Nursery Rhymes

Hey diddle diddle...

One, two, buckle my shoe...

Little Miss Muffet...

Chances are that most people can continue the rhymes begun above, and perhaps even recite them through to the end.  We often assume that all children simply "know" nursery rhymes, but I find at school that many children are not, in fact, familiar with traditional nursery rhymes.

Is there are reason why they should be?  Are nursery rhymes outdated and useless?  Call me old-fashioned, but I believe they are not, and here are a few reasons why:

Children enjoy the sounds of nursery rhymes from a young age and like to hear them over and over again.

Children are introduced to the rhythm and rhyme of poetry through the repetition of nursery rhymes.

Children learn to predict text in nursery rhymes because of the rhythm and rhyme and the natural order of words in written and spoken language (syntax)

Having memorized nursery rhymes helps children develop an awareness of the sounds in language (phonemic awareness).

Knowing how to rhyme and predict and recognizing the different sounds in language makes learning how to read easier for children.

Nursery rhymes are often referred to in picture books and other children's literature.  When children know nursery rhymes, they are better able to understand what they are reading or hearing.

There are many books of collections of nursery rhymes with updated, fabulous illustrations.  Older anthologies can be found in flee markets and book resale shops.  A personal favorite of mine is My Very First Mother Goose by Opie and Wells.