Music, movement and rhyme. What fun!

Looking at what type of classes would be/are popular in my area (i.e. baby massage, baby yoga or Rhythm Kids), there was a distinct interest in the Rhythm Kids, music and movement classes over the other two (though, to be fair, there is a great deal of interest in them as well!). The interest in Rhythm Kids is not surprising as not only can music enhance social development, but may actually have a positive physiological impact. For example, playing music to premature babies (31 weeks gestation and beyond) has a positive effect on their heart rate and oxygen saturation levels.

From birth, a baby is capable of communicating and can actually chat with their mother, whose voice is the right pitch and melody to keep the baby’s interest in their ‘conversation’. Their interest in Mum's voice is also due to the baby's familiarity of it, as it would have been heard daily whilst they were in the womb, from about the third trimester of the pregnancy.

It doesn't help just to pop on a story-time or nursery rhyme CD and leave a baby to it, because a baby needs to see the ‘singer’/’speaker’ as well as hear them. When they can see and hear them, they become more attentive and generally find the experience calming.

The synchonicity required for this early communication between parent and baby can be likened to musicians playing together who need to be closely attuned i.e. watching, being aware of and responding to each other, in order to perform in a synchronised manner. From the parent’s point of view, this will greatly enhance their understanding of their baby’s cues; and for the baby, they begin to learn from the experience and interpret their parents’ emotions and behaviour towards them. This also occurs when a parent sings as they massage their baby, but Rhythm Kids means there are lots more songs to sing, so lots and lots of fun to be had!!