ust who is Mother Goose?  No one really knows.   Some believe Mother Goose is a real person while others say Mother Goose is a fictional character.  What we do know is Mother Goose is a household name associated with children’s literature for hundreds of years.

We also know that Mother Goose nursery rhymes are rhythmical poems that amuse and soothe young children.  They pass along cultural information and values.  These poems are a vital form of folk lore literature.  They appeal to children because of their pleasing rhymes and sounds and compelling rhythms.  Youngsters often keep time with the musical rhythm of the words by clapping their hands or rocking back and forth.  Nursery rhymes help children appreciate the many sounds and rhythms of a language.

We also know that almost everyone can remember from memory Mother Goose rhymes, and we’ve all passed them down to our own children.  The rhymes are short, catchy, and playful.  They allow stimulation of our imagination and cause our minds to search for ideas and solutions beyond our wildest dreams. 

So whoever the real Mother Goose is doesn’t really matter.  The fact that our children love the silly rhymes and learn to love literature is the sole purpose for continuing to keep her alive for generation to generation.