We have been focusing on developing the children’s awareness of Nursery Rhymes by focusing on one rhyme each week within the ECC and sharing this on the blog and communication board for you to do at home with your child. Nursery Rhymes aid your child’s phonological awareness and assists with reading and spelling at a later stage. Please have a look below at the statistics gathered from before we focused on the rhyme in partnership with yourselves at home and after regularly singing the rhyme in the ECC and at home. The data shows a 23% increase in the amount of children who were able to recite Hickory, Dickory Dock in the morning session and a 13% increase in the PM session. Please continue to focus on our rhyme of the week at home as this has a positive impact on your child’s development. Our Rhyme of the week is Twinkle, Twinkle little star.

This weeks Nursery Rhyme follows the tune of “5 little monkeys jumping on the bed.” As your child becomes familiar  with the rhyme encourage your child to say parts of the rhyme themselves.  Nursery Rhymes are portable and can be sung anywhere in the car, in the bath, before bed, while making dinner, within story time or within any routine of your day. Nursery Rhymes assist with the development of social skills as well as an opportunity to hear sounds and syllables within words. Implementing Makaton with your child has many benefits including supporting your child’s emotional wellbeing, extending language and communication skills  and it also promotes  fine motor skills as your child uses their hands to sign this aids pre- writing skills.

Please sing this nursery rhyme with your child at home and try out the Makaton. Singing nursery rhymes with your child will help them learn about rhyme and rhythm of language and assist your child to hear syllables within words this also aids your child’s ability to learn to read.