Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize sounds in oral language (rhyme, alliteration, syllables, etc.) and is a key to beginning reading.   Nursery rhymes are a great place to start on the road to phonemic awareness and oral language.

Sing a Rhyme
Did you know that you could sing all nursery rhymes to traditional tunes, such as “100 Bottles Pop on the Wall,” “Yankee Doodle,” and ”Gilligan’s Island.”

Rhyme a Week
Select a rhyme each week and write it on a poster or language experience chart.  Reread the rhyme each day.         
                        •Clap the syllables.
                        •Put dots under each word to help children track.
                        •Find words that rhyme.
                        •Listen for words that start the same.
                        •Look up unusual words in the dictionary.

Nursery Rhyme Club
Make a poster that says “Nursery Rhyme Club.”  When a child can say a rhyme, they get to sign their name on the poster.  It would also be fun to give them a membership card!

Juke Box
Decorate a cereal box and write “Juke Box” on it.  Cut 4” circles out of fun foam or poster board to make the “CDs” for your juke box.  As you introduce new finger plays or nursery rhymes, glue the words to a CD.  Put them in the juke box as you say, “We’ve learned a new rhyme we can save.”  During transitions or when you have a few extra minutes, pretend to hand a child a quarter as you say, “Put in a quarter and pull out a rhyme.”  That child can then lead classmates saying the rhyme they select.

By Holly Karapetkova (My daughter!)

Here’s a fun “echo” poem to encourage listening skills and fluency.  Add rhythm by clapping, snapping, or tapping to each syllable.
This can be done as a large group activity or with a partner.

I have a cat.                                     
My cat is fat.                                     
My cat wears a hat.                        
My cat sees a bat.                           
I have a cat.                                     
MEOW!                                                          

I have a pig.                                      
My pig is big.                                     
My pig wears a wig.                        
My pig likes to jig.                             
I have a pig.                                      
OINK!                                      

I have a dog.                                    
My dog likes to jog.                          
My dog eats like a hog.       
My dog reads catalogs.                  
I have a dog.                                    
WOOF!  WOOF!                                 

I have a fish.                                      
My fish goes swish.                           
My fish makes a wish.                                   
My fish eats off a dish.                                  
I have a fish.                                      
SWISH!  SWISH!

I have a mouse.                                
My mouse lives in a house.              
My mouse wears a blouse.             
My mouse listens to Strauss.             
I have a mouse.                                
SQUEEK!  SQUEEK!

I have a bunny.                                 
My bunny is funny.                            
My bunny eats honey.                                 
My bunny likes it sunny.                    
I have a bunny.                                 
TWITCH!  TWITCH!                              

I have a bear.
My bear has hair.
My bear plays fair.
My bear wears underwear.
I have a bear.  GRRRRRR!

This is another echo chant that you can use before children go home at the end of the day.  You can say each line or sing it to the tune of “Down by the Bay.” 

•Write the words on a chart and track them as you read.

•Write each line on a sheet of paper.  Let each child choose a line to illustrate.  Put their pictures together to make a class book.

            See you later, alligator!
            After while, crocodile!
            In an hour, sunflower!
            Maybe two, kangaroo!
            Gotta go, buffalo!
            Adios, hippos!
            Chow, chow, brown cow!
            See you soon, baboon!
            Adieu, cockatoo!
            Better swish, jellyfish.
            Chop chop, lollipop.
            Gotta run, skeleton!
            Bye-bye, butterfly!
            Better shake, rattlesnake.
            Good-bye, my good friends!

Create other verses with animals and words that rhyme.  For example:
            Swish your tail, giant whale.
            What’s the fuss, octopus?
            Dance a jig, pink pig….

Times change, but children stay the same.  Old riddles, jokes, and knock-knocks are a natural way to engage children in oral language.

            I give you milk.                                          
            Do you want some now?
            I say, “Moo, moo.”                                                            
            I’m a _____.

            In the dirt
            I play and dig.
            “Oink, oink, oink!” 
            I’m a ______.

            I hatch from an egg.
            That’s quite a trick.
            “Peep, peep, peep!”
            I’m a _____.

            I’ll give you a ride                        
            On my back, of course.
            “Neigh, neigh!”
            I’m a ______.

            I fly in the sky          
            Without a word.
            “Tweet, tweet!”    
            I’m a ______.

            When it rains
            I’m in luck.   
            “Quack, quack!”   
            I’m a _____.             
           
            I can be white or black             
            Skinny or fat.                        
            “Meow, meow!”           
            I’m a _____. 

            I’m your best friend.
            I’m not a hog!
            “Woof!  Woof!”
            I’m a _____.             

Children love their names and they love their photos.  These ideas can be a perfect springboard for oral language, alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, print connections, and self-esteem.

Hint!  Write each child’s name on a sentence strip or index card and glue their picture on the right.  Store the name cards in a box and pull out one card at a time to use in these chants.

            Hickety Pickety
            (Clap hands and snap fingers.)
            Hickety, pickety bumblebee
            Who can say their name for me?  Child’s name.
            Clap it.  (Clap out syllables as you say the name.)
            Snap it.  (Snap syllables in name.)
            Whisper it.  (Whisper name.)
            No sound.  (Lip sinc name.)

•Jump, hop, disco, hula, etc. syllables in names.
•Put your palm under your chin.  Every syllable has a vowel sound and when you make a vowel sound your chin will drop.  Let children say names and hold up fingers for the number of times their chin drops.

            Name Cheer
            (Cheer each child’s name.)
            Give me a ‘K’.   ‘K’ – I’ve got a ‘K,’ you’ve got a ‘K.’ 
            Give me an ‘i’…Give me an ‘M’…
            What’s it spell?  ‘Kim’  Say it again.  ‘Kim’ 
            One more time.  ‘Kim’   Yeah!!!

            Who Ate the Cookie?
            Child’s name ate the cookie (Hold up name card.)
            in the cookie jar.                                                              
            Who me?                 (First child responds.)                              
            Yes you.                    (Class chants.)                                           
            Couldn’t be?          (First child.)                                     
            Then who?               (Class chants.)                                           
            Second child’s name ate    (Hold up another name.)
            the cookie in the cookie jar…

•Write names on “cookies” and store in a cookie box.

Shakey, Shakey
            (Clap hands or slap knees.)
            Child’s name, child’s name sick in bed.
            Called the doctor and the doctor said,
            “Get up child’s name, you’re not sick.
            All you need is an exercise trick.”
            So hands up, and shakey, shakey, shakey.
            Get down and shakey, shakey, shakey.
            Turn around and shakey, shakey, shakey.
            Sit down and shakey, shakey, shakey.

To encourage children to play and talk, take photos of your students and make multiple copies to use to make the props below.

Puppet People
Staple photos to straws and use for working out problems or making up original stories.

Block Friends
Glue children’s photos and names to wooden blocks and use in the block center or for math activities.

Flannel Friends
Attach a small piece of Velcro to the back of each photo and use with a flannel board.
•Be sure to include a picture of the teacher!

Clothespin Kids
Glue children’s faces to spring clothespins and store in a cookie tin.  Use for songs, asking questions, transitions, etc.

Clap a Name
Glue each child’s photo to a sheet of paper.  Write their name at the top and cut out small hands to represent the number of syllables in their name at the bottom.