World nursery rhyme week – supporting children’s literacy and phonics development
The nursery children enjoyed celebrating ‘World Nursery Rhyme Week’ once again this year, which is always a great way to join in with all things rhyme related. Over the week the children in nursery, and reception, took part in the ‘rhyme-a-day challenge’, where each day they sang a different nursery rhyme, so that by the end of the week they had sung five different rhymes. Each child was given a challenge booklet to take home so they could join in with the fun with their family and too.
World Nursery Rhyme Week, launched in 2013, promotes the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development and education with a particular focus on how nursery rhymes boost early language and literacy skills.
As well as singing the nursery rhymes, the nursery children took part in a variety of different themed craft, imaginative and physical activities over the week, connected to each rhyme. For example, we washed very dirty animals when we sang ‘Old Macdonald had a farm’, printed star shapes when we sang ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ and even tasted currant buns when it was time to sing ‘Five currant buns’. It was so much fun, we’re already looking forward to celebrating again next year!
