Why Nursery Rhymes4044690
Young mothers who sit home with their new infants often wonder what they will do to stimulate their child. From day one it is essential that infants are spoken to. This will help the child learn language and the sound of the mother and father's voice. Nursery rhymes or Mother Goose rhymes are a fantastic way to interact with your infant and also a fun way for them to start learning language abilities.
Mother Goose rhymes can be said or sung. They should be repeated daily so your child will learn to recognize the rhymes and/or the melodies. Over time, even very young kids will keep in mind the rhymes and get used to the repertoire they know.
Mother Goose rhymes can also be exaggerated in particular spots to add humor or anticipation to the rhyme. Songs or action rhymes can be incorporated to produce some play acting. This can act as a tactile element to the learning process.
If you are unfamiliar with Mother Goose or Nursery Rhymes, a good location to start is with a book. Try Tomie dePaola's Mother Goose which is attractively illustrated and consists of over 200 rhymes both recognized and not-so-known. You can sit your child on your lap and read some of the rhymes as your small one looks at the pictures.
Another way to become familiar with Mother Goose rhymes is to enroll your child in a program at the local public library. Many libraries have a "Mother Goose Time" designed for kids ages 1 - 2 and their caregivers. Various libraries will call it some thing different such as "lap sit," but the concept is the same. In addition, some libraries offer the program for babies younger than 1. Check your local branch.
If you are a new mother or a grandmother with care of a grandchild, you might want to think about getting a library card, if you don't already have one. Besides applications, the library also has CDs you can borrow that have songs for children. Nursery rhymes set to music are a great way to go.
As a school librarian at an elementary school, I am often shocked how many Kindergarten students start school not understanding any Mother Goose rhymes. To compensate, I frequently start Kindergarten library class with Mother Goose. They love the rhymes and memorize them rapidly. One of the first things students are taught to recognize by their classroom teachers is a rhyming text. Rhyming also has a calming influence on young children.
Another huge advantage of teaching nursery rhymes with young kids is that it teaches them the rhythm of the language they will use later on when they start reading. For Kindergarten students, later will translate into the current school year. In many schools,Kindergarten is the time when students start reading "sight words" and reading simple sentences.
