This is normal, right?

[tangledblue]

Ok, just being neurotic here:
DD (almost 2.5) is constantly singing/reciting stories and lyrics, even things she has only heard a couple of times. Today it was Frere Jacques while she was doing a puzzle, which she hasn't heard in probably 2 months. Or it will be a fragment from a Curious George story or something, or various nonsense rhymes from a Mother Goose book. She has always been very verbal and can hold a conversation just fine too, so I'm assuming this is normal behavior?

(Given that I can barely remember what year it is sometimes, it just seems almost obsessive/savantlike to me. I feel dumb for even asking.)

[elisheva]

Mine often pick stuff up and I'm like "how the heck can you remember that?" I figure *they* are normal and my brain is messed up with all the hormones from being pregnant and/or nursing for so long.

[Drummer's Wife]

I do think it's normal for some kids. My youngest is 3.5, so a year older than yours; however, he can remember song lyrics like a professional singer! So crazy, b/c pretty much every song that will come on, he is singling along. Even his preschool teachers and music teacher have commented on his love for music (I guess he knows tee-tee's vs ta-ta's in class, and loves to "conduct" music). But, yeah. I think some LO's just have awesome memories when it's something they enjoy (and when it involves repetition) -- whether it's songs, books, or songs.

[JordanKX]

A girl I grew up with, and the one my mother consistently reminds me of, literally memorized her books (at a later age, could tell you what page you were on). But at 2, she would know if you'd missed ONE word of a book and would make you go back and re-read.

DS, 13months, has this creepy DVD I let him watch of singing babies of nursery rhymes. And just the intro of "if you're happy and you know it", he starts clapping his hands. He doesn't do it to any other song - he knows that song is coming up, just by the intro.
And we have a totally toddler CD that I play in the car that sings similar songs (but much faster, much different than the DVD... totally different) and the minute they start that song, he claps. Again, the only song he does it to. So... he's remembering that song. He can't verbalize yet, but he still know that song.

I'm also highly musical myself so I push music and nursery rhymes in the house. But it's his choice to participate and remember. And he does (at least right now).

So... I think it's totally normal. And something to encourage, imo!

[physmom]

One explanation that I've heard that makes a lot of sense to me at least is that toddlers have a much shorter lifespan than us adults and, therefore, it is easier for them to memorize stuff like that simply because they don't have as many other memories to fill up their heads. I'm not sure how scientific that is but it makes sense to me.

Anyways, DD knows a number of lines from songs too and will even remember parts of some of her favorite books. I know memorizing books is common in toddlers but I can't remember at what age. Maybe 3+?

[crunchy_mommy]

My 20mo DS does this too. All day long he is singing songs and reciting books. I think the Dr. Seuss books are his favorite to recite (he doesn't recite whole books, just chunks of them).... and sings, yes even songs he has only heard once or twice. Especially when we're in the car or running errands, he just talks and sings non-stop. He LOVES The Wheels on the Bus and this weird alphabet song that goes Apple apple ah-ah-ah, Baby baby buh-buh-buh.

[Nicole730]

I think it's normal too. Although my son is not very verbal - well, coherently verbal anyway - so I have no idea most of the time what he is saying. But we will drive somewhere we were only there once before and it was months ago and he will remember it. I think little kids are just good at remembering.

[JMJ]

My daughter doesn't have very many words yet, but she surprises me sometimes with signs she has only seen a few times. The first time was when I caught her looking at a new signing book and signing shirt. I hadn't taught her "shirt" yet, but she had seen it in the book. I don't see it as being that abnormal, but then again, I memorize things really easily too, especially music. I have all of DD's books memorized, and so does she. We recently went on vacation and only brough one physical book, but we had many story times with 15-20 books recited, and if I forget what comes next in any of the signing books, DD knows. My parents are the same way.