I finally got a role on Play School!

Read how talking and singing to your baby can help their development.

Well I feel like I am! I feel my life is one big musical. My husband thinks I have the worst voice ever. It is not great but I love to sing. Thankfully for me, my daughter LOVES IT. I think it is a thing. I am not alone in that all babies love to hear their Mum’s sing. It is great for my self esteem when I look and feel like *!@# and she looks at me adoringly.

I sing all the old classics and then incorporate appropriately worded songs to match the activities I am doing/ toys we are playing with. If anyone is old enough to remember the 1980s Romper Room classic, “Bend and stretch, reach for the stars, there goes Jupiter, there goes Mars” is regularly sung when I am stretching in the morning!

I am often making up the lyrics mostly because I can not remember them all, or they don't quite fit the activity or I get bored of the same lyrics. When I am not singing I am doing a running monologue describing my actions too. I feel that she is absorbing all these words in a practical way to one day speak them herself.

I stop talking and singing though when she interjects to show her that I will be quiet and listen when she is talking. It seems sensible and natural to me so I do it. Many people don’t choose to do this as they feel what is the point as babies don’t understand what we are saying. They feel stupid.

“when not singing... I am doing a monologue describing my actions...”

Anyway, my friend Stacey Spong who is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist and general paediatric guru came to visit me from Melbourne. It was the best weekend filled with Adelaide Hills winery visits, lying in the pool and general old friend deep and meaningfuls. I was hanging off her every word of advice on feeding and social development. Without me asking, she said my talking and singing to Misaki was excellent, not from a tonal point of view but from a social development point of view.

“singing to Misaki is excellent... for social development...”

I also dance with Misaki when we are listening to music. She loves me swinging her around and smiling and laughing with her. It is great vestibular training (see blog on Vestibular exercises) and for bonding with your baby (see blog on Baby bonding exercises - Mums and Bubs).

Don’t feel stupid. Talk, sing and dance with your baby like you are on Play School! Your audience will not flick channels.

Summary

Babies love to hear their Mum's singing.

Talking and singing to your baby is helping them learn words and social cues.

Talking, singing and dancing with your baby is a great way to bond with your baby too.

Melli Tilbrook is a Physiotherapist based at Adelaide Physiotherapy and Pilates Studio, Beulah Park.