Page 10 - teachYourChildToRead

One year to two years

Developing language through songs, poetry
and nursery rhymes

Singing is a fantastic pre-reading activity and one to two year old children
love to be sung to. It doesn’t really matter what or how you sing. When
your child hears you sing it will be a pleasurable experience for them.

“Music is the universal language of mankind — poetry their universal
10
pastime and delight ”.

TIP: Don’t be afraid to sing with confidence and enthusiasm.
Singing not only aids language development, it is a great way
to calm young children.

“Infants prefer the maternal singing style to the usual style of singing; they
are more attentive to maternal singing than to normal speech. Maternal
11
singing also has a moderating effect on infant arousal ”.
Music, rhythm and melody stimulate different parts of our brains.
Teaching children simple songs or nursery rhymes is an ideal way to
promote literacy development. When introducing a new song, rhyme or
poem repeat it often throughout the day, repetition is the key to build
familiarisation. Click here to link through to song videos ideal to sing
with your child.

Songs with actions

Develop simple actions to accompany new songs or poems, hold their
hands and do the movements together. Actions help children to associate
the words with physical movement. The more actively involved children
are with the song or rhyme, the easier it is for them to learn the tune and
remember the words.

Songs and rhymes also help children;