When I was little, my mom used to recite poems for me and my brother. She also had this cassette tape of nursery rhymes that we listened to while playing. We grew up surrounded by words, rhymes, and rhythms. And just like my mom when I was little, I am exposing my toddler to poetry too.
Yes, I pretty much do to Kyle what my mom did to us when we were small. If you’ll give us a surprise visit at home especially at around 6pm, chances are, you would see me reciting and acting out. That’s just me, me as my little boy’s first teacher. I recite poems to my child; I have read that kids who are exposed to rhyming verse will have a wider vocabulary and will learn to read and speak more easily.
Kyle just turned three and I am already enjoying good conversations with him. At a young age, he can now deliver his own fiction stories. And I am just one happy mom because he speaks Filipino fluently and can understand and express himself in English. His vocabulary grows in leaps and bounds every day. I’ve been waiting for this. And I’m glad it is now happening.
I am sharing some of the poems we enjoy reciting together. He learned these poems when he was two. He had so much fun and is still having fun reciting them. I am praying that I would be able to spark a lifelong love of words to him.
Classic Poems for Toddlers: Fun and Easy!
Here are few of our favorite poems. These nursery rhymes are simple, fun and enchanting!
Here are few of our favorite poems. These nursery rhymes are simple, fun and enchanting!
One, Two, Three, Four, Five
One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
But I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on my right.
Jack Be Nimble
Jack, be nimble,
Jack, be quick
Jack, jump over the candle stick
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
One two buckle my shoe
Three, four, knock at the door
Five, six, pick up sticks
Seven, eight, lay them straight
Nine, ten, a big fat hen!
Fishy, Fishy in the Brook
Fishy, fishy in the brook
Daddy caught it with a hook
Mommy fried it in the pan
And (your child’s name) ate it like a man!
Among all the poems that we sing and recite together, our favorite is “Little Boy Blue.” This toddler poetry is special to me because this is also my dad’s poem for my brother. He even translated the poem in our dialect, Ybanag. The poem reads,
Little Boy Blue
Little Boy Blue come blow your horn,
The sheep’s in the meadow the cow’s in the corn.
But where’s the boy who looks after the sheep?
He’s under a haystack fast asleep.
Will you wake him? No, not I – for if I do, he’s sure to cry.”
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Reading and reciting poems are fun to do with our toddlers! 🙂
What nursery rhyme do you love reciting to your kid?
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