Language Development Made Easy – with Children's Rhymes, Fingerplays & More

“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. There's a rattle in the box. Eeny, meeny, mek. And you’re out!” Children love rhymes and word games that stick in their memory and encourage imitation. And all the while, the little ones are being supported. By engaging with rhymes or songs, children develop a sense of language and learn playfully that words are made up of syllables and sounds. This experience is especially important for their later reading comprehension. That’s why it’s important to engage even the youngest children with age-appropriate touch or finger games. In this way, even babies learn to connect language with what’s happening. Finger games, nursery rhymes & Co. are available for different age groups. They can be perfectly integrated into everyday life and specifically support language development.

Touch games support language development

Children learn not only through hearing but with all their senses. The more senses are engaged, the better the spoken words are remembered. That’s exactly why touch games are especially suitable for babies. When parents accompany everyday situations, such as diaper changing or bathing, with words, the little ones learn to connect language with what’s happening. The best-known touch games are probably “Pitsche, patsche Peter,” where the child’s palms are repeatedly clapped, or “Hoppe, hoppe, Reiter,” where the gentle falling of the little one is mimicked. This well-known song originated around the 18th century. No wonder that several verses have been added since then. One version we particularly like: https://youtu.be/yM87KmxXfwI

Finger games train motor skills

From the age of two, children’s fingertips become more sensitive to stimuli. This allows the fingers to be moved individually and deliberately. Finger games can help support this development. They also specifically train fine motor skills. By emphasizing or repeating certain sounds, even the little ones try out their first babbling monologues. One version that particularly emphasizes the sounds “au” and “ei”: “This is the thumb that shakes the plums that picks them up that carries them home and the little rascal eats them all alone!” The thumb starts. Then the index, middle, ring, and little fingers are grasped one after the other. Moving each finger trains joint mobility and also improves hand coordination. Slightly older children from two years on can really join in the little stories by supporting the rhyme with specific hand movements. An example:

Cats can catch mice	Raised index and little fingers represent the cat’s head.
have claws like pincers	Both hands symbolize the paws.
slip through holes in the ground	The index finger of one hand slips through the space formed by the index finger and thumb of the other hand.
sometimes even onto the roofs	Then form a roof shape with both hands.
Little mice with long tails	Make a clenched fist. The outstretched little finger is the mouse.
dance a little dance on the roof	Then stretch out the left palm and let the mouse dance.
... quietly, quietly comes the cat	Slowly move the cat’s head back and forth from above.
and grabs the mouse ... in one leap!	Finally, the right hand catches the left.

Training imagination through nursery rhymes

Children are proud when they can recite a rhyme by heart. In doing so, they learn to connect language with what’s happening. Moreover, the funny rhymes promote the imagination of the little ones. Nursery rhymes that convey educational information are especially good for children because they understand and internalize the message much better. A nice example is the following traffic light rhyme: Look, the light is still red, that means no crossing ahead. When the green light you see, you may cross the street happily. At red, you stop, at green, you hop. At yellow, be aware, that’s how you prepare.

Language development through action songs

An action song is especially good for slipping into another role. Language, words, rhythm, but also the actions are particularly important. Most parents know the song “Little Bunny in the Burrow” by Friedrich Fröbel. Here, the little ones imitate the bunny, who first sits quietly and sickly in the burrow and then is encouraged to jump again through cheerful singing. Another children’s song that the little ones won’t get out of their heads and that also encourages movement is the one about the monkey gang: https://youtu.be/Tr-Qq00rvQ4 Children love to slip into another role from time to time, such as the funny monkey or the little bunny. This works especially well when they repeatedly use a different tone of voice or imitate the matching movements to the song. The internet is full of wonderful nursery rhymes and songs that guarantee lots of fun for the little ones. Image rights: ©Thinkstock / Fernow