nursery rhymes
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011The history and origins of most nursery rhymes reflect events in history and where available we have included both the meanings, history and origins of everyone’s favourite nursery rhymes. [1]
Most nursery rhymes were not written down until the 18th century, when the publishing of children’s books began to move from polemic and education towards entertainment, but there is evidence for many rhymes existing before this, including “To market, to market ” and “Cock a doodle doo “, which date from at least the late 16th century. [2]
Just Click on one of the Childrens Nursery Rhymes of your choice. [3]
Nursery rhymes also introduce children to a cast of characters who are likely to reappear throughout their school lives. [4]
Most adults have a basic repertoire of nursery rhymes at their disposal’there can be few adults in England who cannot recite Baa Baa Black Sheep, Little Jack Horner, or Jack and Jill’but many buy books of rhymes when they become parents, which have the added advantage of illustrations, from which they read to their children. [5]
A nursery rhyme is a traditional song or poem taught to young children, originally in the nursery. [6]
Verse customarily told or sung to small children. [5]
The term nursery rhyme is used for “traditional” songs for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used. [...] The English term lullaby is thought to come from “lu, lu” or “la la” sound made by mothers or nurses to calm children, and “by by” or “bye bye”, either another lulling sound, or a term for good night. [2]
Let Little Miss Muffet, Humpty Dumpty, and that contrary Mary teach your little ones some lilting language and then use some of our favorite activities to add to the fun! [4]
Most are hundreds of years old, and derive from songs, proverbs, riddles, ballads, street cries, and other kinds of composition originally intended for adults, which have become almost meaningless outside their original contexts. [...] A short poem for children written in rhyming verse and handed down in folklore. [...] Apparently most rhymes were originally composed for adults, many as popular ballads and songs. [5]
Two examples of these types of nursery rhymes history and origins are ‘Ring a Ring o Rosies ‘ which refers to the Bubonic plague and ‘Remember Remember ‘ nursery rhymes which allude to Guy Fawkes’ foiled attempt to blow up the English Houses of Parliament! [1]
The normal term for nursery rhymes in the USA is Mother Goose Rhymes. [5]
Sources:
[1] Nursery Rhymes - Lyrics and Origins
[2] Nursery rhyme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[3] Nursery Rhymes for Children
[4] Nursery Rhymes
[5] nursery rhyme: Definition from Answers.com
[6] Nursery Rhymes