For many generations every culture has enjoyed its own nursery rhymes set to the same predictable beat. Nursery rhymes in any language have a similar sound. It would seem that our ancestral human parents and grandparents had an innate understanding of newborns' love for rhythmic language. Many speculate that this reflects infants' love for the rhythmic heartbeat sound they enjoyed during the weeks prior to birth, a time when all of their needs were met and the world was safe, dark and warm. Perhaps infants love this language because it is so like their own babbling and cooing demonstrated at this time.
Nursery rhymes are surely as nonsensical as babbling.
The point of these rhymes is not so much meaning as it is playing with sound. Another appropriate way for infants to play with literature is by giving them access to cardboard books. The stiff pages of these books make them easy for children to manipulate by palming the pages without the need for higher-level fine motor skills. Babies use these books as hinge toys, enjoying the back and forth movement. They also enjoy playing predicting games with these books.