How to Build Language and Reading Skills by Singing

Article | 2 min read

Did you know you can turn everyday moments with your baby into sing-a-longs that will help grow their brain for listening, talking and reading? Here are some easy tips to get started.

Singing is an important early intervention activity you can do with your baby who is deaf or hard of hearing to grow their brain for listening, spoken language, and literacy. Songs and rhymes have been shown to help build your baby’s vocabulary and reach language goals that build a foundation for literacy. Singing also encourages the development of a voice rich in inflection, improved articulation of speech sounds, and increased memory for words.

The good news is you don’t have to be an award-winning artist to be qualified to sing to your child. As a parent, your voice is the one that your child loves to hear the most! Here are some simple tips you can use as you sing to your child with hearing loss to help them learn to listen and talk.

Play with pitches. As you're bouncing your baby up and down, sing the following phrases: "1-2-3 bounce-bounce-bounce. Up and down, up and down." Try making your voice go up in pitch when you're saying "up" and down in pitch when you're saying "down".
Next, observe and pause. How does your baby respond to your singing? Do they show you they want you to continue?
Make up your own songs. Not only is singing important for language learning, it makes life fun! Make up your own songs to sing while getting dressed, brushing teeth or picking up toys.

Watch Hearing First CEO, Dr. Teresa Caraway, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT walk through these steps for singing in this video you can watch and share with family members!

Don’t forget! The intentional interactions between you and your baby, including those when you’re singing, are what’s going to grow your baby’s brain the most. Don’t be afraid to get creative with all the opportunities to incorporate language with your child throughout your day.

How to Build Language and Reading Skills by Singing

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Connect with parents who have been down this path before.

How to Build Language and Reading Skills by Singing

Find Your Way Guide

LSL in Your Inbox

Related Resources

How to Help My Baby Say Their First Words

Setting Goals for Your Child’s Listening and Talking Journey

Parent Vision Board and Goal-Setting Worksheet

Travel Tips for Children with Hearing Loss – Must-Haves for Smooth Trips

Cooking Up Listening and Learning: LSL Strategies for Families in the Kitchen

How to Point Out Sound with Be a Director and Be a Bird Dog LSL Strategies

Unlocking the Sounds of Speech with the Familiar Sounds Audiogram and eBook

Connect with parents who have been down this path before.

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