What Happened to the Farmer in the Dell?
November 2015
It makes me sad that so few children know “The Farmer in the Dell” or “London Bridge.” Those traditional children’s songs and games were the “meat and potatoes” of my childhood, but they have become a vanishing memory. They are a perfect example of active learning, and many standards and valuable life skills can be learned as children sing and play. Three of our leading educational theorists give insight into why games are so powerful in early childhood. Piaget observed that the more actively involved children are with people and things in their world, the more quickly they will assimilate new learning. Dewey emphasized that educational experiences are intricately interwoven with social experiences. Vygotsky also stressed the importance of social interaction to the child’s ability to construct meaning. Songs and games can provide the bridge to lead them from where they are to a higher level.
As early childhood educators, we have always been committed to the WHOLE child.
What better way to facilitate social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development than with a game or song? It might look like children are “just playing” as you sing, but there’s
so much more learning going on. Something as simple as “The Farmer in the Dell” can:
•Build community and strengthen relationships
•Foster self-confidence
•Develop motor skills
•Enhance oral language
•Reinforce self-regulation and the executive function
We are so busy trying to give children things we didn’t have that we are failing to give them what we did have! Just like “endangered animals” are in danger of disappearing, so are some of these precious songs and traditional childhood activities. “If your light shines, then pass it on and both will burn brightly.” With that thought in mind, I pass the torch on to you. And I hope when you play these games you will hear some of the sweetest words to a teacher’s ears, “Can we do it again!”
Enjoy!!!
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