Learning English by singing and playing. This is possible thanks to Nursery Rhymes, rhymed songs, nursery rhymes, refrains from the English tradition that all English-speaking children listen to from the cradle. There are bedtime songs, some that invite children to play or behave in a certain way, others that are funny and without apparent logical sense. They are all rhymed and accompanied by melodies and words which are repeated many times to help kids to memorize.
Nursery rhymes are part of Anglo-Saxon culture, the first collections appear at the end of the 18th / beginning of the 19th century, initially under the names of Tommy Thumb Songs and Mother Goose Songs. It seems that this type of literature already existed before as an oral tradition, constituting an important part of the cultural heritage of Anglo-Saxon parents who from generation to generation continue to sing them and make their children listen to since birth.
Nursery Rhymes are also used in Kindergarten to prepare children to enter the primary school. Thanks to these songs, the little ones practice with accents, rhythm and intonation in English. While having fun, they improve their vocabulary and get used to the correct pronunciation of words. In fact, it is well known that phonetics and spelling are the first obstacles to overcome, even for native speakers!
Thanks to the simplicity and musicality of their sentences, the Nursery rhymes are easily memorized and offer the opportunity to introduce English into everyday life. It is precisely for this reason that they are also very useful for all non-English speaking children who come into contact with the English language for the first time. By listening and singing, the little ones can not only enrich their lexical heritage, but also learn traditions and games from a culture different from their own. That’s why Ocarina has realized two playlists entitled “English Rhymes – Singing with Sarah” which bring together funny songs, rhymes, tongue twisters, all from the Anglo-Saxon folk tradition. The songs have been sung by Sarah, a native speaker professor, and set to music by Jacopo, musician and sound designer, both Ocarina collaborators.
The project was carried out with the aim of introducing children to the English language with fun, to help them learn new words, to count or to express simple questions. The protagonists are fruits and vegetables which thus become the leitmotif of the two collections. Apple and bananas, Oats peas and even Fruit salad, Potatoes are the titles of some of the songs to sing, but also to dance by making jumps, circles, applause. With Jumping rope, for example, the little ones will jump rope to the rhythm of the drums and spell out loud the names of the months of the year. Between the playlists, you will also find the famous tongue twister Peter Piper, with a text that offers plenty of word games to challenge with the sounds of words.
