News

Poetry pockets: Bags of fun

You've had storysacks - now try poetry pockets that will help the children under age three to develop the seeds of literacy. Alice Sharp explains how

You've had storysacks - now try poetry pockets that will help the children under age three to develop the seeds of literacy. Alice Sharp explains how

As an early years practitioner, you will be familiar with 'storysacks' and may have built up your own collection. But have you thought about extending that to nursery rhymes? Choosing favourite rhymes, poems and songs and creating a 'pocket' of interactive fun can provide hours of highly motivated play for children under three.

Nursery rhymes are an excellent stimulus for activities, providing opportunities to revisit the familiar and introduce and practise new skills. Creating a context through illustrations and introducing a skill to practise while singing rhymes can en- hance children's understanding of the rhyme and extend their experience.

Poetry pockets can encourage children to 'read' visual symbols while taking an active role in the story within the rhyme. They can introduce children to an awareness of words and letter sounds, and help them develop active listening skills while challenging them to reflect on the story.

Mary, Mary

Skill focus Promote children's sorting and matching skills through the nursery rhyme 'Mary, Mary quite contrary'

Contents 3 A4 laminated sheet with the text of the rhyme and illustrations on it 3doll 3large silver bells 3large shells 3fresh or silk flowers (or pictures)

Step by step

  • Sit with the toddlers and look at the visual aids. Discuss each one. Draw the children's attention to the illustrations and the writing. Indicate that the words talk about the illustrations.

  • Say the rhyme and reflect on it with the children.

  • Let the children explore the bells and shells as you repeat the rhyme.

  • Ask them what grows in the garden, then offer them the flowers.

  • Invite one child to choose a flower, bell or shell and another to choose a matching item.

  • Ask them to choose two items that match.

  • Encourage the children to sort the flowers by colour, bells by size and shells by shape, or just to categorise them. Repeat the rhyme as you do it.

Extension activity

  • Create a garden by laying the shells, bells and flowers in rows on a large sheet of paper. Suggest that the doll, Mary, dances in her garden.

Twinkle, Twinkle

Skill focus Develop children's skills of manipulation, balance and co-ordination with the rhyme 'Twinkle, twinkle little star'

Contents 3A4 laminated sheet with the text of the rhyme and an illustration of the star shining above a line of rooftops 3large padded star pocket or a doll with a star wand 3large blue sheet of material 3wooden bricks (enough to create a skyline)

Step by step

  • Place the blue material on the floor or on a low table and invite a group of children to join you.

  • Take the padded star or doll from the pocket and ask the children to identify the shape. Where do they see stars? Do they know a song about a star?

  • Sing the rhyme.

  • Show the children the laminated sheet and draw their attention to the rooftops. Could they help to build a skyline?

  • Encourage the children to place the bricks over the illustration or to make their own skyline on the blue sheet.

  • Sing the song together as they work.

  • Evaluate the finished skyline with the buildings, sky and star.

Extension activity

  • Provide a basketful of cardboard or wooden stars for the children to make to create star patterns on the 'sky'.

Incy Wincy

Skill focus Develop children's hand-eye co-ordination through the rhyme 'Incy wincy spider'

Contents 3 Large card spider with the rhyme typed clearly on it 3spider puppet 3dark coloured pom poms 3short length of pipe 3a clear plastic bottle with both ends cut off and covered with strong tape

Step by step

  • Invite a few children to sit in a comfortable area.

  • Whisper to them that you have a shy little spider in your pocket and ask if they would like to meet him.

  • Pretend that he is whispering in your ear and that he would like to tell the children a story.

  • Say the rhyme slowly. At the end of each line stop and let Incy whisper the next line in your ear.

  • Invite the children to join in second time around.

  • Show them the spider and indicate that the words relate the rhyme.

  • Invite them to recall what happens in the rhyme.

  • Ask each child to take a 'spider' (pom pom) from the pocket and using the pipe, illustrate when Incy is washed out of the spout and climbs up again.

  • Offer the children the bottle and challenge them to catch the spiders as they fall through the pipe. Say the rhyme as you do.

Hey, diddle, diddle

Skill focus Develop children's sequencing skills through the rhyme 'Hey, diddle, diddle'

Contents 3 Illustrations of each character within the rhyme on slides 3transparencies for overhead projector or card 3toy cat, cow and dog 3a fiddle, real if possible or a photograph of one 3dish and spoon

Step by step

  • Gather a few children together in a comfortable area and show them the slide and illustration of the cat with the fiddle. Have they ever seen a cat playing a fiddle?

  • Introduce the other illustrations as you say the rhyme.

  • Repeat the rhyme but mix up the order in which the characters appear.

  • Encourage the children to use the toys to help you tell the rhyme in the correct sequence.

  • Say the rhyme again in the correct