Nursery Rhymes

Nursery rhymes are short poems or songs for young children. They are often sung or said out loud. Many rhymes are very old and have been passed down for hundreds of years. Famous rhymes include Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Humpty Dumpty. They help children learn new words and sounds.

Old and Famous Rhymes

Many nursery rhymes are hundreds of years old. Mary Had a Little Lamb was written in 1830. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is over 200 years old. Parents and grandparents have shared these rhymes for many, many years. Some rhymes even tell stories about real people from long ago.

A very old printed page of the Three Blind Mice rhyme.
A very old printed page of the Three Blind Mice rhyme. (Traditional / Wikimedia Commons)

Why Rhymes Help

Nursery rhymes help kids learn to talk. The sing-song sounds make words easy to remember. Rhymes teach kids about rhythm and patterns in words. They also teach about numbers, animals, and feelings. Listening to nursery rhymes helps kids get ready to read.

Fun Facts

  • Humpty Dumpty is never actually called an egg in the rhyme.
  • Mary Had a Little Lamb is based on a true story about a real girl.
  • London Bridge Is Falling Down is over 700 years old.

Did You Know?

The famous rhyme 'Ring Around the Rosie' has been sung by children for over 140 years!