ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a research and development project, which explored the nature and purposes of singing with babies in formal, out-of-home early years settings. The project was a collaboration between university researchers and Early Years practitioners from 15 private day nurseries in southeast England. The project included reference to and reflection on Frederich Froebel's principles, his Mother Songs and his views about songs and singing. The provision of free early education funding for children aged two years and older creates a two-tier system. Explanations for this distinction may be numerous and may incorporate economic, socio-cultural and political reasons. Insufficient funding overall to offer universal, free early education; political aversion to a distinct move away from traditional childrearing patterns if there is overt encouragement of formal daycare for the very youngest children; and an insubstantial evidence base demonstrating low-risk/high-benefit outcomes of exposure to early education from infancy.
