The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe: Using the Nursery Rhyme in Preschool Lesson Plans

Note: I have changed the words "whipped them all soundly" to "kissed them all sweetly."

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children, she didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread
Then kissed them all sweetly and put them to bed.

Using Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe in Preschool Lesson Plans: Young and Old

The nursery rhyme says that the woman who lived in a shoe was old. Show your students a picture of a woman in her twenties. Is she old? No. Show them a picture of a child. Is she old? No. Now show them a picture of an elderly woman. Is she old? Yes! Set the three pictures together. Ask your students which one might be the old woman who lived in the shoe.

Using Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe in Preschool Lesson Plans: Many and Few

The old woman who lived in a shoe had many children. How many is many? More than a few. What is the opposite of many? A few. How many is a few? Oh, maybe three or four.

Set out several "little people" toys, maybe a dozen. Explain to your students that this is a set of many children. Now take away all but three of the little people toys. Tell your preschool students that this is a set of a few children.

Let your preschool students demonstrate sets of many and few with the little people toys.

Using Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe in Preschool Lesson Plans: Homes

Visual charting: Make a chart with the word Homes on one side and the words Not Homes on the other side. Set out several pictures from old magazines, some of houses (all sorts from various cultures) and some of things that are not homes for people, such as shoes, televisions and bathtubs. As a large group, let your preschool students discuss and choose which pictures are homes and which are not homes. Glue the pictures under the appropriate category on the chart.

Using Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe in Preschool Lesson Plans: Shoes

Dramatic play: Supply your preschool classroom's dramatic play area with several varieties of shoes and boots for your students to try on and play in.