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Dr. Bruce Perry champions pattern, repetition and rhythm and how effective it is for regulating our nervous system. Dr. Sue Jennings uses nursery rhymes and stories to help forge connections between the story teller and the listener.
Nursery rhymes are a simple and very effective way to help our children regulate. They listen to our soothing, rhythmic, playful voice, they are connected to our facial expression, movements and playfulness. There is a sense of safety in a nursery rhyme as the children learn what is coming next, they learn to memorize them and add movements to the words, this movement embeds the learning further.
Below is a sample of nursery rhymes for you. It is never too early to start using nursery rhymes with your child and they will use them and learn more when they start school.
Jack and Jill
Went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down
And broke his crown
And Jill came tumbling after.
Hey Diddle Diddle
The cat and the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon
The little dog laughed
To see such fun
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Humpty Dumpty
Sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty
Had a great fall
All the king’s horses
And all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty
Together again
Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full
One for the master, and one for the dame
And one for the little boy who lives down the lane
Mary Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey,
Along came a spider
And sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away
Incy Wincy Spider
Climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
And Incy Wincy Spider
climbed up the spout again
Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down.
Hickory dickory dock.
Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck two,
And down he flew.
Hickory dickory dock.
One, two,
Buckle my shoe;
Three, four,
Knock at the door;
Five, six,
Pick up sticks;
Seven, eight,
Lay them straight:
Nine, ten,
A big fat hen;
Eleven, twelve,
Dig and delve;
Thirteen, fourteen,
Maids a-courting;
Fifteen, sixteen,
Maids in the kitchen;
Seventeen, eighteen,
Maids a-waiting
Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was white as snow
And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go
He followed her to school one day
Which was against the rule
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school
And so the teacher turned him out
But still he lingered near
And waited patiently about
‘Til Mary did appear
“What makes the lamb love Mary so?”
The eager children cry
Why Mary loves the lamb you know
The teacher did reply
Little Bo Peep
Has lost her sheep
And doesn’t know where to find them
Leave them alone
And they will come home
Wagging their tails behind them
Little Bo-Peep
fell fast asleep,
And dreamt she heard them bleating
But when she awoke,
she found it a joke,
For they were still a-fleeting.
Then up she took
her little crook,
Determined for to find them
She found them indeed,
but it made her heart bleed,
For they’d left all their tails behind them.
Twinkle Twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
how I wonder what you are!
When the blazing sun is gone,
when he nothing shines upon.
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
how I wonder what you are!
Then the traveler in the dark,
thanks you for your tiny spark.
Could he see which way to go?
If you did not twinkle so?
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
how I wonder what you are!
In the dark blue sky you keep,
while you through my curtains peep.
And you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
how I wonder what you are!
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye.
Four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing
Wasn’t that a dainty dish,
To set before the king?
The king was in his counting house,
Counting out his money
The queen was in the parlour,
Eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes
When down came a blackbird
And pecked off her nose.
They sent for the king’s doctor,
who sewed it on again;
He sewed it on so neatly,
the seam was never seen.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream
Other versions of the lyrics can be created for fun, adding in animals and other versions like the ones below, which have gained popularity over time.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently up the creek
If you see a little mouse
Don’t forget to squeak!
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
If you see a crocodile
Don’t forget to scream!
Row, row, row your boat
Gently to the shore
If you see a lion
Don’t forget to roar!
Explore our Masterclasses and Discovery Programme, offering pre-recorded content, course materials and live group sessions to help you support your little one.
