Why Nursery Rhymes Matter in the Early Years

By Dr. Aaron Bradbury

As we celebrate World Nursery Rhyme Week, it’s the perfect moment to pause and reflect on the power of these familiar nursery rhymes. For many of us working in early childhood, nursery rhymes are so much more than simple songs, they’re the foundations upon which communication, language, and connection are built.

The Power of Rhyme and Repetition

Nursery rhymes help young children tune into the rhythm and flow of language. Through rhyme and repetition, children begin to hear the patterns that underpin early literacy, developing phonological awareness long before they encounter written words. When children chant, clap, and sing together, they’re not just having fun; they’re building the skills that will later support reading and writing.

Building Brains, Bonds, and Belonging

When we sing with children, we create shared moments of joy, laughter, and connection. Nursery rhymes bring comfort and familiarity, fostering a sense of belonging and shared experience. These playful interactions also help to strengthen relationships, the cornerstone of all early learning.

Through nursery rhymes, children are:

• Developing memory and sequencing skills, as they recall verses and anticipate what comes next.

• Expanding vocabulary, by exploring new words in meaningful, playful contexts.

• Supporting physical development, with finger movements, actions, and gestures that build coordination and motor control.

• Expressing emotion, as songs provide a safe outlet for feelings, imagination, and creativity.

Linking Learning and Love

It’s easy to underestimate the power of something so familiar, but nursery rhymes remind us that early learning is deeply relational. Singing together isn’t about performance, it’s about connection. It’s one of the simplest, most beautiful ways to show love, nurture, and joy in the early years.

My Favourite Nursery Rhyme

If I had to choose just one, it would be “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

There’s something timeless about those few gentle lines, a reminder of curiosity, wonder, and calm. It invites us to slow down and see the world as children do: full of light, mystery, and possibility.

So this Nursery Rhyme Week, take a moment to sing, to laugh, and to reconnect with the songs that have shaped so many early learning journeys. Within each rhyme lies relationships, and the joyful essence of childhood itself.