Please note: this article was written before the the 2014 National Curriculum and some content is now outdated.

All teachers working within the foundation stage will, at some time, be using nursery rhymes in their classrooms. Their importance to early language development has long been acknowledged, particularly the way in which they contribute to children’s experiences of rhythm, rhyme and words. Nursery rhymes form part of the ‘stepping stones’ to the Early Learning Goal for Communication, language and literacy in the Foundation Stage, and are incorporated into the National Literacy Strategy for Year R. However, in addition to their vital role within the language curriculum, nursery rhymes are also an excellent way to introduce children to simple history skills and understanding...