My First Song

Rhymes are important for language acquisition and help with speech development. They help children develop auditory skills such as discriminating between sounds and developing the ear for the music of words. Rhymes help kids articulate words, modulate voices (practicing pitch, volume, and inflection) and enunciate clearly by saying them over and over without fear of criticism. Rhymes are excellent, the natural choice for a first recitation selection. The mouth and tongue muscles are developed as children say these rhymes. Listening comprehension is a foundational skill that is often skipped, but nursery rhymes can help ensure this crucial ability (that precedes reading comprehension) is covered.