Singing With Your Child

Children’s Speech & Language Therapy Service

Information for parents/carers and settings for children who are learning language

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Introduction

Songs make learning language fun. They can help your child learn new words.
By singing them again and again your child will know which bit comes next and enjoy the interaction with you. As your child becomes more familiar with the songs you can pause and let them fill in the missing word. This will also help your child take turns, listen and wait with anticipation to the song.

Use songs you are familiar with. Always use your home language with your child, speaking more than one language does not cause children to have language difficulties

Common nursery rhymes

Why not try some of these Nursery rhymes with your child…remember to: sing slowly giving them a chance to join in, add some actions or signs to support language, wait for them to fill in words, and have a good time!

Wind the bobbin up,
Wind the bobbin up,
Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap.
Wind it back again,
Wind it back again,
Pull, pull, clap, clap, clap,
Point to the ceiling,
Point to the floor,
Point to the window,
Point to the door,
Clap your hands together, 1, 2, 3,
Put your hands upon your knee.

Five little speckled frogs
Sat on a speckled log
Eating some most delicious grubs.
One jumped into the pool
Where it was nice and cool
Then there were four green speckled frogs

Incey, Wincey Spider
Climbed up the water spout;
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out;
Out came the sunshine
And dried up all the rain;
And Incey Wincey spider
Climbed up the spout again

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are

Hickory, dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one.
The mouse ran down.
Hickory, dickory, dock

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again

For more songs and rhymes visit your local library for books or visit www.wordsforlife.org.uk/songs

For more information talk to your Speech and Language Therapist.

visit/search for: Look, Say, Sing, Play – Brain-building tips | NSPCC

Singing Action Songs with Toddlers – BBC Tiny Happy People for more ideas

Check out more ideas in the WellComm ‘Big Book of Ideas’ and Elklan ‘Early Language Builders’ if you work in an early years setting.

This leaflet only gives general information. You must always discuss the individual treatment of your child with the appropriate member of staff. Do not rely on this leaflet alone for information about your child’s treatment.

This information can be made available in other languages and formats if requested.

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