What did the Itsy Bitsy Spider climb, and why?
It climbed the water spout, the drainpipe on the side of a house. The rhyme never says why, so nobody knows, and that makes it a good question to ask your child.
Ask your child
Why do they think the spider went up there? Looking for food? Visiting a friend at the top? There’s no wrong answer. Then ask the harder one: why did it climb again after the rain washed it out? You’re talking about not giving up without having to make a speech.
What real spiders do
A rainwater spout is an open pipe outdoors, and it’s different from the drain in your bath. The Burke Museum says it knows of no documented case of a spider coming into a house through the plumbing. Spiders in sinks and baths have usually climbed down looking for water, and then can’t get back up the slippery sides.
Found one in the bath?
Show your child how to help it, with a cup over the spider and a card slid underneath, and carry it outside together. It’s a small rescue, and it can help a nervous child feel braver about spiders.