Songs and Rhymes

Rhyme is found in poetry, songs, many children’s books and children’s games. Studies have demonstrated that the better children are at detecting rhymes the quicker and more successful they will be at learning to read. We recognise the importance of rhyme and regularly sing nursery rhymes, read rhyming books and play rhyming games. If you would like some ideas to continue this at home here are some suggestions of rhyming activities you can do. Please share any successful activities with us, we would love to know what you have been having fun with. 

“Experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they’re four years old, they’re usually among the best readers by the time they’re eight.” [Fox, M. (2001). Reading Magic. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.]

 

Rhyming Artist

Sing a rhyme with your child and ask them if they can find any rhyming words. Ask them to draw 

Rhyming Actor

Ask your child to act out their favourite rhyme and discuss the rhyming words. 

Nonsense Words

Think of a word. Ask your child can you think of words that sound similar to that word. These words do not have to be real words. Example: Pancake sounds like Shmancake.

Make mistakes

Make mistakes in familiar rhymes and songs…and get caught!

I Spy

Play I spy with rhyming words. Example “I spy…something that rhymes with bear”. Give your child clues…”What are you sitting on?”

Odd One Out

Play “Odd One Out”. You list 3 words, two that rhyme and a third that doesn’t. Ask your child “Which word is the odd one out?” Example: Listen to these 3 words; “cat, dog, rat”. Which word is the oddball out?