This week we're thinking about how rhythm and pattern helps babies learn to talk.
Speech and language have a pattern. Each language has it's own rhythm and pattern. Human beings also love rhythm as experienced in music, dancing and poetry. If you were ever taught a foreign language at school, you probably learned a simple song or poem in that language and you can probably still sing it or recite it word for word today, even if you can't remember other words in that language now!
So using rhythm and pattern when you to talk to your baby is a great way to delight your baby and embed the sounds and rhythms in baby's memory. Rhythmic actions and physical movement patterns also help baby's brain to develop at this time when the brain is at it's most ready to grow.
There are a number of ways you can do this.
One way is to create a movement series, like taking baby's hands and clapping them lightly together and saying:
Clap clap clap your hands, clap clap clap ( say the last "clap" louder)
Repeat the sequence several times ( at least three and up to six) until baby gets used to the idea, then hold baby's feet and tap them lightly together and say:
"Tap tap tap your feet, tap tap tap ( say the last "tap" louder )
Now you have the basis of a rhyming routine, you can say:
the clapping line first then the tapping line.
Do this routine several times a day for about a week.
Each week, think of a new line to add, like:
Tap tap tap your nose, tap tap tap. ( touch baby's nose lightly with your finger) ADD this new line to the previous lines in the series, so the whole routine gets longer each week. Instead of 'tap' or "clap" you could say "kiss" - "Kiss your knee"
As the weeks go by, baby will recognise the routine and anticipate what's coming next. Baby is learning about patterns and rhythms.
I'd love to hear how you and your baby enjoy this. So please leave a comment below.
Click this link to learn more about how to help baby talk
Speech and language have a pattern. Each language has it's own rhythm and pattern. Human beings also love rhythm as experienced in music, dancing and poetry. If you were ever taught a foreign language at school, you probably learned a simple song or poem in that language and you can probably still sing it or recite it word for word today, even if you can't remember other words in that language now!
So using rhythm and pattern when you to talk to your baby is a great way to delight your baby and embed the sounds and rhythms in baby's memory. Rhythmic actions and physical movement patterns also help baby's brain to develop at this time when the brain is at it's most ready to grow.
There are a number of ways you can do this.
One way is to create a movement series, like taking baby's hands and clapping them lightly together and saying:
Clap clap clap your hands, clap clap clap ( say the last "clap" louder)
Repeat the sequence several times ( at least three and up to six) until baby gets used to the idea, then hold baby's feet and tap them lightly together and say:
"Tap tap tap your feet, tap tap tap ( say the last "tap" louder )
Now you have the basis of a rhyming routine, you can say:
the clapping line first then the tapping line.
Do this routine several times a day for about a week.
Each week, think of a new line to add, like:
Tap tap tap your nose, tap tap tap. ( touch baby's nose lightly with your finger) ADD this new line to the previous lines in the series, so the whole routine gets longer each week. Instead of 'tap' or "clap" you could say "kiss" - "Kiss your knee"
As the weeks go by, baby will recognise the routine and anticipate what's coming next. Baby is learning about patterns and rhythms.
I'd love to hear how you and your baby enjoy this. So please leave a comment below.
Click this link to learn more about how to help baby talk
