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Understand the role of singing, rhythm and repetition.

Learning goal

  • Understand the value of music and of singing to their child.

Talk about singing

Discuss as a group:

  • What sort of music does your pēpi like?
  • What do they do when they hear music?
  • Lullabies – What are they?
  • How do we use them?

Emphasise that no matter what we think of our own singing, pēpi loves to hear it.

Babies are born with rhythm. Discuss some of the things pēpi does that involve rhythm, such as sucking, walking and banging spoons.

Also think and talk about the importance of repetition. Baby likes to hear the same songs over and over, and repetition makes their brains grow. (For more information, see the brain development workshops.)

Find and talk about the ‘Waiata kōhungahunga’ sections in the Tākai Whakatipu booklets.