Is the Itsy Bitsy Spider a nursery rhyme, a poem or a lullaby?
It’s a nursery rhyme and a fingerplay: a short traditional song with hand actions. You can say it like a poem or sing it softly at bedtime, but it isn’t usually thought of as a lullaby.
What a fingerplay is
A fingerplay is a rhyme told with the hands. This one has been linked with gestures for a long time: in 1948, Western Folklore printed a version in an article about children’s rhymes with gestures.
Is it a Mother Goose rhyme?
Not in the original sense. Britannica describes Mother Goose as a fictitious old woman said to be the source of traditional rhymes, and dates the collection Mother Goose’s Melody to 1781. The earliest known printing of the Itsy Bitsy Spider came much later, in 1910. Today the name is used loosely, so you may still find this rhyme in books and videos branded Mother Goose.
Can it work at bedtime?
Yes, though it’s livelier than a true lullaby. Sing it slowly and quietly, keep your hands low, and let the sun dry up the rain in a whisper.