By BEST Childcare Consulting
World Nursery Rhyme Week is a global celebration of the joy, rhythm, and connection that rhymes bring to early childhood education. Each year, thousands of early learning settings worldwide participate by exploring five official rhymes that promote language development, cultural belonging, and joyful expression.
In 2025, the five official rhymes are:
Sing a Song of Sixpence
Humpty Dumpty
When I Was One (I Played the Drum)
I Hear Thunder
Two Little Dickie Birds
Nursery rhymes are more than melodies — they are gateways to literacy, numeracy, social connection, and cultural identity. Embedding rhyme and song throughout your educational program builds a strong foundation for communication, belonging, and wellbeing — and when reflected upon intentionally, these practices contribute to Exceeding-level evidence across all 7 Quality Areas.
Early childhood professionals can register for free as official ambassadors and access downloadable packs, lyric posters, and activity ideas at www.worldnurseryrhymeweek.com.
Educational Programming Ideas
1. Rhyme of the Day Exploration
Each day, focus on one official rhyme. Explore its rhythm, melody, and meaning through movement, puppetry, and storyboards. For example, children might act out Humpty Dumpty using cardboard walls and soft toys or move to the beat of When I Was One (I Played the Drum) with percussion instruments.
2. Create a “Rhyme Café”
Set up a corner where children “order” rhymes from a laminated menu and perform them for their peers. Encourage collaboration, role-play, and emergent literacy as children identify the first letter of their chosen rhyme.
3. Music and Movement
Combine I Hear Thunder with parachute play and rain sound-effects, or invite children to create their own weather sounds using percussion and recycled materials. Link rhythm to counting beats and syllables to build numeracy connections.
4. Storytelling and Dramatic Play
Use props, puppets, or loose parts to retell Sing a Song of Sixpence or Two Little Dickie Birds. Encourage children to invent new verses, supporting creativity and comprehension.
5. Family Rhyme Challenge
Invite families to record or share their favourite childhood rhymes from different cultures. Display lyrics and translations in your foyer or digital learning journals to promote inclusion and strengthen partnerships.
6. Community Connections
Partner with local libraries, musicians, or playgroups to host a “Sing Together Morning.” Children perform the week’s rhymes, fostering community pride and engagement.
QIP Write-Up
QA 1 – Educational Program and Practice
Goal achieved: We embedded daily nursery rhyme experiences that promoted oral language, rhythm, and connection.
Embedded Practice: Educators consistently planned rhyme-based provocations and linked them to children’s interests and cultural backgrounds. Rhymes were integrated into transitions, group times, and play experiences.
Critical Reflection: Teams analysed how rhyme supported early literacy and social interaction. When we noticed some children engaging more visually than verbally, we introduced Auslan signing and visual cards.
Meaningful Engagement: Families contributed their own rhymes, and children proudly shared performances during group reflections, building belonging and confidence.
QA 2 – Children’s Health and Safety
Goal achieved: Rhyme and movement activities supported coordination, wellbeing, and safe participation.
Embedded Practice: Educators incorporated songs with movement to build gross-motor control and awareness of space. Routines used familiar tunes to cue safe behaviour (e.g., washing hands to a rhyme).
Critical Reflection: We reviewed how rhyme supported emotional regulation, adjusting routines to include calming songs after active play.
Meaningful Engagement: Children co-created their own “safety rhymes,” reinforcing hygiene and wellbeing messages in fun, memorable ways.
QA 3 – Physical Environment
Goal achieved: Learning spaces inspired creativity and inclusion through rhyme-based provocations.
Embedded Practice: Each room displayed illustrated lyric cards and hands-on rhyme stations with instruments, sensory props, and story mats.
Critical Reflection: We observed which setups best promoted peer collaboration and adjusted layouts to enhance flow and participation.
Meaningful Engagement: Children and families helped design displays, bringing items from home (e.g., toy birds for Two Little Dickie Birds). The environment reflected their shared learning journey.
QA 4 – Staffing Arrangements
Goal achieved: Educators collaborated to weave music and rhyme into every aspect of the program.
Embedded Practice: Staff meetings included shared singing sessions to build confidence and consistency across rooms. Educators shared new rhymes and techniques with each other.
Critical Reflection: Educators reflected on their own comfort with singing and language modelling. Professional discussions led to mentoring for newer staff.
Meaningful Engagement: Collaborative planning ensured every educator contributed ideas and felt ownership of the week’s learning, strengthening teamwork and morale.
QA 5 – Relationships with Children
Goal achieved: Rhymes deepened relationships and supported communication.
Embedded Practice: Educators used rhymes as a tool for connection — greeting children with familiar tunes and using songs to comfort, transition, or celebrate.
Critical Reflection: We reflected on how rhyme promoted inclusion for non-verbal children or those with emerging English skills. Adjustments were made to include signing, visuals, and repetition.
Meaningful Engagement: Children took leadership roles — leading verses, inventing actions, and teaching peers. Their joy and confidence became visible evidence of secure relationships.
QA 6 – Collaborative Partnerships with Families and Communities
Goal achieved: Family and community partnerships were strengthened through shared musical experiences.
Embedded Practice: Families were invited to participate in rhyme sessions, contribute lyrics from home cultures, and attend our “Rhyme Showcase.”
Critical Reflection: We reflected on attendance patterns and feedback to adjust session times, ensuring accessibility for all families.
Meaningful Engagement: The service registered as an official World Nursery Rhyme Week Ambassador and shared resources with families via newsletters and social media, building a sense of shared pride and participation.
Register as an official ambassador here.
QA 7 – Governance and Leadership
Goal achieved: Leadership embedded rhyme-based learning within policy, planning, and quality improvement.
Embedded Practice: Our Educational Program Policy was updated to include music, rhyme, and cultural literacy as core pedagogical practices.
Critical Reflection: Leadership analysed educator reflections and child documentation to evaluate the long-term impact of rhymes on engagement and language outcomes.
Meaningful Engagement: The team celebrated outcomes with families and shared success stories through our QIP review and community networks, positioning the service as a leader in creative, evidence-based pedagogy.
Links & Resources
World Nursery Rhyme Week 2025 – official website, registration, and free activity pack: www.worldnurseryrhymeweek.com
World Nursery Rhyme Week – Rhyme resources and printable lyric cards available free to participating ambassadors. www.worldnurseryrhymeweek.com
Speech Pathology Australia – “Talk, Sing, Read, Play”‐style campaign and broader language/literacy supports. Speech Pathology Australia
Raising Children Network – Articles showing how singing and rhyme build early literacy and brain connections.
BEST Childcare Consulting
Music and rhyme bring our communities together — reminding us that learning begins with joy, rhythm, and connection. BEST Childcare Consulting proudly supports services in embedding meaningful, evidence-based practices that go beyond celebration weeks to become part of everyday excellence. As always, use these inspirations to lead your service throughout the whole year in your everyday practices to truly earn an Exceeding rating.
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