In Sound Beginnings, we do more than just sing – we also focus on nursery rhymes. Why? Because they’re packed with educational benefits! In this three-part blog series, we'll highlight the skills they build and share tips for more fun at home.
Speech
Nursery rhymes help children practice pitch, volume, voice inflection, and rhythm in speaking. Think about how your voice changes when you ask a question or tell a story versus ordering a sandwich. Children need to learn these variations to sound like native speakers.
They also need to strengthen the muscles of their mouth, lips, and tongue to articulate sounds and tricky words clearly.
Nursery rhymes provide a fun, playful way to practice these skills – all in the language of children!
Speech Practice at Home
If your child struggles with certain sounds, don’t worry – it’s a normal part of learning for toddlers!
Step 1: Notice which letters your child finds tricky, and plan to practice those.
Step 2: Be mindful of how YOUR mouth and tongue move to create the sounds.
Step 3: Show your child how your mouth, face, and lips move as you speak. Encourage them to copy you.
Step 4: Learn some nursery rhymes together and practice saying those fun words!
Here are some helpful videos for teaching and practicing various letter sounds, and a podcast for teaching the /r/ sound.
Vocabulary
Nursery rhymes introduce fun, interesting vocabulary to expand your child’s language skills: "Jack and Jill went up a hill to fetch a pail of water," "Mary, Mary, quite contrary," "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick."
Research shows that in 1945, the average elementary student had a vocabulary of 10,000 words. Today, that number has dropped to just 2,500. One reason is that children are not being read to as often, and the loss of memorizing rhymes, which were once the foundation of early childhood literature, contributes to this decline.
Memorize nursery rhymes with your child!
Take advantage of this by introducing a "word of the week" and use new words from Sound Beginnings throughout the week: "Can you please fetch your socks and shoes? If your sister is feeling contrary, maybe some tickles will cheer her up. Hop nimbly into your car seat! Be quick!"
Traditional rhymes are repetitive, helping children internalize basic language patterns. This prepares them to experiment with longer, more complex sentences. I remember the joy when my 2-year-old son said, "I saw the cat go down the stairs into the basement." It was his longest sentence ever, and we were thrilled!
Watch for moments like this in your child’s speech and repeat them back: "You saw the cat go down the stairs into the basement? How exciting!"
Memorizing verse is key for young children to develop strong language skills!
Fun at Home: Role Play
Role play is a fun way to practice emphasis, accent, inflection, and vocabulary – plus, it helps your child prepare for real-life situations. It’s time to channel your inner actor and get silly with your little ones! Here are a few ideas to get started. Don’t forget to switch roles and let everyone take a turn:
RESTAURANT: Kids love pretending to run a restaurant. Act out what you’d say when dining out!
DENTIST or DOCTOR: Pretend you’re the patient with silly symptoms like, “I have purple spots in my armpits! What could that be?” Your child will practice speaking confidently and answering in a fun, authoritative way.
BUS DRIVER: Set up chairs as your ‘bus.’ Ask the driver where they’re taking you, and talk about what you see out the window. “Driver! Pull over! I see chickens selling eggs, and I’d like to buy some!”
NURSERY RHYMES: Act out your favorite nursery rhymes. Have Humpty Dumpty fall onto the sofa, Jack and Jill climb the stairs, or Teddy Bear run around the kitchen table. “Hello, Mister Dumpty! Are you sure you should be sitting on that sofa? You’re so fragile!” “Jack, will you bring that pail and climb this hill with me? We need water!”
Want to see the other ways nursery rhymes are helping your child become fantastic? Stay tuned!
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