A Speech Therapist’s Thoughts on Miss Rachel and Songs for Littles
I remember the first time I heard about Miss Rachel. I was a new mom mindlessly scrolling TikTok when another mom’s post about Songs for Littles (Miss Rachel’s Youtube Channel) came across my screen. I was blown away. Miss Rachel’s videos were unlike any children’s TV shows I had seen before- and frankly, looked and sounded a whole lot like my speech therapy sessions! I was hooked.
I immediately pulled up Youtube on the TV and searched for Songs for Littles. My son was about one year old at the time and as soon as Miss Rachel spoke, he was instantly mesmerized. And I actually got to drink my coffee in peace, so I, too, was mesmerized.
As parents these days, we are constantly being pulled in a million directions as we try to do everything “right” for our children. We have been told that screen time is no good for our little ones’ rapidly developing brains. While excessive use of screen time is definitely not recommended or beneficial, I believe that when used properly, it can be a helpful tool for all of us parents.
In my opinion as a mom and speech therapist, there are two main factors in beneficial screen time use. First, we should be very selective with what types of shows we expose our children to. And second, screen time is most beneficial when we view it with our children, so we can provide rich language models and build connections throughout. When we choose media as engaging and educational as Miss Rachel’s Songs for Littles, and we spend time watching it with our child, everyone wins!
You might be wondering why I keep talking about Miss Rachel. There are tons of educational shows and videos out there, so what makes Songs for Littles so special? As a speech therapist, it is not everyday that I truly recommend a youtube channel, but I stand by this recommendation. So why do I recommend this show to everyone?
My TOP 5 Reasons for Loving Miss Rachel and Songs for Littles
There’s NOT too much going on. The episodes are broken down into bite sized clips that incorporate music and play. Unlike lots of other popular children’s shows, Songs for Littles is not overstimulating for most children. As a speech therapist, this is so important to me because I know that learning is most likely to occur when a child is regulated. Songs for Littles involves just enough excitement to keep children engaged without relying on tons of movements, themes, lights and colors that can actually quickly cause overstimulation.
Miss Rachel provides CLEAR, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE speech models. When Miss Rachel introduces a new word in a segment, the camera zooms into her mouth and she over-emphasizes her speech production. She shows viewers exactly how to make the sound that she is saying. Miss Rachel repeats it several times while drawing attention to her mouth so that children can practice imitating the words! As a speech therapist, this is a strategy I use constantly, so seeing it happening during a TV show is *chef’s kiss*.
Miss Rachel TEACHES new words in the context of song and play. Every episode, Miss Rachel provides rich, repetitive language models that your child can imitate. For example, when she is playing with a barn toy, she will exaggerate her words as she models “OPEN!” She incorporates these new words in simple, catchy songs, pausing at the high points for your child to fill in the blank (for example, let’s open, let’s open, let’s………..OPEN!)She has a way of providing language models that encourage viewers to imitate. Her use of rich intonation and high pitched voice is by design- it is a highly effective strategy for promoting language development. She also teaches basic signs to help young children communicate, such as the sign for more, all done, and help.
Miss Rachel encourages play skills! Each episode, Miss Rachel plays with toys that your child probably has in their toybox. She demonstrates new ways to play with those same toys that will inspire your child, helping them develop new play skills. We know that play is the foundation of communication, and as parents, we learn lots of new ways to interact with our children and their toys from watching Miss Rachel!
Miss Rachel educates parents and caregivers! In many of Miss Rachel’s episodes, she includes text on the screen that explains why she is doing what she is doing. For example, when teaching your child gestures, she explains that we can expect our child to use 16 gestures by 16 months. Miss Rachel values parent coaching and shares relevant information about speech and language milestones.
The list truly could go on and on, and I know that after watching this channel with your little one, you will agree. So Miss Rachel, if you’re reading this…THANK YOU! Thank you for all that you do to support our little ones’ speech and language development. And thank you for letting us tired parents feel good about this screen time decision.
If your child responds well to Miss Rachel’s channel, they will love our Talk and Play classes! Connections Speech Pathology hosts caregiver and me style language stimulation classes called Talk and Play on a weekly basis for children ages 1-4. These classes build vocabulary, connection, and build social experiences! If you’re interested in learning more about these classes and other events and workshops offered by Connections Speech Pathology, click the link below!
