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Rhyme time

Interacting with babies and toddlers through saying rhymes is a bonding activity that helps them to build language and dialogue skills, as Opal Dunn explains Rhymes are an integral part of our lives, both internally and externally.

Rhymes are an integral part of our lives, both internally and externally.

Before birth, babies hear the rhythmic beat of their mother's heart. From birth, babies are conscious of different rhythms, including their own sucking rhythms, as well as breathing and rocking.

From birth, babies have an innate desire to find out about the world and to build some communicative interaction. They seem to be ready to tune into rhythms of speech and most seem to respond enthusiastically to rhymes. In fact, babies seem to pay more attention to rhymes and be more responsive to them than to speech in open dialogue.

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