Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes used to be staples in a child’s home. They were some of the first rhymes children learned and most families had nursery rhyme books in the home. That is changing. When I introduce Nursery Rhymes to children at school, many of them do not know any of them by heart.
It is not the loss of a tradition past that bothers me when I encounter children with no nursery rhyme repertoire. It is the fact that these children are missing out on the benefits nursery rhymes have in developing phonemic awareness and other early literacy skills. In her book, Reading Magic, Mem Fox cites research that says children who can recite eight nursery rhymes from memory by the age of four will be some of the best readers by third grade. This makes sense because nursery rhymes teach the rhythm of the English language, rhyming, and steady beat (to name a few). They also promote social skills, boost language development and lay the foundation for learning to read and spell. “A rhyme’s repetition can sensitize the children to the individual units of sound, known as phonemes, which make up words,” says Dr. Judith Schickedanz.
While many nursery rhymes are innocent and carefree, others do have a bit of a morbid or haunting quality to them. Have no fear, Dr. Becky Bailey is here! The book, I Love You Rituals, provides a whole section of nursery rhymes reworded to encourage bonding and special time between a parent and child. Here is one of my favorites (from I Love You Rituals by Becky A. Bailey PhD.):
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
What a wonderful child you are!
With bright eyes and nice round cheeks,
Talented person from head to feet,
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
What a wonderful child you are!
So, enjoy reading and reciting nursery rhymes with your child and have fun playing with rhymes wherever you are!