Welsh Language · EYFS Music and Movement · Free A4 Printable
Mi Welais Jac y Do: Free Welsh Nursery Rhyme Printable
Mi Welais Jac y Do is a short, lively Welsh nursery rhyme that is easy for young children to remember. Its strong beat, amusing picture of a jackdaw and repeated “ho, ho, ho” ending make it especially useful for singing, clapping and movement. This free bilingual learning resource includes the traditional Welsh words, a friendly English translation, useful vocabulary and a one-page A4 poster.
The printable has been designed for nurseries, reception classes, Welsh-medium and bilingual settings, home learning, playgroups and family singing. The illustration and border are made from original geometric shapes, so children can enjoy squares, circles, patterns and a simple bird motif while meeting Welsh words in a clear, uncluttered layout.
Welsh lyrics and English translation
Mi welais Jac y Do
Yn eistedd ar ben to,
Het wen ar ei ben
A dwy goes bren,
Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!
I saw a jackdaw
Sitting on top of a roof,
A white hat on his head
And two wooden legs,
Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!
This is a close, child-friendly translation rather than a new singable verse. It keeps the meaning of each Welsh line visible for learners. The strange white hat and wooden legs belong to the rhyme’s humorous imagination: children can picture the bird as a funny little character and invent actions to match.
Useful Welsh words
| Welsh | English | Learning note |
|---|---|---|
| mi welais | I saw | A useful past-tense phrase from the verb gweld, “to see”. |
| Jac y Do | jackdaw | The name used for this clever black-and-grey bird. |
| yn eistedd | sitting | Children can crouch or sit as they sing this line. |
| ar ben to | on top of a roof | Ar ben means “on top of”; to means “roof”. |
| het wen | a white hat | Gwen is the mutated form of gwyn after the feminine noun het. |
| ei ben | his head | Literally “his head”; the initial sound changes after ei. |
| dwy goes bren | two wooden legs | Dwy is the feminine form of “two”; coes means “leg”. |
How to use the rhyme for music and movement
Begin by speaking one line at a time and asking the children to echo it. Keep a steady beat by tapping knees or clapping. Once the words feel familiar, add one simple action to each line: point to your eyes for Mi welais, make a beak with your hands for Jac y Do, crouch for yn eistedd, shape a roof over your head, mime putting on a hat, then stamp twice for the two legs. Finish with six cheerful pulses for the “ho” sounds.
The short text also supports early literacy. Print a second copy, cut the five Welsh lines into strips and invite children to put them in order. Older pupils can match each Welsh line to its English meaning, circle repeated words, find the number word dwy, or draw what they imagine the jackdaw’s hat looks like. These tasks encourage careful observation without turning a joyful song into a long worksheet.
Ideas for EYFS, KS1 and home learning
For younger children, focus on listening, copying actions and enjoying the rhythm. A toy bird or homemade paper beak can help introduce the character. Ask simple questions such as “Where is the bird?”, “What colour is the hat?” and “How many legs?” Children can answer with gestures, one Welsh word or a full phrase according to their confidence.
At KS1, use the rhyme to explore sentence patterns and mutation in a light, age-appropriate way. Learners can notice that coes appears as goes after dwy, and that pen appears as ben in the phrase ei ben. The aim need not be memorising a grammar rule. Simply noticing that Welsh words sometimes change their first letter is a valuable step towards fluent reading.
For home learning, display the poster near a reading corner and sing the rhyme regularly for a week. Repetition in a relaxed setting helps the phrases become familiar. Families who are new to Welsh can learn one line each day, point to the English meaning when needed, and celebrate a complete performance at the end of the week.
About the printable design
The poster uses an A4 portrait layout and keeps the main text well inside the trim area. Alternating geometric squares and circles create a playful frame without relying on branded artwork, licensed characters or external fonts. The little jackdaw is an original construction of basic vector shapes. It is decorative rather than a scientific bird illustration.
The download button saves the poster as an SVG file, which remains crisp at different sizes. The print button opens only the artwork in a separate print view, preventing the surrounding article from producing extra pages. For the intended result, choose A4 portrait paper, 100% or actual size, and turn off browser headers and footers if your print dialogue offers that option.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Mi Welais Jac y Do” mean?
It means “I saw the jackdaw”. The first line introduces the funny bird seen sitting on a roof.
Is the English text meant to fit the tune?
No. It is a clear meaning guide for parents, teachers and learners. Singing the Welsh words preserves the natural rhythm of the traditional rhyme.
Can children colour the printable?
Yes. The pale shapes leave room for pencil or crayon details, although the poster also works as a ready-made classroom display.
Why are there different spellings of Jac y Do?
Hyphens and capital letters vary between published versions. The forms refer to the same familiar Welsh bird name and do not change the central meaning.
Will it print on one page?
Yes. Use the dedicated Print Printable button rather than printing the whole web article. The print window contains a single 209 mm by 296 mm SVG on one A4 sheet.
Original English translation, educational notes and geometric poster artwork created for Prydain.co.uk. Traditional wording may vary by family or region.
