how simple songs & rhymes help support language & early literacy development
On our Instagram page, we often share songs and rhymes for toddlers, babies, and kids. We love them because they’re fun, easy to do, and they have a lot of benefits when it comes to speech and language development.
We want to share about some of the ways that songs and rhymes help with early literacy development, and why we recommend adding them to your daily routine as your toddler or preschooler is preparing to learn to read and write.
Songs, Rhymes & Early Literacy Development
Kids are so impressive, aren’t they?
They learn and grow so quickly, and sometimes it feels like they’re reaching new little mini milestones every day! And as if that isn’t amazing enough, think of all of the growth happening behind the scenes— all the development they’re experiencing, but that we can’t actually see.
Our goal with this post is to give you a little insight into your child’s literacy development, so you can start to “see” and nurture the skills they’re learning day-to-day. Once you know what they’re learning, you’ll be able to effortlessly make early literacy skill development part of your daily rhythm. Using songs and rhymes is a great way to go about doing this because:
Most of us know at least one or two songs or rhymes already, so there isn’t a huge learning curve.
They don’t require any set up, supplies or materials, so they’re something you can start doing right way! This also makes them a great activity for when you’re out of the house and on the go.
Little ones tend to love music and it captures their attention. They gain so much by doing this with us.
The Benefits of Songs & Rhymes for Early Literacy Development
Vocabulary
There’s a reason for all the repetition in children’s songs and rhymes. Simply put, repetition helps teach language and vocabulary. Whether you’re singing about animals, body parts, food, or nature, your child is learning and making sense of the vocabulary words as they are singing. Plus, often times, simple songs can really engage them and they are fun! We all learn best when we are having fun.
Movement helps Solidify learning
If you think about it, when we want to learn a new skill, we practice, practice, practice it. We might even go through the motions if it’s something complicated, like learning how to drive or perform CPR. When kids are learning something new, it’s the same thing. Songs with gestures and movement can help the words really come to life. Think about it… saying “up” while putting our hands “up” as we may do in a simple song, all of a sudden becomes a lot more concrete and meaningful for little ones. It can also help them “feel” and get a sense of the words and sounds.
Phonemic & Phonological Awareness
Two essential pre reading skills that might not be aware of are phonemic and phonological awareness. Simple songs and rhymes are so great because they’re giving your child a chance to practice their phonemic awareness (their ability to recognize the smallest units of sound, like b, th, k, etc.), and their phonological awareness (their ability to recognize the smallest sound units within words, like “ra” and “bit” in rabbit), without even knowing it!
Phonological awareness is a broad skill that includes identifying and manipulating units of oral language – parts such as words, syllables, and rhyming words. Children who have phonological awareness are able to identify and make oral rhymes, can clap out the number of syllables in a word, and can recognize words with the same initial sounds like 'monkey' and 'mother.' The ability to manipulate language in this manner, is an indicator for strong literacy skills as they grow.
Storytelling
Being able to retell stories is a great skill to have. We rely on it often as adults when we tell coworkers about our weekend, summarize a great book we read, recount a funny thing that happened, or recap an episode of a show someone missed.
Because many songs are like little mini stories, they teach toddlers to do exactly this! Songs and rhymes introduce the concept of sequencing (which is necessary for storytelling) and this ability to sequence will transfer to their reading comprehension and writing skills as they develop.
Fun & connection
We all learn best when we are having fun! Singing simple songs & rhymes together is a chance to get silly, enjoy time together, and bond.
How To Incorporate Songs & Rhymes if You’ve Never Done it Before
It’s Easier Than You Think!
To keep it easy and fun, we recommend always following your child’s lead by choosing songs and topics they really like. We all learn better when we’re having fun because it keeps things light and exciting. Plus, this way you won’t feel like you have to plan a whole curriculum.
Start With What You Know
If you’re not doing a lot of songs and rhymes with your child right now, that’s okay. Start where you are and build up by just adding in one or two that you already know or that they already like. Slowly start to incorporate them into your day. You’ll likely find that it becomes easier as you do it more often.
Song Ideas & Inspiration
If you don’t know very many songs and rhymes offhand, keep it simple by adding in a few new words to a tune you already know. Here’s an example:
Sing to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star:
Snowflake, snowflake in the sky
Love to watch you floating by
Down you fall upon the ground
Down you fall without a sound
Looking to learn more ways to support your toddler’s learning?
If you're currently not singing many song and rhymes with your child, that's completely alright! We understand, and our aim is to help you feel at ease. That's precisely why we've created an extensive repertoire of songs, rhymes, and story times within our Songs+Stories membership that your toddler or preschooler will love.
Songs+Stories is great if you’re looking for a high-quality (and ad free) screen time option. It’s also incredibly beneficial for your toddler’s language development! It’s a similar style to library story time. No quick camera changes, green screen, or annoying sound effects.
Are you curious to know what Songs+Stories is like? We’d love for you to have a sneak peek. Check out our free song video by clicking the link below! This is one of many on-demand videos inside of our Songs+Stories membership.
