Preschoolers and toddlers just love nursery rhymes, and will really enjoy getting stuck into these crafty, sensory play ideas and activities, to accompany their favourite rhymes! From Incy Wincy Spider to Hickory Dickory Dock, plus lots more in between, here are 32 fun nursery rhyme activities for roddlers and preschoolers to get stuck into.
Clapping, singing and repetition are all fun for toddlers. These art and craft projects are perfect things to make and do to accompany some favourite nursery rhymes. Little Bo Peep has never had such cute sheep!
Nursery Rhyme Activities: Incy Wincy Spider
Act Out Incy Wincy Craft
Make lyrics come to life on a blustery Autumn day indoors! This act out Incy Wincy Craft from CrafTea Classes uses some toilet paper tubes and paint, and is fun for toddlers to make and then act out.
Incy Wincy Handprint Keepsake
This Incy Wincy Handprint Keepsake from Learning and Exploring Through Play is perfect messy paint fun that requires just paper, black paint and googly eyes.
Itsy Bitsy Spider Story Box
Isn’t this Spider Story Box we found on Pinterest idea so cute? Make your spider from an egg carton and pipe cleaners then decorate a box for fun story time that can be reused over and again.
Egg Box Incy Wincy Spider
Enjoy making Incy Wincy, rain and a drainpipe with this egg box spider craft project from Messy Little Monster.
Playdough Incy Wincy Spider
Learn how to make your own playdough, and then transform it into this fun playdough spider from Crafty Kids at Home.
Nursery Rhyme Activities: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Star Wands
Make these cute star wands, then sing Twinkle Twinkle – you’ll find all the instructions over at Learning and Exploring Through Play.
Keep your wands for playing wizards, fairies, witches and more!
Star Lantern
This star lantern idea from Teach Me Mommy is so cute, and a fun star craft to make with your young kids and sing “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”.
When your lantern is complete, add a battery-operated tea light candle to see it glow!
Sensory Star Oobleck
Learn how to make your own frozen oobleck with this sensory star oobleck activity from Learning and Exploring Through Play – it is easy to do and super fun!
Rhyming Stars
This idea for rhyming stars from Fun-A-Day is such a simple but fun idea. This Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star activity uses free printable rhyming cards to engage children in a fun spin-off of a favourite nursery rhyme.
Star Busy Bag
Try this star sensory bag activity from Learning and Exploring Through Play – perfect for some mess-free, sensory fun.
Star Box
Looking for simple sensory play for infants and toddlers? This easy sensory star box from Where Imagination Grows is an activity that your kids will love!
Based off the idea of creating a mini planetarium, all you need is a large box, some string lights and a scissors/knife to create holes. You could attempt to make the constellations, or just do a random pattern of holes before poking a light through each hole. And there you have it, an instant sensory activity to lie under and enjoy.
Nursery Rhyme Activities: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Old MacDonald Story Stones
Aren’t these Old MacDonald Story Stones from Messy Little Monster adorable?
Print off the free printable farm animals, stick them to stones and use them to help toddlers and preschoolers choose which animal to sing about in the nursery rhyme or to help them make up simple farmyard stories.
Wooden Peg Farm Animals
I love this idea from Danya Banya for wooden peg farm animal toys, super cute and great for telling the story of all the animals on the farm. Plus, all this peg squeezing involves quite a lot of finger and hand strength for little ones, so this doubles as a fun fine motor strengthening exercise at the same time.
Animal Spoon Puppets
Teach Me Mommy’s great idea for farmyard animal spoon puppets is not only fun to make and engaging to play with, but is also a very portable activity to bring on road trips.
Farm Animal Wind Socks
These farm animal windsocks (including a pig, sheep, chicken and cow) are perfect for practicing cutting and gluing skills – and they turn out adorable!
Fingerprint Sheep Painting
Crafty Morning’s idea to make some fingerprint sheep is a really basic craft that any child can do! All you need is some coloured craft paper for the background, black paper for the head and legs, white paint and googly eyes.
Sensory Tuff Tray
This Sensory Tuff Tray from Adventures of AdamPlay is amazing! Toddlers will love it!
Don’t Miss…
Get creative, make a (little) mess and produce some fantastic mini masterpieces with these engaging ideas for 50 fun art & crafts for kids!
Nursery Rhyme Activities: Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty Collage
Texture and creativity come into play with this fun Humpty Dumpty collage idea from Here Come the Girls that uses broken egg shells to bring Humpty to life.
Humpty Dumpty Egg Decorating
This project from Red Ted Art for Humpty Dumpty Egg Decorating is perfect for preschoolers and, by using real eggs with children, it is a great way to teach them about handling things with care.
Humpty Dumpty 3D Craft
I love this 3D Humpty Dumpty Craft project from Teach me Mommy, it really brings Humpty to life!
Humpty Dumpty Weeble
Humpty wobbles but he won’t fall down! Make your own Humpty Dumpty Weeble with instructions from Messy Little Monster.
Humpty Dumpty Egg Weebles are a quick and fun accompaniment to the nursery rhyme ‘Humpty Dumpty’. Will you be able to knock your Humpty Dumpty weeble off his wall or will he stand back up again?
Nursery Rhyme Activities: Hickory Dickory Dock
Number Matching Clock Game
What a great idea from Best Toys for Toddlers for this Number Matching Clock Game.
Hickory Dickory Dock is a great little rhyme that helps little ones to learn their numbers and time in an easy and fun way. Clothespins are used here to reinforce fine motor skills, match numbers, colours and learn to tell time.
Mouse Stick Puppets
These mouse puppets from Craft Ideas are so cute, you can make them simply from pipe cleaners.
Learning the Time
This Hickory, Dickory Dock felt learning clock from Crafty Kids at Home will help teach your preschooler how to tell the time.
Candy Cane Mice
Make these adorable Candy Cane Mice, instructions on the Martha Stewart website.
Hickory Dickory Dock Rock Clock
This Rock Clock idea from Danya Banya is so simple but effective.
Don’t Miss…
We all know – and love – Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is one of the bestselling children’s books of all time. You can transform story time with 12 more Eric Carle books you’ll enjoy reading together!
Nursery Rhyme Activities: Little Bo Peep / Baa Baa Black Sheep
Little Bo Peep Toilet Roll Characters
Make these fun Toilet Roll Characters to play Little Bo Peep and her Sheep, find the instructions on the Danya Banya blog.
Paper Plate Sheep Craft
Housing a Forest has instructions for how to make this cute Paper Plate Sheep craft.
Cork Painting Sheep
Save a wine cork for your toddler to do this Cork Painting Sheep Craft from Crafty Morning.
Yarn Sheep Craft
I love these cute sheep made by Teach me Mommy, check out the instructions for this fun Yarn Sheep Craft here.
Sheep Stick Puppets
You’ll need a couple of cotton pads to make this cute Sheep Stick Puppet, nice craft idea from Best Toys for Toddlers.