I’m sure if asked, many of us would be able to recite a rhyme or song from our childhood. Regardless of culture or language, the presence of simple and repetitive songs or rhymes is common phenomena. Children love them. Adults tend to remember these songs with fondness but are nersary rhymes really all that necessary?
Sing-a-long
Here are a few reasons why introducing nursery rhymes and songs to your children is a great idea:
- Singing songs or learning nursery rhymes is a fun, free and relatively painless way to entertain your child. Think of the songs you loved as a child, especially ones with actions or a dance. Teach these to your children. It’s a fun way to share part of your childhood with your own kids.
- Singing helps with language and literacy skills. Learning new words, recognizing sounds and hearing words that rhyme all contribute to developing vocabulary and understanding language.
- Memorising rhymes is great for concentration. They encourage children to focus on the words, melodies and rhythm of the songs. Adding actions also helps develop memory skills and physical coordination.
- Singing and reciting nursery rhymes encourages social interaction. Being able to sing along with a friend or a small group builds a feeling of togetherness and co-operation. This increases if the actions include holding hands or dancing together.
- Singing out loud builds confidence and encourages creativity. Allowing your child to perform a favourite rhyme for you, can be a way to promote imagination, encourage physical movement, good diction and pronunciation.
In a day and age where parents always seem to be pushed for time and looking for ways to educate and entertain their children, simple things like nursery rhymes can be an easy way to have fun and develop vital skills at the same time. Even if you struggle to remember all the words from when you were a child, a quick google search may be all that’s needed to jog your memory.