The Evolution Of Songs For Children
Songs for children are very important for the growing mind and development of a healthy child. Nursery rhymes are the first songs kids hear when they are young, either from their parents, relatives, schools, caretakers, or from media. Most nursery rhymes songs are dated from long ago and are part of history. What many people do not know is that some very popular songs have history and meaning behind them. These children songs were created because they are easy to remember and are spread by word of mouth. Not only are some of these songs part of actual history stories, but some are just about feelings and love. So next time you are singing some of these songs with your child, you will have an idea about what you are really singing about.
Famous Rhymes
Lets take a look at some popular songs with actual history and meaning behind them.
Ring around the rosy: Ring around the Rosy is actually referring to the Great Plague of 1665. This is how far back these rhymes come from. This illness caused a high fever and formed a rash on the body. The rash that appeared, was in the shape of a ring. The ring around the rosy is referring to the rash, and the pocket full of posies is referring to the herbs and spices the diseased person put in their pockets to freshen up the air around them. Ashes, Ashes is referring to a sneeze, because the ill person would have a nasty sneeze (achoo, achoo). We all fall down is when the person who was ill passed away. So next time you sing this song, you now know what the meaning behind it truly is.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star: One of the most popular rhymes that people hear everywhere and in every language, has no sinister meaning behind it. It is actually one of the oldest rhymes and was originally called The Star. “Like a diamond in the sky,” can be referred to a child’s imagination development.
Rub a dub dub: In the fourteenth century, peep shows were a very popular form of entertainment. The butcher, the baker, and the candle-stick maker all had gone to the fair. The fair is the peep show that was in town, and what they were “peeping” were the three maids in the tub.
If you listen to the older nursery rhymes that were created before this time, you will notice almost every one of them have a history and an underlining meaning to them. It is interesting to know what we are really serenading our kids with these days. Take a look closer and you will find the root and true meaning to these traditional songs. It is amazing how after all these years, the rhymes that were meant to get stories out are still doing their jobs today.