“Girls and Boys Come Out To Play” This rhyme probably dates back to the middle of the 17th century, when all children were treated as small adults and would therefore often be found playing outside in the moonlight.
The first lines of the song were published for the first time around 1744 in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book (London). The modern version goes like this:
“Girls and Boys Come Out To Play” Lyrics
Boys and girls come out to play,
The moon doth shine as bright as day,
Leave your supper,
and leave your sleep,
And come with your playfellows into the street.
Come with a whoop, come with a call,
Come with a good will, or not at all.
Up the ladder and down the wall,
A halfpenny loaf will serve us all.
You find milk, and I’ll find flour,
And we’ll have pudding within the hour.