Understanding the importance of nursery rhymes and stories can enhance your ability as an early years professional to support children’s growth in a holistic and engaging manner. Read on to discover how these timeless tools can help a child’s development and how you can enhance your own practice by using them in different ways.
Nursery Rhymes For Language And Literacy Development
Nursery rhymes and stories are a fantastic way to introduce children to the world of language and literacy. The repetitive and rhythmic nature of these rhymes helps children develop phonemic awareness, the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds in words. This foundational skill is crucial for reading success. Additionally, nursery rhymes expand children’s vocabulary and can improve their ability to remember and recall words. As children recite rhymes, they learn about the structure of language and the basics of music, including rhyme, rhythm, and intonation (high pitch/low pitch), which are essential for fluent reading.
Storytime can be a wonderful time to introduce new language and different sounds. Think about using the alliterative qualities (repetition of consonant sounds) that some rhymes have, e.g. “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” Use clapping or simple percussion instruments to help children keep time, teaching them rhythmical and listening skills too.
Enhancing Cognitive Skills With Nursery Rhymes
Many rhymes tell a story or describe a sequence of events, which helps children understand concepts such as cause and effect and sequencing as well as enhances memory and comprehension skills. Some rhymes such as “Five little monkeys” or “Ten in the bed” also introduce basic mathematical concepts, such as counting and simple subtraction, in a fun and interactive manner. You can help the children recognise the numbers by holding up plastic numbers or writing them on a board, so the children become familiar with the numeric symbols.
Social And Emotional Development
Nursery rhymes often involve group singing or actions, providing opportunities for social interaction and collaboration. Singing together helps children develop social skills such as taking turns, listening to others, and working as part of a group, especially if you combine it with using simple musical instruments or actions. Additionally, the themes of many nursery rhymes can evoke emotions and provide a safe space for children to express and manage their feelings. For example, the comforting nature of a lullaby can soothe children, while you can use stories such as “We’re going on a bear hunt” to explore emotions and feelings of worry and fear.
Physical Development
Lots of nursery rhymes are accompanied by actions or movements that can promote physical development when performed while reciting the song. Simple actions like clapping, jumping, or twirling help children develop their gross motor skills and coordination. Some examples here include “Head, shoulders, knees and toes,” “I’m a little teapot,” or “Row, row, row your boat.”
Fine motor skills are also enhanced through finger plays, such as those in “Itsy bitsy spider,” where children use their fingers to mimic the spider’s movements, or “Twinkle, twinkle little star,” which uses fingers to represent starlight. These activities can also enhance hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness.
Developing Imagination And Creativity With Nursery Rhymes
The whimsical and fantastical nature of many children’s rhymes sparks their imagination and creativity. Rhymes like “Hey diddle, diddle,” “Michael Finnegan,” or “The owl and the pussycat” introduce children to imaginative scenarios and encourage creative thinking and play. This imaginative play is crucial for cognitive development as it allows children to explore different perspectives and problem-solving strategies in a safe and playful environment.
Think about asking the children to act out different parts of the story or create imaginative images and pictures of the worlds they are singing about. Remember to let the children’s imaginations work freely here by not insisting, for example, that all trees must be green.
Exploring Different Cultures
Using rhymes and stories from different countries can be a way to introduce new cultures to the children. Some nursery rhymes often carry cultural significance and a historical context too, making them perfect for teaching children about cultural heritage and diversity. Some foreign language nursery rhymes include:
- “Frère Jacques” (France)
- “Au Clair de la Lune” (France)
- “Sakura, Sakura” (Japan)
- “Los pollitos dicen” (Spain)
You can also use lullabies from different cultures in your setting, as the soothing melodies and gentle rhythms often work to calm children without needing to understand the words.
Top Tips For Using Nursery Rhymes And Stories In Your Setting
- Make the experience a sensory one by adding things to feel, taste, touch, smell and see.
- Add actions to rhymes – you can even make up your own actions.
- Vary the tempo of rhymes, from fast and upbeat action songs to slow and calming lullabies.
- Extend the learning by using the stories as inspiration for arts and crafts.
- Ensure that all children can participate fully in the activities.
- Ask the children to make up their own nursery rhymes.
- Use songs from different cultures and in different languages.
- Use videos and visuals to link to words and numbers.
- Make sure all practitioners join in with the actions and singing to model what you want the children to do.
- Remember to involve your parents/carers by letting them know what you’ve been learning so they can continue the education at home.
For early years settings, incorporating nursery rhymes into the curriculum is an effective way to support all areas of child development. These simple yet powerful verses provide a rich resource for any setting, and by embracing their timeless magic, you can create a nurturing and stimulating learning environment that helps children thrive.
