Exercise In Language Play

Nursery rhymes are more than a set of rhythmically positioned words in a line, they are tools that cater to a child’s development in various ways. Rhymes enhance children’s memory, understanding of sounds, syllables, and phonics. The rhythmic nature of language is the basis for children to learn a language. In their early years, when kids are learning to talk, they organize what they uter in a rhythmic manner.

Rhymes are an overall brain development tool. It helps with cognitive, language, social, physical and it is a fun way to learn about the world around them. When children move to the tune of ‘Old MacDonald Had A Farm’ or ‘Wheels On The Bus Go Round & Round’, they learn about the themes in detail like the names of farm animal and their sounds, the shape of the wheels, the various family members and the movement of the wheels.

Nursery rhymes, created by adults, work wondrously for adults as well as kids. Adults create rhymes as tools to teach kids about specific morals. They indirectly and subconsciously work in fun ways to teach lessons without realization to children (and even adults). The movement and enjoyment stimulate emotions in children. Literature and rhymes connect kids with characters and provide an exciting space to experience empathy.

The Animal Hunt

The lovely morning began with teachers and parents seated at a socially safe distance. Nature was filled with sounds of birds chirping and the wind blowing, joining our rhythmic melody. A pile of shredded paper in the middle of the hexagon was an invitation to children, poking their curiosity. The educator gasped and asked the kids if they knew, “what is that pile made from, is something hidden in it?”

Nursery rhymes filled the space with rhythmic music. Children played and dug through the reused shredded paper to fulfill their curiosity. Gradually, kids began to discover tiny hidden farm animals. All the kids made a pack of their own animals and pretended to be their caretakers. Kids engaged in pretend play and related with the animals as they led them to form families together. They learned about the sound of the animals and bonded with them, forgeting the differences between the two species. An inspired version of one of the rhymes, ‘Mary Had A Litle Lamb’ was converted into an activity for the children.

Mary Had Litle Animals

The courtyard was set up for a provocation, the children happily ran to meet some more animals than the ones they found under the paper earlier. The sound for ‘Mary Had Litle A Litle Lamb’ was played as an educator dressed up as Mary entered the area. Each time an animal made a sound, the music was paused for the children to speak the name of the animal out loud. When they did, Mary handed out a sof toy of her animal friend who made that sound.

The activity was to introduce the children to the animal with an identifying characteristic each. The line of the rhyme – Mary had a litle lamb whose fleece was white as snow – was the cue to their first animal friend. Mary introduced all her five litle friends to the children. A giraffe with a long neck, a rhinoceros with a sharp horn, a kangaroo with a very warm pouch, & a camel with a round hump.

The rhyme continues to play sofly as it was time for kids to replicate their learning in creative and sensorial ways. Children experienced the animals’ characteristics in the form of tactile materials. Animals were seated happily on their individual tables, with their characteristic materials placed in a tray next to them. The activity aimed at developing the learners’ fine motor skills, creativity, and bonding with animals.

One by one, children visited all the animals and created their textural friends’ on their take-away sheet. On the lamb table, there was coton for children to feel, pull, tear, and stick on the lamb cut out to make their version. They learned about the color & texture of the lamb’s fleece, white & sof. The giraffe’s table was set up with abstract shapes of orange & yellow sof spots which the kids stuck on their giraffe cutout. Kids learned about the colors of the spots and the sof texture.

On the rhinoceros’ table kids used the earbuds to dip the coton tips in the grey paints to dot & paint the cutout of the body of the rhinoceros. Some kids marked the horn with their paint first to share their learning with the educator. The camel’s table was set up with recycled textured fabric cutouts with colorful & mixed prints to stick on the camel to make his furry skin. On the kangaroo’s table, kids sprinkled sand granules & gliter on fevicol to complete the magical warm pouch.

The activity take-away sheet made by kids marks their day at Toy Blocks, making them feel more confident about their work at home when they see it. It also served as creative play at home, like story-telling by parents, story narration by kids, pretend play, or inspiration for artwork. The hands-on activities helped in creating a memorable experience and kids bonded with the animals around.

Twinkle, Twinkle
Litle Star
Do you know
How Loved You Are?
– Every Parent To Their Child