Nursery rhymes date back many centuries, sometimes even to the Middle Ages. Many of them were not originally intended for a young audience, but have since been adapted. While the origins of these tales may be quite old, the stories offer timeless lessons. Sharing nursery rhymes with children can present many benefits, including furthering their development of language skills. Nursery rhymes also serve as a great group activity. Here are some of the other benefits they offer:

Good for the brain's development. Nursery rhymes are beneficial to children's brain development. Through hearing the rhymes in these stories, children learn more about language. It also builds student's memory skills, which are applicable to a range of activities. Moreover, nursery rhymes often provide one of children's first experiences with literacy. Since the books also contain pictures, they provide a total language and visual experience, and as such, offer an engaging introduction to literature.

Provide a link between different cultures and times. Nursery rhymes have a somewhat timeless quality. They can span many decades and cultures because their lessons are relevant to any time and place. This quality makes nursery rhymes great for sharing, and can help create a link between parents, children and grandparents, as well as people from different cultures and places.

Excellent group activity. Nursery rhymes often combine simple stories with singing and dancing, making them ideal for group activities. Children may feel more comfortable singing aloud as part of a group than they do alone. Through participating in these activities, students become more confident in themselves, while also learning how fun collaboration can be.   

Offer a fun experience. Even if children do not grasp the deeper meanings of these stories quite yet, taking part in singing nursery rhymes still offers a fun experience. Nursery rhymes are fun to say, and through practice, children will become more familiar with the stories' lessons as well.

For more information about early childhood language and brain development, refer to our course "Brain Development: Amazing Brains, Amazing Babies." Our classes contain a range of information, including child development and curriculum planning resources. We also offer CDA training for your continued professional development.