Just a quick post this week. It has long struck me that there are educational opportunities we miss with young children, one of them being in the realm of nursery rhymes and other songs we teach the kiddies. In our house I’ve tried (with limited success) to introduce some variations to the normal wording in order to enhance the pedagogical potential of a couple of very common songs, and I thought I’d share these with the world (i.e. you). I’d also be keen to hear of any suggestions you have for more.

So here goes, beginning with the educational version of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star:

Twinkle, twinkle, big fat star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a thermonuclear fusion reaction in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, big fat star,
Now I know what you are.

My other (rather lame) attempt at enhancing a song takes a shot at Old Macdonald’s Farm:

Old Macdonald had a farm,
A-E-I-O-U,
And on that farm he had a …

OK, you get the idea. Why waste the opportunity afforded by the meaningless recitation of “E-I-E-I-O” when you could be teaching the vowels?

Doubtless this approach could be expanded to include a vast array of popular songs. Perhaps my aim ought to be to teach next year’s Genesis course using only enhanced rhymes like these?

Or, on second thoughts, perhaps sanity should prevail.