Nursery Rhymes

We have been working quite a bit on nursery rhymes over the last month or so.  Nursery rhymes are a very important element in helping children learn how to read.  I was recently speaking to a friend of mine who is a Kindergarten teacher, and she told me that not very many children know the nursery rhymes anymore.  This makes me so sad!  There are so many great elements to them.  They usually have a strong, rhythmic pulse, that helps kids start to recognize rhythm, and they have lots of rhyming words.  Learning and recognizing rhyming words is an integral part of a child's pre-reading skills.  Nursery rhymes are a HUGE help in lots of areas.  Here are just a few of the many articles out there describing the value of nursery rhymes.

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/reading-language/reading-tips/the-surprising-meaning-and-benefits-of-nursery-rhymes/

http://www.funfelt.com/why-nursery-rhymes.html

http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/value-nursery-rhymes-11872.html

Here are the nursery rhymes we've learned so far (just in case you don't remember the words):

Hickory Dickory Dock:

Hickory dickory dock
The mouse ran up the clock
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down
Hickory dickory dock

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.

Humpty Dumpty:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall;

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star:

Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat:

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.

Wee Willie Winkie:

Wee Willie Winkie
Runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs
In his nightgown.

We have tunes and actions that go with all the songs.  Ask your kids to show them to you.  If I'm really on top of things, I will try to post a you tube video of me showing these songs, but don't hold your breath.  I always have big goals and never enough time to achieve them. :)