2025 World Nursery Rhyme Week

As autumn deepened in November, the Nursery at Hiba Academy Hangzhou came alive with the joyful sounds of music and laughter during its celebration of World Nursery Rhyme Week. Led, and thoughtfully organised, by Ms Tanis, the week filled the school with songs, rhythm and an infectious sense of joy.

This global educational initiative, founded in the United Kingdom in 2013, has long aimed to foster children's holistic development - enhancing their language, literacy, numeracy, social and emotional skills through the timeless charm of nursery rhymes. For us at Hiba Academy Hangzhou, it was not only a joyful festival of rhymes and melodies, but also a creative and heartfelt learning journey. 

Throughout the week, our children's bright smiles and pure voices breathed new life into beloved classics. Through rhythm and song, they explored the beauty of language, deepened their understanding of culture, and discovered the joy of learning through collaboration and play - creating their own unique symphony of growth.

In the weeks leading up to Nursery Rhyme Week, our teachers and pupils embarked on a special project full of creativity and purpose - the DukeBox Radio Nursery Rhyme Recording Project. Each class selected their favourite rhymes, practised carefully and recorded their very own musical pieces. 

To listen to some of the nursery rhymes, please swipe to the Chinese language page.

Our talented teachers also joined in. Ms Kelly Hou recorded the gentle lullaby "The Moon Walks, and So Do I", which became known around campus as our very own 'song of warmth.' Her soothing melody drifted through the school airwaves, inviting children into a world of calm, imaginative wonder.

Throughout the week, DukeBox Radio played these recordings on a daily basis. Every corridor, classroom and play area was filled with music — and soon, children across the nursery began to sing along spontaneously. It was as if the whole school had turned into a living, breathing garden of song.

This project gave our children a voice, quite literally allowing them to become the true 'owners of sound' while experiencing the joy of language, music and self-expression combined.

To make learning even more exciting, our teachers transformed the nursery into an adventurous playground of discovery.

With stamp cards in hand, children set off on a Nursery Rhyme Hunt, following colourful clues hidden along corridors, gardens and reading corners.

Each time they found a symbol, they sang the corresponding rhyme and earned a cheerful stamp on their card. Laughter, footsteps and music filled the air creating a delightful symphony of exploration, teamwork and play.

This activity not only developed their observation and problem-solving skills but also encouraged teamwork and reinforced their memory of familiar rhymes in the most joyful way.

Every afternoon, our Music Garden stage opened its curtains, inviting young performers to take their turn under the spotlight.

With bright eyes and big smiles, children sang their favourite rhymes — "If You're Happy and You Know It", "You Are My Sunshine", "The Wheels on the Bus", and "I Hear Thunder", among many others.

Our pupil's sweet voices, genuine joy, and rhythmic movements filled the air with warmth. On stage, they sang with confidence and pride; off stage, teachers and parents applauded with enthusiasm, encouragement and pride.

These moments went far beyond musical performance, they were powerful opportunities for children to express themselves, overcome shyness and build self-assurance. Each performance became a joyful declaration of 'the happiness of learning'.

Whenever the familiar tunes of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "If You're Happy and You Know It" floated through the speakers, everything came to a cheerful halt.

Children stopped what they were doing, gathered together, and joined in — clapping, swaying and singing along to the rhythm. These spontaneous rhyme sessions quickly became the most anticipated moments of the day.

 The children expressed themselves freely through music, finding joy in movement and laughter, filling the nursery with warmth and energy.

For them, this was much more than a musical experience, it was a time for social and emotional connection. They learned to listen to one another, to share the collective energy of the group and to develop a natural sense of rhythm and expression. In these moments, nursery rhymes became a true bridge for emotional connection.

Continuing a much-loved tradition, our Nursery created a very special collaborative project this year — The Big-ish Book of Bilingual Nursery Rhymes.

Each class contributed one rhyme in both their mother tongue and English, beautifully illustrated by the children themselves. This book brought together families from diverse cultural backgrounds and became a reflection of the nursery's vibrant multicultural community.

Through these bilingual rhymes, children learned to appreciate different voices, understand cultural diversity, and develop confidence in their own linguistic and cultural identities.

In the classroom, teachers designed a variety of engaging learning experiences inspired by classic rhymes. Children counted pies from "Sing a Song of Sixpence", built Humpty Dumpty's wall with blocks, and acted out "Two Little Dickie Birds" in their reading corners.

Beyond the classroom, parents were invited to join in through the Seesaw platform by uploading videos of themselves and their children singing together. Many families took part enthusiastically, turning their living rooms into joyful mini-stages filled with laughter and song.

This home–school collaboration further extended the learning journey, nurturing the spirit of community and partnership that lies at the heart of Hiba Academy Hangzhou's philosophy.

As World Nursery Rhyme Week came to a joyful close, it left behind countless wonderful memories for the children of the Nursery at Hiba Academy Hangzhou. It was not just a musical celebration, but a meaningful journey of growth.

Through rhythm and rhyme, our children learned to listen and express. Through singing together, they discovered the joy of collaboration and sharing. And through bilingual storytelling, they built understanding, cultural awareness and confidence.

Each nursery rhyme became a gateway to the wider world—each song, a moment of self-discovery, emotional connection and joyful learning.

At Hiba Academy Hangzhou, we believe that education, like music, should be natural, lively and full of warmth. We will continue to nurture every child's curiosity and confidence — helping them grow through learning, shine through love and thrive in a community where every voice matters.