This video introduces the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program, a supportive group experience which focuses on the benefits of using rhymes, songs, and stories with babies and young children. The Program was initially developed to help high-risk mothers (those with children who were in danger of neglect and abuse) develop basic components of attachment.

Rhyme, songs, and stories serve as a catalyst with the power to help parents bond with and nurture their children. The tradition of children's oral literature is harnessed to a serious end: supporting parents and promoting healthy emotional development and literacy in children. The original scope of the Mother Goose Program has been expanded and it now offers recognized benefits to all caregivers, including fathers, grandparents, nannies, and the children themselves.

Sharing rhymes, songs, and stories accompanied by loving touch and play creates a sense of emotional engagement and mutual pleasure. The rhymes used in the Program are chosen for their rich images and interactive potential. Children delight in language games and in the adults' attention. The caregivers take pleasure in being able to engage the children.

For pre-readers hearing rhymes and stories told aloud is a key to the structure of words and language, setting the stage for learning to read and write. The parents, children, and teachers of the Program show how enjoying language, rhyme, and story together strengthens and enriches families and gives children emotional connections and essential pre-literacy skills.

Available as: DVD with French Subtitles
Produced By: Parent-Child Mother Goose Program
Running Time: 28 minutes