Learning rhythm and rhyme is an important pre-reading skill, according to Chatham University. Nursery rhymes, including "Jack and Jill" offer children an entertaining way to explore rhyme schemes and rhythmic awareness. Have children sit in a circle with their hands at their knees. The teacher can recite "Jack and Jill" while children clap their knees to the beat. The children can then discuss the rhyming pairs within the nursery rhyme. Have children think of other words that fit the rhyme scheme.
The "Jack and Jill" nursery rhyme is a fun way for young children to learn phonetic awareness. Focusing on the predominance of the letter "J," teachers can show children how to write and pronounce "J." Supply children with the coloring page found at the First School website listed in the resources following this article. Ask children to think of other words that start with the "J" sound.
Children love to dramatize stories and will often remember them better after playing a role. Create a hill with different size boxes, chairs, or a small table. Assign one child to be Jack and one to be Jill. Provide Jack with a bucket. Recite the rhyme for the children as they dramatize the actions. Take turns until each child has participated.
Create finger puppets so that each child can recite the rhyme at home for family and friends. Print out the template from Zoom Whales website found in the resources section below, and cut out figures. Each child can color their own puppets and practice the rhyme themselves.