Nursery rhymes are an important part of literacy teaching for young children. These rhymes naturally help young children develop phonemic awareness skills, which are the necessary building blocks that children need before they can begin to read. In addition to reading or reciting nursery rhymes, you can infuse those rhymes throughout your classroom with other activities and centers. Check out these ideas to use nursery rhymes with your preschoolers.
Nursery Rhyme Activities for Preschoolers
Nursery Rhyme Number Game (Pre-K Pages)
Dish and Spoon Painting (Pre-K Pages)
Nursery Rhyme Fluency Sticks (Pre-K Pages)
Nursery Rhyme Four Corners Game (Pre-K Pages)
Muffin Man Tossing Game (Pre-K Pages)
Jack Be Nimble Gross Motor Activity (Pre-K Pages)
Humpty Dumpty Letter Crack (Pre-K Pages)
Jack and Jill Free Printables (Pre-K Pages)
Nursery Rhyme Notebooks (Pre-K Pages)
Cow Jumped Over the Moon Craft (Still Playing School)
Nursery Rhyme Retelling on the Light Table (Still Playing School)
Nursery Rhymes Box (Learning 4 Kids)
Activities for Nursery Rhymes Theme
In Rhyme/Not in Rhyme Sorting Activity (Munchkins and Moms)
Black Sheep Names (Fun-a-Day)
Nursery Rhyme Olympics (Educators’ Spin on It)
Nursery Rhymes Journals (Fun-a-Day)
Mary, Mary Quite Contrary Invitation to Play (Wildflower Ramblings)
Pat a Cake Activities (Things to Share and Remember)
Nursery Rhyme Singing Basket (Imagination Tree)
Humpty Dumpty Light Table Play (And Next Comes L)
Three Little Kittens Rhyming Mittens (Growing Book by Book)
Yarn Wrapped Sheep (Craftulate)
Rub-a-Dub-Dub Sink and Float (JDaniel4’s Mom)
Shape Sheep (JDaniel4’s Mom)
Little Miss Muffet Path Game (Preschool Spot)
Muffin Man Baking and Sequencing (Fun Learning for Kids)
Little Bo Peep and Lambs Figures (Danya Banya)
Kittens’ Mittens (Dr. Jean)
And check out our Nursery Rhyme Bundle with complete lesson plans and activities. These lesson plans for 12 nursery rhymes will help you teach better, save time, and live more!
More Nursery Rhyme Links