is an international celebration promoting the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development.
This year鈥檚 event takes place on 15-19 November, with more than five million children expected to join in alongside parents, early years practitioners and anyone working with children under the age of seven.
To help mark the celebration, we鈥檝e asked some of our members how they will be celebrating this week...
'Children can be heard laughing as they sing with practitioners or on their own'
鈥淩hymes and singing are embedded into our everyday practice. Children are eager and excited to choose and join in with their favourite rhymes. Children can be heard laughing and giggling as they sing with practitioners as well as independently on their own. We use a song box, which has visual resources to ensure that all children, including those who are non-verbal, can feel a part of making choices and feel part of the group.
鈥淣ursery rhymes lend themselves to all areas within the Early Years Foundation Stage such as PSED 鈥 respecting others' choices, mathematics 鈥 counting, adding and subtracting and literacy 鈥 recognising words and pictures in books or song cards. But the very best thing about nursery rhymes is that you don鈥檛 need to set time aside, you don鈥檛 really need anything, you can sing them virtually everywhere and make children鈥檚 and adults鈥 day better for it.鈥
Lorraine Weaver-Ennis, manager, Hinckley Road Nursery, Coventry
'A great opportunity to build on our existing practice, reflect upon the importance of music and share fun ideas with parents and carers'
鈥淣ursery Rhyme Week is a great opportunity to build upon our existing practice, reflect upon the importance of music and share fun ideas with parents and carers.
This year children have enjoyed finding sheep in different sensory materials like sand, shaving foam and lentils as they sing 鈥楲ittle Bo Peep has Lost her Sheep鈥.
We also made a pretend cake and sang 鈥楶at a Cake鈥, to enable them to relate the rhymes to real life experiences.鈥
Angela Msumba, owner/manager, Heart Pre-school, Nottingham
'We incorporate many traditional nursery rhymes as part of our daily routine'
鈥淎s part of our daily routines we incorporate many traditional nursery rhymes, as well as other rhyming songs. For example, as children go to the bathroom to wash their hands or when they line up to go outside we will sing different rhymes. We have started learning some Makaton signs to accompany our nursery rhymes so that all children are included regardless of their home language or ability to communicate verbally.
"Outside the children love to join in singing nursery rhymes using our large parachute. As well as developing language and listening skills, we can incorporate a more physical element as we move the parachute around. We also sing lots of counting rhymes to develop mathematical skills alongside this. Sometimes a child may have a particular favourite and will enjoy standing up and singing it to their friends. Turn taking skills are embedded as a child is asked to be the 'farmer in his den' or a crocodile who is teased by the monkeys swinging in the tree.
鈥淢any of the traditional rhymes can get lost over time unless they are passed down from generation to generation. Often, we find that the songs we teach some of the children, are familiar to others as they have been sung at home with grandparents.鈥
Theresa Miller, manager, St Gabriel鈥檚 Pre-school, Tamworth, Staffordshire
'Nursery rhymes are often a familiar link with home'
鈥淣ursery rhymes are one facet of how we invite children to be excited and be active participants in their own language development. We use songs, poems, stories and rhymes to build attention and a love for language they can share with their friends.
鈥淣ursery rhymes can be incorporated into all aspects of the curriculum, they are often a familiar link with home and they are a perfect gateway into early reader skills. We use nursery rhymes daily, in all aspects of our day. From our circle time hello, as a physical start to an adult lead activity, to modelling language opportunities during free play and using nursery rhyme books to support early book skills. The importance of early language acquisition is widely known. By creating an environment where language is celebrated, challenged and cherished is what we strive to achieve daily.鈥
Dawn Davies, Squirrels Pre-school Nursery, Cuddington, Cheshire
How you can take part in World Nursery Rhyme Week
You can join in by simply enjoying nursery rhymes, joining the official or by sharing your pictures and videos on social media.
Parents and carers are also welcome to join in using an official for activity ideas.
There are five official rhymes for 2021:
- Incy Wincy Spider
- Sleeping Bunnies
- Wind the Bobbin
- Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
- Down in the Jungle
You can, of course, stick to some of your children鈥檚 own favourites too!