Discover Nursery Rhymes
Nursery rhymes are one of the first ways that children discover the rhythm and rhyme of language. They are educational and fun! Try some of the ideas below to enjoy the poetry of nursery rhymes.
Enrichment ActivitiesInternet Resources
Nursery Rhyme Books
Enrichment Activities
Use with the Nursery Rhyme Collection of 13 popular rhymes.Super Sleuths
Play the game of "Who Am I?" with your students by giving clues to nursery rhyme characters. For example:
- I am round.
- I sit upon a wall.
- I fell down.
Character Parade
Encourage your students to dress up as a nursery rhyme character. Have a parade for the whole school to enjoy.
Sequels
Many nursery rhymes lend themselves to further development.
Illustrated Nursery Rhymes
Have your students make a collection of illustrations for nursery rhymes. You can post them in your classroom or library as an art gallery or bind them into a book.
Choral Readings
As your students get more and more familiar with favourite nursery rhymes, they will be able to perform them. Select a few, practice reading them together, and host a performance for other classes and parents.
Nursery Rhyme Videos
Watch out MTV – here comes the latest dance craze – Nursery Rhyme Videos! Select your favourite nursery rhyme, choreograph some moves, rehearse a few times, and capture the results on video. A simplified version of this would be to develop hand movements to the music. The more complicated version would incorporate dance steps along with music.
Pass out copies of a nursery rhyme to your students. Ask them to tally:
Internet Resources
Mother Goose Pages
Grade Levels: Pre-K, Primary
View a master list of rhymes and get tips on how to read nursery rhymes to children.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pfa/dreamhouse/nursery/rhymes.html
Mother Goose on the Web
Grade Levels: Pre-K, Primary
Listen to Mother Goose as she narrates different nursery rhymes.
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/storyhour/goose/
