Rhymetimes for babies and toddlers

‘Rhymes are like rocket fuel for a child’s development’  The Reading Agency

What are Rhymetimes?

Rhymetimes are group activities for babies and toddlers from 0-3 years and their parents and carers.

They are fun, free, interactive sessions that last about 30 minutes and bring adults and children together in a safe and supportive environment. The sessions are informal learning opportunities that model and encourage the singing of songs and rhymes and the sharing of stories with young children and are a powerful learning source in the early years of literacy development.

What are the benefits?

• Repetition of rhymes and singing supports language and literacy development
• Children will take comfort from rhymes when they are repeated and become familiar
• Rhymes are portable playthings – they can be sung or said any time, any place
• Through rhymes, children naturally learn essential skills for communicating, such as turn-taking and joining in
• Knowledge of rhymes helps children progress in reading once they start school, regardless of socio-economic background, general intelligence, or memory ability
• The active role of the parent or guardian in the Rhymetime session has the potential to encourage home reading and thus increase the child’s exposure to language and stories

Who are they for?

They are for babies and toddlers aged up to three years and their parents and carers.

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For more information contact your local library or email childrens.services@derby.gov.uk