Our songs / Ow Ow Ow
Ow Ow Ow
A gentle action song about prickly plants — and the lovely things that are safe to touch.
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About this song
Ow Ow Ow is a call-and-response action song about the prickly things a little one might meet in the garden — a thorny rose, a stinging nettle, a prickly cactus — and the safe, lovely things they can touch instead. Children shout back the answers ("Ow ow ow!", "No no no!", "Yes yes yes!") and join in by touching their head, nose, knees and toes.
The song teaches gentle caution around plants without any fear, and ends on the body-parts actions toddlers already love. It is sung at a relaxed pace with soft ukulele and glockenspiel, so it works just as well for calm-down time as for circle time.
What it teaches: Gentle safety around plants, body parts, call-and-response listening.
Looking for more like this? Browse all our low-stimulation songs for toddlers.
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Ow Ow Ow - Lyrics
Ow ow ow — a thorny rose!
Yes yes yes — touch your nose!
I touched a thorny rose — Ow! Ow! Ow!
I touched a stinging nettle — Ow! Ow! Ow!
I picked a prickly leaf — Ow! Ow! Ow!
I poked a prickly cactus — Ow! Ow! Ow!
Ow ow ow — a thorny rose!
Yes yes yes — touch your nose!
Can you pick a thorny rose? — No! No! No!
Can you smell the lovely rose? — Yes! Yes! Yes!
Can you touch your head and nose? — Yes! Yes! Yes!
Can you touch your knees and toes? — Yes! Yes! Yes!
Ow ow ow… yes yes yes!
Lyrics © 2026 Cairo Garden. All rights reserved. You’re welcome to sing along at home, in nurseries and in classrooms, but please don’t copy, reprint, publish, record or adapt these lyrics without our written permission. Copyright & permissions
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