Nursery rhymes are very short poems or songs.
They are made especially for young children.
Nursery rhymes are recited or sung, sometimes with simple actions or gestures.
We know it’s a nursery rhyme when we can spot certain features.
Here are some key features found in most nursery rhymes.
| Short | A few sentences or phrases |
| Imaginative | Out of the ordinary events |
| Simple language | Familiar & easy words |
| Repetition | Words or sounds are repeated |
| Rhymes | Words with similar sounding endings |
| Rhythm | Sentences with a melody-like, singsong quality |
| Action or movements (in some cases) | Handclap, fingerplay or dance to match the words |
Nursery rhymes follow a certain recipe.
Here are some common elements you can expect to see in a nursery rhyme.
| Familiar characters | Children |
| Animals | |
| Royalty | |
| Parents | |
| Animals or objects acting like humans | Talking |
| Walking on 2 legs | |
| Doing everyday tasks | |
| Silly situations | Exaggerations or impossible situations |
| Teaching moments | Counting |
| Enumeration | |
| Words | |
| Lessons | |
| Silly words | Funny sounding words |
| stories | That take place a long time ago |
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head,
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"
Four little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head,
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"
Three little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head,
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"
Two little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped her head,
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"
One little monkey jumping on the bed,
He fell off and bumped his head,
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the trav'ller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often thro' my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
'Tis your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the trav'ller in the dark:
Tho' I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
