It’s almost time for the Elf to return.
Here are some fun ideas for your Elf to try.

The final day of World Nursery Rhyme Week 2020 and we end the week with “Miss Polly Had A Dolly”. Very little is known about the origin of this nursery rhyme which is a fantastic action song and rich with imaginative role play ideas.
“Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know 8 nursery rhymes by heart by the time they’re 4 years old, they’re usually among the best readers by the time they’re 8”. (Fox, M 2001, Reading Magic, Harcourt).

Welcome to the penultimate day of World Nursery Rhyme Week 2020! The first version of “Old MacDonald Had A Farm” appeared in 1917 and was originally called “Old MacDougal”. A very popular and engaging nursery rhyme, each verse tells the story about a farmer and the many different animals he looks after on his farm.

When children sing nursery rhymes, they explore:
The story structure of the verse (characters, plot, etc)
The fun of alliteration and rhyming
Listening to and memorisation of short verses
Language patterns
New vocabulary
Counting

We’re at the midway point of WNRW 2020 and it’s time for Hickory Dickory Dock. A childhood favourite that we have been singing with our children since 1744 which makes ‘Hickory’ 276 years old.

There are several schools of thought as to the possible origins of this nursery rhyme. Some believe that the rhyme is based on the astronomical clock at Exeter Cathedral. The cathedral clock has a small hole in the door below the clock face for the resident cat to hunt mice. This is a wonderful nursery rhyme for very young children as its easy to learn and retain with language boosting rhyming words and opportunities to practice counting.

Day 2 of World Nursery Rhyme Week 2020 and another popular nursery rhyme from the United States. Very little is known about the origin of “Five Little Speckled Frogs” which is amazing given its popularity.

Counting songs and finger play rhymes are brilliant for encouraging early numeracy skills and fine motor control. By introducing children to the concept of counting, you encourage a familiarity with number names, patterns and values. “When children learn rhythm, they are learning ratios, fractions and proportions.” (Professor Gordon Shaw, University of California).

Other popular counting nursery rhymes:
1-2-3-4-5 Once I Caught A Fish Alive
Five Currant Buns
One Two Buckle My Shoe
Ten Fat Sausages
Hickory Dickory Dock (more about our mouse later this week!)

Welcome to the start of World Nursery Rhyme Week 2020!

We get this year underway with “Wheels On The Bus”, an incredibly popular nursery rhyme and children’s song originating from the United States. A very catchy action song and fantastic for developing memory skills, it was first published in 1939.

Action songs are brilliant for:
Strengthening memory and recall.
Supporting listening skills.
Encouraging children to take directions.
Developing their fine and gross motor skills.
Enhancing hand-eye coordination.
Language skills and word understanding are boosted.