Songs for kids are great! Singing is a form of personal expression which is considered by many to be a crucial part of every human being. Singing also requires you to breathe deeper and in a rhythm which helps to relax and free the body and the mind; lifting the emotional self to a happier and more positive state of being.
The act of children singing nursery rhymes together has several important social aspects. Involved in the same activity, children, and basically all people, begin to drop their guard a little and loosen up. In other words; children singing songs for kids together does a lot to reduce social anxiety. They also have to sing ‘With’ each other meaning they have to learn to work together.
Enough of the ‘science’ behind children’s nursery rhymes and children singing together; let’s explore how much fun it is.
Let’s solve the little mystery of the ‘E-I-E-I-O.’
One of the early versions that eventually became the most popular was titled ‘Old McDougal’ and has the line; ‘Old McDougal had a farm in Ohio-i-o.’
This is sung as “O-Hi-O-I-O.”
Another version that existed around the same time was known as ‘Old Missouri’ and was actually referring to the different parts of a mule;
“Old Missouri had a mule, he-hi-he-hi-ho,
And on this mule there were two ears, he-hi-he-hi-ho.”
Some say that the ‘He-Hi-He-Hi-Ho’ was imitating the sound a mule makes.
Over time, this two versions woven together gave us the ‘E-I-E-I-O’ that we sing today.
Go Ahead; Sing ‘Oink, Oink’
However, the main reason this song is so popular is it is so much fun, even for adults, to make the animal sounds. Go ahead and try it right now; sing out loud, “Here an oink, there an oink, everywhere an oink, oink.”
It’s hard not to smile and maybe laugh, isn’t it?
The words for this this nursery rhyme were roughly translated from the German language and it’s also said it Borrowed’ the melody from ‘A Hunting We Will Go.’
For ‘In the Dell;’ the word ‘Dell’ normally means ‘Valley.’ It is also close to the word ‘Deel’ from the Netherland regions, where people speak the ‘Dutch’ language which is said to be an off shoot from the old Germanic language, today known as the ‘Dutch’ language, and refers to the inside of a Farmer’s barn.
There is also a game that can be played that goes along with the story told in ‘The Farmer in the Dell.’ However, when playing this game that leaves one child ‘Alone,’ as in “The Cheese Stands Alone,” ideally the child that ends up being the ‘Cheese’ gets to be the ‘Farmer’ the next time the game is played
Almost All Children Like to Sing and Have Someone Sing to Them
Most mothers, and some fathers too, sing to their children.
Hearing the words of a song and singing the words of a song help a child learn how to properly speak a language which leads in to an interest in, and makes the process easier, when it comes to learning to read and write.
Music is also organized sound waves, organized in a manner that is pleasing to us that we normally consider ‘harmony,’ and is very mathematical. The idea of the order and structure of all music that is pleasing to the ear and how it affects subconscious development in many different areas is not fully understood.
The bottom line is singing to a child or a child singing aloud are both considered to be very good for the child.
And, one more time; it’s a lot of fun.