SINGING to babies helps them rise up the charts of childhood development, says UniSA early childhood education Associate Professor Susan Hill.
"Babies are born with a natural ability to appreciate music," she said.

"Early exposure can help 'wire' the brain for future learning about creativity, patterns and sequence, language and literacy."

She said nursery rhymes, songs and chants helped babies to relax and be receptive to learning new things.

"Later singing and dancing to nursery rhymes not only increases vocabulary, but also helps our memory develop," Dr Hill said.

"Singing songs and nursery rhymes may be just as important as talking and reading to your child."

Adelaide singer/songwriter Fiona Munro created the Poppy and Patch it's fun to sing CD to fill a gap in the availability of age-appropriate baby music.