Nursery Rhymes
Nursery rhymes help young children become ready to learn to read! Both rhyme and rhythm help kids hear the sounds and syllables in words. They are a great introduction to stories since many contain a beginning, middle, and end.
Children will start to understand that many words sound alike – they rhyme! This understanding will be a big help to children later when they start learning to spell words. And because many nursery rhymes have nonsense or unusual words in them, children pay attention to them since the words sound different from what they hear most of the time. For example, what does “knick-knack paddywhack” actually mean? It doesn’t matter! It’s just fun to say it or sing it!
Repetition of rhymes and stories is good for the brain, teaching how language works and building memory capabilities. Your child will enjoy the accomplishment of learning a rhyme through repetition.
Finally, nursery rhymes are just plain fun to say! Sing along with Pat to learn a few!
HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning!
POP GOES THE WEASEL
Round and round the cobbler’s bench
The monkey chased the weasel
The monkey thought it was all in fun
Pop goes the weasel!
HUSH LITTLE BABY
Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.
If that mockingbird don’t sing,
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.
BAA, BAA BLACK SHEEP
Baa, baa black sheep have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full.
One for my master and one for my dame,
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane.
LITTLE BO PEEP
Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep
And doesn’t know where to find them.
Leave them alone and they’ll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them.
LONDON BRIDGE
London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down,
Falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB
Mary had a little lamb,
Little lamb,
Little lamb.
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
THIS OLD MAN
This old man, he played one,
He played knick-knack on my thumb;
With a knick-knack paddywhack,
Give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.