As Christine Topfer (2007, p. 4) explains: ‘Playing with rhymes helps children learn about sounds. It is an important part of tuning a child’s ear to the rhythms and sound patterns of language.’
As children learn more words, they take turns in a conversation and begin telling stories:
I know what happened! Nana Jen was talking and she fell over my pink trike and tumbled over and over.
As they become proficient in oral language, children begin to learn polite forms of language and how to show empathy and concern:
Maria not here today; she sick. Did mummy tell you? I pick a flower for Maria.
Knowing the right form of words to use in different situations is a high-level skill that enables children to ‘switch’ from everyday talk to language that works at school and in the broader society (Lakoff, 2000).