Nursery Rhymes. Do Mothers still read nursery rhymes to their kiddos? Those sing-songy ditties about Jack falling down and breaking his crown and Jill tumbling after? So many stories of less glory/more gory at face value and yet captivating to the listener in that marvelous rhyming rhythm. Also fun to have those word sets roll off your tongue in lovely cadence.
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Even at my current age, in my mind's eye, I'm back shivering and snuggling up to my Mother as she scares me with the predictable words of Little Orphant Annie...with howling winds and lights low and goblins that will get you if you don't watch out! I now understand it was the rhythm and the sound of her voice that captivated me. Want to read my scary/most favorite poem of my childhood? Really? Okay. Imagine this being read to you just before you go to sleep!
LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE
by: James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)
- INSCRIBED WITH ALL FAITH AND AFFECTION
- To all the little children: -- The happy ones; and sad ones;
The sober and the silent ones; the boisterous and glad ones;
The good ones -- Yes, the good ones, too; and all the lovely bad ones. 
ITTLE Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,- An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away,
- An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,
- An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;
- An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done,
- We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun
- A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about,
- An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
- Wunst they wuz a little boy wouldn't say his prayers,--
- An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs,
- His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl,
- An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all!
- An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press,
- An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess;
- But all they ever found wuz thist his pants an' roundabout:--
- An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
- An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,
- An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin;
- An' wunst, when they was "company," an' ole folks wuz there,
- She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care!
- An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide,
- They wuz two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side,
- An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!
- An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
- An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,
- An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!
- An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,
- An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away,--
- You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear,
- An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear,
- An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,
- Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
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The rhyming of those old Mother Goose short poems, of mostly ill-fated woe and folklore, about blackbirds snipping off the maids nose and that sort of thing, aren't the stand alone that makes for early and great readers. It's the rhyming. The rhythm. And the maid and her missing nose & Jack's concussion while hill rolling, are overlooked in the splendor of the words doing their magical dance.As a convert that never attended Primary as a child and as a convert that has never worked in Primary as an adult...my children didn't have that opportunity to learn so many of the marvelous songs, and they all have that rhyming factor, as a way to learn the gospel and enhance their education by using music!
I've mentioned before my belief in music being the greatest way to teach. I think one of the reasons I love hymns so much is the rhythm and rhyming are so calming and predictable and is a feel good experience. Biggest factor though...the Holy Ghost witnessing the words are true. A pure feel good moment!
I've also mentioned when our youngest child was in 6th grade that I put together a group of 6 children and we performed a little show against drugs. I checked and Brite Music is still in business and I see they have added a new booklet. I'm assuming it must be against pornography. They only had two when I did it. One teaching personal safety and guarding your body and the one we did about saying no to drugs. (as adults they all still remember the lyrics. Not the dialogue perhaps. maybe a line or two but the songs? yes. they are in their brain.)
The 2nd set of great teaching tools with the great music has 12 values and the stories are wonderful and the music is terrific. I still remember the gratitude song from that book.
I had actual books but it looks like they are now modern and do whatever is modern!
Momma's, IF I had it to do over, I'd center my teaching using music and less lecturing! Not just any music but this sort of thing coupled with the Children's Songbook and the book I mentioned yesterday. Oh, yes...even though I can't sing a solo etc....I'd sing these songs with and to my kiddo's!
Where to order and learn all about Brite Music...here
(You say...You haven't worked in Primary? I say...Yes. When I joined the Church I taught one year of CTR-B which was a joy. preparing children for baptism. I was like a sponge and eager to learn. I learned more than them! then we moved and I was Primary Secretary for a few months. Then I was a Counselor for a few months and that was it.)
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| We used the red book- Safe From Drugs |
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| Adorable story characters in short book & powerful songs to teach great life lessons! |
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