Nursery rhymes have become universal wherever you go in the world with only a few exceptions. Almost every generation of kids growing up know rhymes like ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ and ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’. Our childhood almost feels incomplete without being able to show off our ability to recite popular nursery rhymes in front of guests at the insistence of our doting parents.

Apart from helping children to exercise their brains, acquire speech and language skills, nursery rhymes have also been instrumental in teaching kids vital lessons in discipline and the importance of maintaining good habits at a very early stage itself. However, the rising cost of books can be a deterrent for parents not to invest in some good collections and instead depend on what the teacher may decide to teach in the Montessori schools. But the ‘Know your series’ by Alka publications and the ‘My Album Series’ by Vikas Children’s Books’ remain affordable options in the Indian markets.

So below are some examples of the way parents can use nursery rhymes whether popular or not to teach their children good values and habits that would remain with them throughout life.

I. To teach the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene:

TOOTHBRUSH

I have a toothbrush,

Neat and gay,

To brush my teeth

With ever day;

I brush them each morning,

I brush them each night,

Till all are shining,

Clean and bright.

(Parents also have the option of teaching the popular sing-song nursery rhyme; Here we go round the mulberry bush).

II. The importance of having a daily routine.

GOOD COUNSEL

The cock doth crow

To let you know

If you be wise

‘tis time to rise:

For early to bed,

And early to rise,

Is the way to be healthy

And wealthy and wise.

(Wee Willie Winkie is also another popular verse that instructs kids to sleep early).

III. To teach lessons on being responsible, to be independent and wise in speech.

BITS OF PAPER

Bits of paper,

Bits of paper,

lying on the floor,

lying on the floor,

Makes the place untidy

Makes the place untidy

Pick them up

Pick them up

A WISE OWL

A wise owl lived in an oak;

The more he saw, the les he spoke;

The less he spoke, the more he hears.

Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?