Can kindergarten readiness override political correctness? My answer is Yes, that’s acceptable. Kids are not permanently damaged by having fun with nursery rhymes. Nursery rhymes are another tool for developing both memory skills and readiness for kindergarten.
The patterns, the rhyming words and the rhythm all combine to make them memorable. You can sing them, read them or say them to your child as long as you share them. Even children younger than a year old enjoy them as adults show little ones how to clap Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man. Not just hands, but the rest of the body can be used to go ’round, twirl, bounce, skip, and carefully fall down.
For older kids, there’s nursery rhymes to help with letters, counting, colors, time and more. Nursery rhymes also help with vocabulary, word order and using and having fun with language. They promote careful listening and the critical skill of combining word parts to make rhymes.
The most popular nursery rhymes are Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, and Hey Diddle Diddle. Did you know that Nursery Rhymes have been passed down through about 30 generations from their beginnings to now? That’s a lot of remembering! What’s your favorite?