Lullabies and nursery rhymes are, for most of us, our very first experience with stories. They are a universal phenomenon: documented across the continents and throughout history. They are an almost organic response in adults faced with a crying infant, and provide a rhythm of words to match, or echo, the rhythm of shushing a baby.
The developmental benefits of singing to very young children are indisputable, but why this should be so has been the subject of much academic research. Morag Styles, the first professor of children’s poetry at the University of Cambridge, described how ‘children are hard-wired to musical language’. Professor Karen Coats, her successor as head of the Centre for Research in Children’s Literature at Cambridge, describes how the rhythm of poetry, repetition and rhyme create a means for children to feel safe and protected by language in the same way they could once feel safe and protected by being rocked.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here