The Power of Nursery Rhymes in Developing Communication and Language Skills
Happy World Nursery Rhyme Week! Launched by Music Bugs in 2013, this special week celebrates nursery rhymes’ huge role in early childhood learning and development. Nursery rhymes aren’t just fun but foundational for developing early literacy, language, and social skills that support a child’s growth.
This week, we’re exploring why nursery rhymes are so impactful in early years education and how they help children explore the world around them, whilst playing and learning.
Why communication and language matter in early years
Communication and language are a prime area of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). As EYFS states, developing children’s spoken language skills is essential because it forms the foundation for learning and interacting with the world. The more conversations children have, the more words they learn, and the richer their understanding of language becomes.
Here’s how you can make these interactions impactful:
Follow their interests: comment on what children are doing or observing, using new vocabulary to expand their understanding.
Echo and build: repeat what children say but add extra detail or new words.
Storytelling and rhymes: Regularly read stories, poems, and nursery rhymes together to introduce new vocabulary in a fun, engaging way.
Encourage role play: in play, children can use their new vocabulary and express ideas freely, helping them grow confident in their language skills.
The magic of nursery rhymes for early years children
Nursery rhymes are simple yet powerful tools for learning. Here’s why they’re so effective:
Encouraging language development: rhymes introduce children to new words and phrases in a fun, memorable way. Through repetition, they learn to recognise sounds and build vocabulary.
Developing early literacy skills: rhymes make language patterns and structures easier to grasp. This awareness helps with skills like phonics, which are essential when children start learning to read.
Supporting numeracy skills: many rhymes include numbers and counting (think “Five Little Ducks” or “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe”), which helps children playfully develop basic numeracy skills.
Building social, physical, and emotional skills: singing and moving along with rhymes help children develop coordination, rhythm, and social bonds with others. It also builds their confidence as they master each rhyme.
Celebrating World Nursery Rhyme Week
Since 2013, over 5 million children from 113 countries have joined World Nursery Rhyme Week! It’s a global event, open to parents, early years practitioners, and anyone working with children under 7. The initiative includes the Rhyme a Day Challenge, where the World Nursery Rhyme Week team encourages children to sing along to a new nursery rhyme each day and take part in fun, hands-on activities.
As shown on the World Nursery Rhyme Week website, the 2024 rhyme line-up is:
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm
- The Big Ship Sails
- Incy Wincy Spider
- Five Currant Buns
Each rhyme is packed with opportunities to develop language, numeracy, social, physical, and emotional skills. It’s a wonderful way to support children’s learning while keeping things lighthearted and joyful!
Engaging families with nursery rhymes
World Nursery Rhyme Week is the perfect opportunity to get families involved! Using tools like iConnect and ParentZone, you can track children’s progress and keep parents updated. Better yet, share some rhyme activity ideas with families so they can join in the fun at home. Singing and learning together help create stronger bonds and reinforce the skills children are building in nursery.
To help reduce admin tasks so you can focus more on teaching, we’re offering £700 off our nursery management software for new customers! Just book a demo and use the code WB700.
Save £700 on your nursery software
To claim this offer, simply book a demo and enter the code WB700.
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About the Author
Content Marketing Executive at Connect Childcare