Help your child get the most out of song and rhymes

Songs and nursery rhymes are a great way to have fun and engage with your child. Children enjoy songs and rhymes long before they can join in themselves.

Slow singing gives them time

It doesn’t matter if you are musical or not, children love to hear us having a go.

Like us, children don’t always know the words to songs and rhymes. Just like when we are learning something new, children need us to slow down and help them learn how to join in.

If we sing the songs too fast or don’t repeat them often, it’s hard for children to learn the words and actions.

It might feel “too slow” at first, but children, especially babies need this time.

Tips to remember

• Make sure they can see you, and you can see them
• Choose a song together and sing it slowly, showing them the actions
• You can also pause at key moments in the song and wait for your child to join in using sounds or words

In this video, you can see Laura (13 months) and her mum giving this a go while on a family outing at the public pool. When her mum pauses and waits, you'll see Laura doing the actions then she joins in singing the song. It’s these kinds of daily opportunities that will see Laura singing more and more.