Cossins Music School Early Years Song Books Cossins Music School My Mini Songbook | Page 3

Why Singing Games and Rhymes?

Research has shown that singing and repeating rhymes with movement has an extremely positive effect on children’s development in many ways.

Singing with your child can:

*Develop speech – songs and rhymes are pronounced more clearly – the speech is slower and easier for a child to imitate.

*Increase your child’s understanding of language – research has shown that a greater knowledge of nursery rhymes the more a child is phonetically aware and this will help them be a more fluent reader.

*Help develop memory and retention skills – A child is able to memorise easily through the constant repetition of rhymes and songs.

*Emotional – intellectual skills are linked to a child’s emotional growth.

*Develop motor skills and co-ordination – clapping, stamping and moving to music helps develop motor skills.

*Enhance listening skills – your child is concentrating on the song/rhyme and is focusing on you and will respond more to instructions.

*Social – singing encourages your child to communicate with you at an early stage by making babbling sounds.