Edited by Azizi Powell
This post is a reprint and update of the 2025 pancocojams post "Mickey Mouse Built A House" Rhymes That Aren't A Part Of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky Rhymes".
This 2026 post includes the only comment that is found as of this date in that post's discussion thread. (I wrote that comment).
That 2025 post remains in this pancocojams blog. Visitor comments are welcome iregarding that post and regarding this 2026 post.
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This pancocojams post presents examples from various online sources of "Mikey Mouse" children's recreational rhymes that aren't a part of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes.
This post serves as a compilation of some examples of "Mickey Mouse" children's recreational rhymes that aren't part of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky". The link for that pancocojams post is given below.
This content is presented for folkloric, historical, socio-cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/donald-trumps-name-replaces-donald-duck.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Donald Trump's Name Replaces Donald Duck In A "Mickey
Mouse Built A House" Verse That Is Included In A 2021 "Down By The
Hanky Panky" Children's Rhyme".
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DISCLAIMER: This pancocojams compilation isn't meant to be a comprehensive documentation of "Mickey Mouse recreational rhymes.
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For what it's worth, I've never came across any examples of these rhymes when I was directly collecting rhymes in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area from about the late 1980s to around 2006.
My direct collection efforts were almost always in predominately African American communities. I wonder if these "Mickey Mouse Built A House" rhymes were/are chanted by African Americans in those communities or were/are chanted by African Americans elsewhere in the United States.
Please share any examples of these rhymes that you know with demographic information such as where (city, nation) and when (year/decade). Also, for the folkloric record, please also include the race/ethnicity of those who chanted these rhymes. Thanks in advance!
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INFORMATION ABOUT THESE RECREATIONAL RHYMES
"Mickey Mouse Built A House" (or "Had A House" or "Lived in A House", and similarly titled rhymes) are English language children's recreational rhymes that are found in the United States, The United Kingdom, Australia, and probably other English speaking countries.
The earliest examples of these rhymes that I've come across (as of 2026) appear to be from the 1950s (although the year 1936 is given in parenthesis for a citation that is given as Source #1 below, United Kingdom.)
The Mickey Mouse Club House television series began airing in 2006. As such, that television series wasn't the earliest source for these rhymes. However, it's very likely that that television series helped popularize these "Mickey Mouse built a house" recreational rhymes.
My guess is that all or most of these "Mickey Mouse" rhymes were composed by children, but I'm not certain of that.
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The primary source of these rhymes may have been the 1933 Disney cartoon "Building a Building" that featured Mickey Mouse and one of his early antagonist (villains) named Pete. This film pre-dates the introduction in 1934 of the character "Donald Duck" into the world of Mickey Mouse films.
These recreational children's rhymes appear to me to have been created by children and most, if not all of them, have been/are used as elimination rhymes (choosing "it" rhymes.)
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"Mickey Mouse Built A House" rhymes have been/are usually chanted as elimination rhymes ("choosing it", "counting out" rhymes.)
"Mickey Mouse Built A House" (and similar titles) have been/are chanted by themselves as independent (stand alone) rhymes. They have also been chanted as part of (in combination with) lines/verses of other recreational rhymes such as long forms of certain versions of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
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One sub-plot of the Mickey Mouse films, cartoons, and television series that feature Donald Duck- including the Mickey Mouse Club House series - is that Donald Duck is jealous of Mickey Mouse having the spotlight. Therefore, out of spite, Donald Duck is often depicted as messing up Mickey's plans. Specifically, in some of the "Mickey Mouse built a house" sub-set of the Mickey Mouse rhymes, Donald Duck accidentally or on purpose "messes up" (destroys) Mickey Mouse's house.
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Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Duck for the Wikipedia page on Donald Duck. That page includes information about that character's relationships with Mickey Mouse.
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LINKS TO OTHER PANCOCOJAMS POSTS THAT ARE CLOSELY RELATED TO THIS POST
In 2022 I published a pancocojams post that compiled examples of Mickey Mouse Built A House (or similarly titled) rhymes that are included in long forms of "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes:https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/09/mickey-mouse-built-house-rhymes-in-long.html " Mickey Mouse Built A House" Verses In "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes"
Most of the examples in that 2022 pancocojams post are from an online Mudcat folk music discussion thread that is entitled "Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky" https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=489&page=10&desc=yes [Note: That hyperlink is for the first page of a 10 page Mudcat discussion thread that I began in 2006. As of October 26, 2025 that discussion thread is still open for comments/examples with the latest example being from November 24, 2025.
In September 2025 I published a complete reprint of that post, with some additions and corrections. Some of those additions were from that 2022 post's comment section. https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/09/mickey-mouse-built-house-verses-in-down.html "Mickey Mouse Built A House" Verses In "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" Rhymes (reprint & updates)."
A few of those examples aren't from the "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" family of children's recreational rhymes. Those rhymes are also included in this October 2025 pancocojams post.
Since I published that September 2025 post, I've come across other "Mickey Mouse Built A House" rhymes that aren't in that pancocojams post. Some of those examples are from.https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/pme8mi/down_by_the_banks_of_the_hanky_panky "Comments/Nostalgia: Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky".
That long Reddit.com discussion thread began in 2021 and (as of October 27, 2025) it is still open for comments/examples.
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SOME EXAMPLES OF MICKEY MOUSE CHILDREN'S RECREATIONAL RHYMES WITH OR WITHOUT DONALD DUCK) THAT AREN'T A PART OF "DOWN BY THE HANKY PANKY" RHYMES
Numbers are given for referencing purposes only.
Source #1
From https://dokumen.pub/counting-out-rhymes-a-dictionary-9780292711037.html
"[page] 345
Mickey Mouse (He) bought a house. See 346. Mickey Mouse built a house Under an apple tree, Mickey Mouse called his house Number twenty-three. Also found as a jump-rope rhyme; see JRR, p. 122. Opie (1959), 111 [Dublin].
Mickey Mouse In a public house. See 355. -141 -
[Page] 346
Mickey Mouse Lived in a house. What color was it? "Red." R-E-D spells red And you are he. Opie (1969), 59 [since 1936]. "Mickey Mouse bought a house. / What colour did he paint it?" Howard, NYFQ, 16 (i960), 140 [Australia 1954-1955]. Ritchie (1965), 47 [Edinburgh]. Begins "Mickey Mouse / He bought a house."
Mickey Mouse made (planned) a house. See 366. 347
Mickey Mouse was in a house Wondering what to do. So he scratched his bun-tiddly-um, Out goes you. Opie (1959), 111 [Farnham, Surrey]."
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Source #2
[Pancocojams Editor's Note:
This version of "Mickey Mouse Built A House" is included in the magazine article "LIFE : Mickey Mouse at 90: LIFE Celebrates An American Icon, published by the Editors of LIFE, 2018]
From https://www.google.com/books/edition/LIFE_Mickey_Mouse_at_90/xDFxDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mickey+mouse+built+a+house+donald+duck+messed+it+up&pg=PT115&printsec=frontcover
…“His name is still uttered by children around the United States in the playground rhyme (a variation of eenie meenie minie mo) that starts “Mickey Mouse, built a house; Donald Duck messed it up. Who will pay the con-se quen-ces, Mouse or Duck?"
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Source #3
From https://www.hydrohotel.net/PS18.pdf
"[Rhymes for Games]
collected 1997-2004 by Ken Cockburn [In Painted, spoken, Number 18, 2008
Mickey Mouse
In his house,
Pulling down his trousers,
Quick, mum,
Smack his bum!
What colour was his pants?
[colour - spell this out while counting round]
And [colour] you must have on.
[If you don't have this colour on you're out.]
[Aberdeenshire] Scotland"
Source #4
From https://www.ablemuse.com/erato/showthread.php?t=810&styleid=1
"
02-14-2006
Kevin Andrew Murphy
northern California in the late 60s/early 70s
[…]
Mickey Mouse built a house. How many bricks did he use?
*answer*
One two three (and so on) and you are not it."
Source #5
From https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/1fnj0hp/what_were_some_weird_rhymes_you_used_to_sing_or/
1. "ullfinch88, 2024
A variation on eeny-meeny-miney-mo:
Mickey mouse, in his house, pulling down his trousers. Hey mum, dirty bum, you are not it!"
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Reply
2. ViridianKumquat, 2024
"For us it ended "quick, Mum, smack his bum, that's the end of part one!"
We never did find out how the saga continued in part 2."
**
Reply
3. pippysquibbins, 2024
"There was also
Donald duck, done some muck on the kitchen floor
Mrs duck, swept it up and Donald done some more"
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Source #6
https://keepworkingthroughit.blogspot.com/2014/03/childrens-chanting-games.html
"Mar 8, 2014
Children's Chanting Games
I love the chanting games kids play. Some of them have been around for years, some are new. They are invented by children and some survive with minimal changes for generations; others get reworked and change rapidly. Often snippets from one chant work their way into another.
The benefits of chanting games are hand-eye co-ordination and memory training, but most of all friendship bonding. It's interesting to me that they are mostly played among girls.
[…]
Counting games
These are the chants you use to count off among a group of friends to see who will be "it". They're variations on Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Moe.
[…]
Mickey Mouse had a house
underneath the movies
when the movie started
Mickey Mouse farted
What colour was it?
[child landed on chooses a colour, then all spell out the colour to finish counting off]"
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Source #7
From https://forums.doyouremember.co.uk/forum/culture/school-days/9039-playground-school-songs/page5
"glam_racket
16-07-2009
Re: Playground Songs!
For determining who's it.
Rhyme sayer: Mickey Mouse had a house, what colour was it....
Child: RED
Rhyme sayer: R - E - D you are not it."
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Notice that this example is from the United Kingdom.
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Source #8
From https://www.reddit.com/r/melbourne/comments/zdkwp7/what_phrases_did_you_use_as_a_child_to_choose_who/ Melbourne [Australia] What Phrases Did You Use As A Children's Way To Choose It
"honeybadger598, 2022
Mickey Mouse had a house, underneath the movies. When the movie started, Mickey Mouse farted. What colour was Mickey Mouse’s fart? G. R. E. E. N".
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Source #9
From
https://www.reddit.com/r/southafrica/comments/1n4zql4/anyone_remember_this_clapping_game/
"barrybrinkza, 2025
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Source #10
From
"Elimination Game
Mickey Mouse
Functions
Counting Game, Elimination Game and Physical Play
Mickey Mouse is a counting game with a rhyme. It is normally played by girls and used to determine who will be it.
Details
At School 19
Players: 3
Girls
Age: 11
Counting on shoes
Mickey Mouse went to the movies:
Mickey Mouse went to the movies, when he got there mickey mouse farted, what colour was his gas, (blue),
Mickey Mouse went to the movies, when he got there mickey mouse farted, what colour was his gas, (pink),
Mickey Mouse went to the movies, when he got there mickey mouse farted, what colour was his gas, (black),
Mickey Mouse went to the movies, when he got there mickey mouse farted, what colour was his gas, (pink),
Mickey Mouse went to the movies, when he got there mickey mouse farted, what colour was his gas, (pink).
At School 05
Players: 3
Girls
Age: 9
Mickey Mouse had a house,
What colour was it?
(Response) Red. (any colour can be chosen)
R-E-D.
Person on whose foot the last letter lands is 'It'."
Source #11
From http://www.inthe80s.com/rhymes.shtml "In the 80s Rhymes"
"Mickey Mouse built a house and made it out of glass. Daffy Duck messed it up and made me kiss his a**"
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This is the way this rhyme was written on that page except that all the words were given in upper case letters.
Notice that the name "Daffy Duck"* is used instead of "Donald Duck". My guess is that the person who contributed this example to that rhyme page either mixed up the names of the two cartoon ducks or the version of that rhyme that she or he learned had the name of the wrong duck.
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Source #12
From https://forums.doyouremember.co.uk/forum/culture/school-days/9039-playground-school-songs/page5 United Kingdom Culture/School Days/Playground/School Songs
"glam_racket
16-07-2009
Re: Playground Songs!
"For determining who's it.
Rhyme sayer: Mickey Mouse had a house, what colour was it....
Child: RED
Rhyme sayer: R - E - D you are not it."
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Comment Reprint From That 2025 Pancocojams Post:
The counting out rhyme that begins "Mickey Mouse had a house underneath the movies/ when the movie started Mickey Mouse farted"... [given as Source #6 of this pancocojams post" is very similar to the insult rhyme "Skinny Malinky". That rhyme may have originated in Scotland and versions of it are also found in England.
An example of that rhyme is "Skinny Malinky long legs Big banana feet Went to the pictures, couldnae find a seat When the picture started Skinny Malinky farted Skinny Malinky long legs Big banana feet"
-https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotland/comments/194as6j/skinny_malinky_is_my_wife_winding_me_up/ Skinny Malinky - is my wife winding me up? by Typical_Ad_210, 2023
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
The latest rhyme that has been posted to the Mudcat discussion thread about "Down By The Banks Of The Hanky Panky" rhymes that I started on that website in 2006 includes a reference to Donald Duck.
ReplyDeleteHere's that rhyme:
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94034&messages=490&page=10
Subject: RE: Origins: Down by the Banks of the Hanky Panky
From: GUEST,L.G. and J.B.
Date: 24 Nov 25 - 02:47 PM
"From South Florida - Skyway Elementary late 90's.
Down by the bank of the Hanky Panky
Where the bullfrogs jump from bank to bank
I said a a-e-i-o-u your momma stinks and so do you,
ping pong ducky duck your momma looks like Donald duck,
Michael Jackson went to town riding a on Tv switched the channel 1-2-3 and saw a naked ladyyy".