Made Boys Girls Nursery Rhyme Badly Behaved Children Young

One popular "nursery rhyme" (a short poem that is often said or sung to babies and young children) "dates back to" (was created in) the early 1800s. It is called What Are Little Boys Made Of and it is about the differences between little girls and little boys.

What are little boys made of?

What are little boys made of?

Snakes and "snails" (small animals that carry their spiral shell homes on their back)

And "puppy-dogs'" (baby dogs) tails,

That's what little boys are made of.

In other words, boys are "associated with" (thought about in connection with) "slimy" (slightly wet and slippery) animals that most people don't want to touch, as well as young dogs that are very active and never stop moving. Little boys enjoy getting dirty, moving around, and making a lot of noise. The nursery rhyme doesn't mean that little boys are bad, but "rather" (instead), that they are different from little girls.

The nursery rhyme "goes on" (continues) this way:

What are little girls made of?

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and "spice" (powders made from plants that have strong smells and flavors and are used to make food taste better)

And all that's nice,

That's what little girls are made of.

According to the nursery rhyme, girls are sweet and smell good, and they're very pleasant to be around.

This is a popular, well-known nursery rhyme and Americans sometimes "make reference to" (mention; talk about) it. You can also see the phrases printed on babies' clothing. Sometimes a little boy's shirt will say "snakes, snails, and puppy-dog tails" and a little girl's shirt will say "sugar, spice, and all that's nice."