Nursery Rhymes
Nursery Rhymes:
Why do we teach them?
A child develops language at a rapid rate when they are surrounded by words of every kind. The method of delivery of these words does not matter as long as it is in an educational manner. One of the most fun and easy ways to introduce words to your toddler is through Nursery Rhymes.
Nursery Rhymes provide a way for a child to gain Phonological Awareness. Phonological awareness is when a child is able to hear the different letters and blends of letters of their language. As child learns the rhymes, they will be able to identify the sounds that rhyme and will then be able to connect other words that end with the sounds. Also, toddlers will be able to hear the different sound pitches that the Nursery Rhymes have. Hearing the different intonations and the various pauses that are in Nursery Rhymes introduces them to the various ways we use pitch changes in our sentences as an underlying meaning. For example, when we as a question, the last word is usually with a raised pitch. It is even better if you read a nursery rhyme book with your toddler! Reading books introduces the concepts of reading left to right, each letter has it's own sound, and learning how to look at the pictures to predict what is going to happen.