Rain, Rain, Go Away
A short, simple rainy-day chant, with a different playful twist each time. Watch, sing along, and explore every Rain, Rain, Go Away song below.
All Rain, Rain, Go Away Songs
No songs yet — check back soon!
Questions to Ask Your Child
- What happens when it rains?
- What do we wear outside in the rain?
- Can you name another kind of weather?
- What do you like to do on a rainy day?
Movement Activity
- Pretend to open an umbrella above your head.
- Wiggle your fingers downward like falling rain.
- Stomp gently like you're splashing in puddles.
- Look up and smile like the sun is coming out.
History & Background
“Rain, Rain, Go Away” is one of the oldest nursery rhymes still sung today, with roots going back at least to the 17th century. In 1659, English writer James Howell recorded a very similar proverb, and diarist John Aubrey separately noted that children had a custom of chanting to try to “charme away the Raine.”
No single author is credited — it grew out of folk tradition, passed down and reshaped by children and families over generations, with similar rain-chasing rhymes found in many cultures going back to ancient Greece and Rome.
By the 19th century, regional versions had spread across Scotland, England, and the United States, each with its own small variations, which is typical of rhymes this old and this widely shared.
How the Song Goes
The chant is short and simple: a direct call for the rain to go away, paired with a wish for it to come back another day.
Its brevity and sing-song rhythm make it easy to repeat over and over, which is part of what has kept it alive as an actual go-to chant for rainy days, not just a song to listen to.
Because it's so short, it works well alongside talking about the weather or waiting out a rainy afternoon.
Learning Benefits
- Introduces simple weather vocabulary
- Builds early cause-and-effect thinking around weather and seasons
- Offers a short, repeatable chant that's easy for very young children to join in with
- Gives rainy days a fun, familiar routine
- Encourages imaginative play about weather and the outdoors
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is Rain, Rain, Go Away best suited for?
It works well from around 12 months, thanks to its short length and simple, repeated chant, and stays useful as an easy rainy-day routine well into the preschool years.
Is this a good song for rainy days?
Yes — it was originally a chant children used specifically on rainy days, so it fits naturally into a rainy-day routine or a conversation about the weather.
Is Rain, Rain, Go Away a public domain song?
Yes — it's a traditional rhyme dating back at least to the 1600s, with no known single author, and it's in the public domain.
What's the difference between the different Rain, Rain, Go Away songs?
Every version keeps the same short, simple chant — only the theme and characters change from one video to the next. Pick whichever theme your child loves most, or watch them all.