Don't Rule Out Nursery Rhymes

-
To give your preschooler a leg up on literacy, read more nursery rhymes!

I know, it's hard to believe such a simple thing can make such a big difference, but according to child development experts,  it does!


Traditional rhymes help kids develop an ear for language and increases phonological awareness. They also teach patterns of language,  and the repetition builds fluency and also makes for excellent first memorization pieces. Also, though short, nursery rhymes teach that all important idea of beginning, middle, and end. 

Later outcomes are also affected. Research shows that in 1945 the average elementary student had a 10,000 word vocabulary. In 2010, that number dropped to 2,500.

For more information on the benefits of nursery rhyme, check out Rhymers are Readers: The Importance of Nursery Rhymes.

Here's a list of some essential nursery rhymes:


Humpty Dumpty
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Itsy, Bitsy Spider
Jack and Jill
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hickory Dickory Dock
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Little Miss Muffet
Little Boy Blue
This Old Man
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
I'm a Little Teapot
The Wheels on the Bus
London Bridge is Falling Down

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Independent 4-5 Year Old

-
Image
 "I can do it myself!"  Every parent has heard this preschool battle cry at some point and it is cause for celebration!  This is evidence that your child is growing and developing. However, at some point even the most independent preschooler can be resistant to doing some things for themselves and in some cases that's ok.    What are some things a 4–5-year-old should be able to do for themselves?  Dress themselves, choosing clothes appropriate for the weather Put on and take off their own jacket or coat Zip or button clothing and jacket/coat Use the bathroom completely independently (this includes "wiping") Feed themselves Be able to brush their teeth and wash hands/face independently Put their toys away Simple chores, such as making their bed, setting the table, or washing vegetables Sometimes kids will want to give up when things are hard to do. To get past this, parents and teachers need to provide a lot of ...
Read more

A is for Apples!

-
Image
Apple Week is a fun theme for preschoolers and kicks off our awareness of the special things about the season of fall!  Our first letter of the week and Apple starts with "A" so we will jump right into letter recognition and letter sounds. Apple harvest season is in the fall, during September and October, so this is a great time for your family to visit an apple orchard, make an apple pie, or just eat more apples you got from the farmer’s market.  Apples also open doors to other learning experiences. Language Arts There are many books to read, songs to sing, and discussions to have about apples. Be sure to ask your kids about the apple songs they are learning at school. At home you can read books about fall and apples too. If you have an opportunity to go apple picking, that could be a really fun experience for your preschooler. This  article  lists 15 places in the DC Metro area for apple picking. Call before you go to verify hours and what each location offers....
Read more