Children’s Nursery Rhymes
Many children will sing or recite nursery rhymes. They may pick them up quite spontaneously by hearing other children reciting them during play or they might be taught them at home.
Some Early Learning Centres near Bayswater will also use them as a teaching aid from time to time.
Early learning centres and nursery rhymes
The principles of nursery rhymes go back centuries and very probably to the earliest stages of human development – though not all individual rhymes are ancient in themselves.
Their origins aren’t entirely clear. Some may have started as songs mothers sang to comfort their babies and younger children. Others may have been used, intentionally or otherwise, to communicate elements of a culture’s history, values and legends, while at the same time amusing younger children.
As far as is known, every culture has one form or another of nursery rhymes. In Australia, we’re probably most familiar with those of an English language origin but it’s important to note that the First Nations peoples developed their own versions thousands of years before European contact. For example, the Wagyl Song from the Noongar people of Western Australia is about a Dreamtime spirit, often depicted as a snake.
Early learning centres near Bayswater that teach or perform to, nursery rhymes, are continuing that ancient human tradition.
The ages of English language rhymes
The oldest specifically dateable English language rhyme is “Ding Dong Bell” dating to 1580 and Winchester, England. Like many earlier rhymes, its original ending was less than happy, as the cat drowned!
Many other rhymes are presumed to be much older still, although that cannot be entirely proven.
“Ring-A-Ring-Of-Roses” has no verifiable history prior to the mid-19th century but folklore attributes some of its more bizarre wording (“pocketful of posies, atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down”) to have its origins in the mass deaths surrounding the Great Plague of London in 1665 or possibly even further back in the Black Death of 1348.
“London Bridge is Falling Down” was known in the 17th century but again has unknown origins. Some scholars suggest it may be Mediaeval, perhaps referring to the bridge’s collapse (or destruction) in 1014 or any of the partial collapses that happened between the 1100s and 1600s. Its original words were more macabre than today’s version.
The implication for children today is that they’re unknowingly preserving some very ancient traditions and half-references to historical events in the distant past.
Nursery Rhymes are just fun!
Of course, whatever academics say about origins, kids today sing them to have fun.
By joining in, they:
- improve their singing talents (albeit a little painfully for listeners to begin with!);
- develop their ear for music, rhyme and rudimentary poetry;
- can combine dance with singing – always a good thing for coordination;
- learn a little about history.
Some rhymes may have their lyrics ‘tweaked’ a little in recognition of modern values and sensitivities, such as those that seemingly contain innuendo. Even so, children will be participating in an ancient tradition.
If you like to know more about our singing and dancing activities, why not call us for an appointment to come along and have a look around?
