Fun Ideas: Nursery Rhyme Activities

Fun Ideas: Nursery Rhyme Activities

20 October 2024

Our Educators and Nannies are receiving a booklet of favourite nursery rhymes, illustrated by tamariki who are currently in care with Nurtured at Home. Here’s some fun rhyming ideas for children/tamariki of all ages that you can do at home:

Infants

Softly sing nursery rhymes at nappy changing or rest times; softly sway to the rhythm of the nursery rhyme holding pepi and for older infants, encourage them to move in time; during play time, hold eye contact with pepi and use hand actions as you sing the nursery rhyme – older infants will follow along; introduce toys that relate to the nursery rhyme such as a cow for Hey Diddle Diddle.

Toddlers

Act out and perform nursery rhymes as you sing them; read rhyming books every day such as Dr Suess or Lynley Dodd stories; use instruments to sing nursery rhymes; use toys as puppets to tell the rhyme, for example a spider for “Incy Wincy Spider, a doll for “Miss Polly had a Dolly” etc.

Young Children

Create your own rhymes using made-up silly words; play “I Spy . . . something that rhymes with . . .”; display posters or make your own book of rhymes and each day choose a favourite one to sing together; play rhyming games for example, call out a word and then think of as many rhyming words as you can; visit a local library to see how many rhyming books you can find and choose one each month to borrow and learn together.

 

The goals, strands and learning outcomes from Te Whāriki for having fun with nursery rhymes include:

  • Contribution Mana tangata - There are equitable opportunities for learning, irrespective of gender, ability, age, ethnicity or background. Treating others fairly and including them in play | te ngākau makuru
  • They are encouraged to learn with and alongside others. Using a range of strategies and skills to play and learn with others | te ngākau aroha
  • Communication Mana reo - They develop non-verbal communication skills for a range of purposes. Using gesture and movement to express themselves | he kōrero ā-tinana
  • They develop verbal communication skills for a range of purposes. Understanding oral language and using it for a range of purposes | he kōrero ā-waha
  • They experience the stories and symbols of their own and other cultures. Enjoying hearing stories and retelling and creating them | he kōrero paki