Singing and dancing Clare Walters Little children love singing songs and moving to music, and it helps their language development and physical skills.

Enjoy music together

Songtime - rhymes and songs are popular from birth, and toddlers learn the words surprisingly quickly. Help your child by repeating songs often and allowing her to say the last word of each rhyme, or making the names in the rhymes familiar to her.

Finger games - easy finger games intrigue young toddlers, although you'll have to do most of the work. Try Incy Wincy Spider, Round and Round the Garden and Five Little Ducks.

Action rhymes - these are more complicated than finger games and often involve whole body actions, so are more suited to older toddlers. Try The Wheels on the Bus, Wind the Bobbin Up, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.

Stretching and bending - exercise is good for you both. Put on lively music and stretch your arms in the air, bend your knees and do some star jumps.

Toddlers love to stand on your feet while you dance

Dance together - toddlers love to stand on your feet while you dance around. If this gets too uncomfortable, try dancing individually to different types of music: fast and slow, loud and soft, tinkley and rhythmic.

Getting in a routine of singing one particular tune at bedtime will help your toddler know that it's time to go to sleep.

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