Why do newborns need books, songs, and rhymes?

Books and songs are powerful mediums to promote the positive exchanges between parents and newborns that contribute to healthy childhood development and early learning. Reading, talking, singing and having conversations with newborns are the best ways to build early language and literacy skills. These early skills are known to impact a child’s lifelong development. Research by The Council for Early Child Development tells us that newborn experiences matter. The relationship between caregiver and infant plays a pivotal role in influencing neural pathways for language and higher cognitive functions. 

A baby’s ability to distinguish between speech sounds is greatest before he reaches seven months. After this point, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between different sounds.

From The Science of Early Child Development, Council for Early Child Development, April 2010 (.pdf)

Why an Early Start Leads to Long Term Gains. Dr. Clyde Hertzman - Director, Human Early Learning Partnership, speaks to the New Learning Society for their Parent Education Program. (video)