As a teacher I think singing nursery rhymes is a very good way to teach children new words or even a whole new language. I have been teaching children for over 8 years now and I have personally experienced the confidence nursery rhymes give children, and in particular children who do not speak the language. I have seen children that did not speak Dutch at all, grow and learn through singing nursery rhymes. It helped them even more when I used TPR: a method of teaching language or vocabulary concepts by using physical movement to react to verbal input. There was no better feeling than when children started talking in their new language, showing less frustration and being able to express their feelings and emotions.

We used to sing this nursery rhyme with my friends back in my hometown, Antalya Turkey and it always made us feel happy and positive.

When I was a child in South East Wales even English medium schools taught children traditional Welsh songs, rhymes, anthems and basic Welsh words and phrases. So I learned Lliwiau Enfys at an early age. I enjoy teaching my grandchildren the Welsh words for things and rhymes like Lliwiau Enfys. I think it’s good for them to remember their Welsh heritage.

Spring is my favourite season. Growing up in northern Japan where winter is bitterly cold, I always looked forward to the arrival of spring. 'Haru ga kita' is a joyful song celebrating the season, and I have fond memories of singing it as a child, filled with excitement for the beautiful days ahead.

There is no doubt that Nursery rhymes and songs have always helped in the teaching of any languages. I personally had recourse to them...to arouse the kid's interest.... We used to sing......a,b,c,d...e,f ..g,h....I,j..k,l,m,n .....o,p,q,r,s,t.....u,v...w,x,y,z. I used to write the rhymes and songs on board and it was really amazing how the kids were able to read the words after some time... Numbers were taught as well using rhyme such as One ,two,three ,four Knock at the door

Balon ku ada lima” is one of the first songs I learned as a child, at about three years of age. My youngest niece, Natasha, has just turned three, and I sang it with her via videocall. She knew all the words. Through songs and rhymes, Indonesian children learn many things, about animals, counting and colours, and develop the social skills and friendship of singing together. When they are grown, they pass the rhymes to their children, generation after generation. Rhymes are deeply embedded in our culture.

The rhythm of this poem transports me back to my childhood when my mother and grandmother were singing to me. Singing it to my daughter is a moment of ‘partage’ and makes me feel like a child again .

This enchanting French rhyme takes me back to my childhood days. It was more than just a song; it was the soundtrack to laughter-filled lunch breaks with my friends in our primary schoolyard. We became characters from the song, singing joyfully and playing tag as the wolf chased us. Back then, we didn't realise this playful song was secretly teaching us French verbs, vocabulary and grammar. It was an unconscious lesson in language, wrapped in the joy of play. Now, as a French teacher, I use this song not just for its delightful tunes but as a valuable teaching tool. It's a reminder that learning can be both entertaining and linguistically enriching. Finding it in a book about languages is like stumbling upon a well-worn page of my own heartwarming journey through the past, making the act of learning feel like a comforting stroll down memory lane.