opens his mouth, and there are traces of the sugar all over his tongue.
For school and for home:
Parents and teachers alike, should really be teaching the lesson of honesty at a young age. When children are small from the ages 0-5 specifically, their brain is still developing. This is the perfect age to teach valuable lessons of life, that will actually stick with them through the years. This nursery rhyme about Johny,is one of the easier songs for small children to learn and understand. This rhyme is perfect for young children this age, because the rhyme has such few words, but the point is such an important life lesson. Nursery rhymes are incorporated in every day life, and it is imperative that these small, simple songs be taught to children at a very young age. These kind of nursery rhymes such as, Johny Johny yes PaPa, will set the foundation for a healthy understanding of life. Songs are fun to teach and learn, for young children it simply makes them happy. Behind these educational songs, are meanings that have valuable teaching lessons, this song is an absolute case of one of those songs.