There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!: questions to ask and activities to try
There was an old lady who swallowed a bat, and then an owl, a cat and more Halloween creatures, one after another. A silly Halloween twist on the classic rhyme.
What age is There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! for?
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! is best for ages 3–6.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! (Lucille Colandro and Jared D. Lee)
- Age
- 3-6
- Best for
- Silly Halloween rhyme and memory fun
Only 50pThere Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! activity sheet3 printable pages: questions to talk about, a drawing and writing page, and notes for the grown-up. Instant PDF.
Just want the questions? Get the free question card ↓
Read it as a chant and let your child call out what she swallows next. Try to remember the whole list together at the end.
Is this book right for your child?
- Age
- 3–6 (nursery to Year 1)
- What they'll enjoy
- There was an old lady who swallowed a bat, and then an owl, a cat and more Halloween creatures, one after another. A silly Halloween twist on the classic rhyme.
- Helps with
- Silly Halloween rhyme and memory fun
- Buy or borrow?
- Borrow it from the library first if you can. If your child asks for it again and again, it’s one worth owning, and the questions and activities on this page work best with the book open next to you.
What it helps with
- Memory and sequencing
- Rhyme
- Joining in
- Halloween
Comprehension and discussion questions for There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “What did the old lady swallow first?”
- “What came next?”
- “Why did she swallow each thing?”
- “Can you remember them all in order?”
- “What happened at the end?”
- “What silly thing would you add to the list?”
For the full list of questions and more, download the PDF below.
Print these questions: free question card for There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!
All 6 questions for There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! on one printable page, each marked with the reading skill it practises. Enter your email and download it straight away.
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5-minute activities to try together
Swallow in order
Draw each creature on a card and put them in order as you retell the story.
Old lady bag
Draw an old lady on a paper bag with an open mouth and "feed" her the cards as you read.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! activity sheet: printable worksheet and questions
All the questions and activities above on a ready-to-print activity sheet: questions tagged by reading skill with space to answer, a drawing and writing page with a self-check, and notes for the adult with curriculum links and a 20-minute session plan. Pay by card, PayPal or Payhip and download straight away.
- Page 1, talk about it: questions about the story, each tagged with the reading skill it practises, with space to answer or tick
- Page 2, my favourite part: a drawing box, a sentence starter and a “how did I do?” self-check
- Page 3, notes for the adult: curriculum links, a 20-minute session plan, extension activities, and support and challenge ideas
- Read it togetherEnjoy the story first.
- Ask 2 or 3 questionsFrom the list above, while everyone is calm.
- Print the activity sheetAn activity sheet with questions, a drawing page and notes for you.
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Use it as a lesson plan
Children can listen to There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat!, answer questions about it and give a reason for their ideas, and talk about memory and sequencing.
A 20-minute session for ages 3–6 (nursery to Year 1), for a class, a small group or one child at home.
- Warm up (2 minutes). Show the cover and read the title. Ask: “What do you think this story will be about?”
- Read aloud (6 minutes). Read it all the way through. Tip: Read it as a chant and let your child call out what she swallows next. Try to remember the whole list together at the end.
- Talk about it (4 minutes). Pick two or three of the comprehension and discussion questions above. “What did the old lady swallow first?” works well to start.
- Activity (6 minutes). Do Swallow in order. Draw each creature on a card and put them in order as you retell the story. Children who finish early can try Old lady bag.
- Wrap up (2 minutes). Ask each child for one thing they will remember from the story, and why.
Want to go further? The There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! activity sheet has these questions with space to answer, a drawing and writing page, and notes for the adult.
If your child liked this, try
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- Best for
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- Age
- 3-7
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- Best for
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- Age
- 2-6
We're Going on a Bear Hunt (Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury)
- Best for
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- Age
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 29 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.