Why nursery rhymes matter so much for language

"Machhli jal ki rani hai." "Twinkle, twinkle, little star." Most of us still remember them. Rhymes are not just a way to pass the time. They are among the simplest, cheapest and most loving language lessons you can give a young child.

What a rhyme does

It trains the ear. Rhymes repeat sounds and patterns. A child who hears "cat, mat, hat" starts to notice that words are made of sounds, which later helps with reading. See phonics at home.

It teaches new words. A rhyme carries words in a memorable form: machhli, jal, rani.

It builds memory. Repetition and tune make it easy to remember, and a child feels proud of knowing "the whole song".

It brings rhythm. Beat and clapping help children feel the shape of speech.

It connects you. Singing face to face, with smiles and touches, is warm time together. Children often enjoy the same rhyme again and again, and that repetition is useful.

It carries culture. Lullabies, folk songs and festival songs pass down a family's language.

Rhymes for every language

Rhymes in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Punjabi or any home language are as good as English ones, and often better, because the child can understand them fully. Do both if you can. See raising a bilingual child.

How to use them in daily life

• Bath time: a splashing song.
• Dressing: a rhyme for each sleeve.
• Auto-rickshaw or bus: sing together on the way.
• Roti time: pat-a-cake style claps while rolling dough (away from the hot tawa).
• Bedtime: a lullaby or a slow, soft rhyme.
• Waiting: at the doctor or a queue, finger rhymes calm everyone.

Say it slowly, with a face full of expression, and pause before the last word of a line so your child can fill it in: "Twinkle, twinkle, little ___!"

Add actions

Actions help meaning stick. See songs with actions help learning. Clap, tap knees, wiggle fingers, make a fish with your hand.

Change the words

Make up your own verses with your child's name, favourite foods or today's events. You don't need a good voice. Children love yours.

Make your own rhyme game

• Say a word and ask for one that sounds like it.
• Leave the last word of a line for your child to say.
• Sing a known song, but change one word, and let your child laugh and fix it.

Don't worry about the correct tune

There is no wrong way. Pick what you know, the way you know it.

If your child does not join in

Some children watch for weeks before joining. That is fine. Keep singing. If you have concerns about your child's speech or hearing, speak with your paediatrician.

How Child Runway helps

Every Child Runway lesson is a 2 to 5 minute story with a song and a game after it, so your child sings along, answers and moves. There is something to try at home after each lesson, such as singing the song at bath time. The app has no ads, no tracking of children and no chat, and works offline. There are six language versions, including Hindi and Hindi + English.