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Did you know that rhyming is one of the best predictors of how easily a child will learn to read? That’s because good rhymers are better equipped to notice that rhyming words often have shared letter sequences, such as –all in tall, ball, and small, which in turn gives them a considerable head start in learning to read.
That may seem like a silly question, but it can be difficult to explain the concept of rhyming to a child who just doesn’t “get it.” Here’s a simple definition. When two words sound the same at the end, like duck and truck, they rhyme.
Most children enjoy hearing and participating in rhyming activities, and when they are exposed to rhyming, they usually pick it up naturally. But if your child isn’t good at rhyming yet, don’t worry! There are many things you can do to help.
Use this simple test to find out whether your child knows how to rhyme. If your child needs help in this critical area, read on to discover how to teach your child to recognize and produce rhyme.
It’s helpful to know that children don’t just start off rhyming. In fact, they generally go through three stages. In the order of easiest to hardest, those stages are:
Hearing and recognizing rhyme are important skills your child must master before he can produce rhyme, so be sure to focus on these skills first. Modeling can be a great way to help your child hear rhyme.
Here’s an example of modeling: “Duck and truck rhyme! They both end with uck! Say it with me: uck-uck, duck, truck!”
But hearing rhyme is just the beginning. The activities below were designed to help you teach your child all three stages of rhyming!
There are hundreds of great rhyming books, and this Rhyming Picture Books Library List is a good place to start. As you read, occasionally point out words that rhyme. (“Oh, goat and boat rhyme! They sound the same at the end. Goat, boat.”)
“Get Out of the Wagon” is a popular Stage 2 rhyming game. In this downloadable activity, three word cards—like rake, cake, and king—are placed in a wagon. The child determines which word doesn’t rhyme and tells it to “get out of the wagon.”
Nursery rhymes are conducive to reciting again and again. After your child knows the nursery rhymes, let him fill in the rhyming words to work on Stage 2. On this downloadable library list, you’ll find some wonderful nursery rhyme collections to enjoy together.
Once your child can successfully recognize rhymes, this activity will help him learn to produce rhymes (a Stage 3 skill). Just fill a bag with several common household items (here are some ideas) and you’re ready to play “What’s in My Bag?”
For more advanced Stage 3 rhyming, download this fun “Dinner Time” game. But make sure to play “Dinner Time” with the whole family. It’s guaranteed to provide lots of giggles for kids and parents alike!
It may not happen overnight, but with repeated exposure, your child will learn to rhyme. Most importantly, keep your rhyming practice fun and light—it shouldn’t feel like a “lesson” to a young child.
Is there a rhyming activity that your child enjoys? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
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Photo credit: Rachel Neumann
Jessica
says:The “Get Out of the Wagon” activity has been a lot of fun around our home. My son has been asking “Does this rhyme? Does that rhyme?” I’m excited to see how having this skill will help him on his reading journey.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceJessica,
It’s so great to hear that the “Get Out of the Wagon” has been fun! Rhyming helps children develop the skills to be able to hear and manipulate the sounds of language; necessary for when they blend sounds into words for reading. Our Fun Ways to Develop Phonological Awareness article has additional information and printables for other skills related to this.
Kareen Ferguson
says:Thanks for sharing, some of my students are non-verbal age 6 special need down syndrome and autistic I am just getting started. I do like the simple way you explain
Robin
says: Customer ServiceI’m glad this is helpful, Kareen.
Brenda Smith
says:I’m a pre school teacher and I’m introducing rhyme words to the children these ideas you have shared will help me so much thank you for always been a teacher even with teachers thank you from the bottom of my heart 🥰
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re so welcome, Brenda! Glad this will be helpful for your students!
Jayden OneillJayden Oneill
says:Great I should definitely say I’m impressed with your blog. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related info. It ended up being truly easy to access. Excellent job.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Jayden.
Aysha Khan
says:Hey Marie. Thanks a ton for this resource , I cannot express how excellent it is ! Appreciate a lot. I will look for the other work of yours also.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceAysha,
You are so welcome! It’s wonderful to hear that this resource meets your needs.
Rachel
says:Great ideas thanks
Robin
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Rachel!
Jaisaneua Hartley
says:Its a reliable source of information.
Robin
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Jaisaneua.
Mary
says:Very helpful info
Robin
says: Customer ServiceI’m glad this was helpful, Mary.
Nelia Guajardo
says:I absolutely loved this information about rhyming! Very insightful!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGlad you liked it and found it insightful, Nelia! Thank you.
Vaishnavi Gupta
says:teaching class in nursery
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI hope you find this helpful for your class, Vaishnavi!
Toni Miller
says:The kids enjoy singing and playing acting, they would love more rhyming games to play.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceRhyming games are great fun, Toni!
Keineth
says:Thank you for sharing these ideas. They will be very helpful and fun for my kiddos 6to play while they learn.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Keineth! I’m glad these will be helpful.
Phuntsho Choden
says:acting out the words
musical chair
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceInteresting, Phuntsho. I hadn’t thought to use musical chairs for working on rhyming! Thank you for sharing the idea.
Macrina
says:Any suggestions for children with special needs that just don’t seem to be catching on to the concept of rhyming?
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI’m sure we can brainstorm suggestions with you, Macrina, but it would be helpful to know the ages and what sorts of special needs they have.
It’s important for any learner to have lots and lots of exposure to rhyming language before they will be able to identify rhyme. Spend lots of time reading rhyming picture books (see links in the above blog post for book suggestions) and children’s poetry. Sing lots of rhyming songs, especially those that have movements for the children to do to participate. Surround the children in rhyme!
Then, choose a book with a simple rhyming pattern and read it daily for a week or two. Then, after they are very familiar with the language of the book, start pausing for the children to say the rhyming word. So, if the rhyme is, “I will not eat them in the rain. I will not eat them on a train.” (from Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess), then you would read, “I will not eat them in the rain. I will not eat them on a …” and see if they will say “train.” (Note, you would probably want to choose a shorter book than Green Eggs and Ham to start with, but I’m just using it as an example.)
Once the children can start providing the rhyming words for books they are very familiar with, then they are ready to start working on Stage 2 of rhyming, Recognizing Rhymes. The Get Out of the Wagon free activity printable here is great for working on Stage 2 of rhyming.
I hope this helps you help your students move through the first two stages of rhyming. Please let me know if you need more help or suggestions.
Tulisha Scott
says:The folk song “Down by the Bay” is a fun way to practice rhymes.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI love that song, Tulisha!
Tamara
says:I’d never thought about rhyming as a pre reading skill before.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceTamara,
Rhyming is often overlooked, but it is an important reading readiness skill. Both rhyming and blending sounds into words require children to be able to notice the individual sounds. Rhyming, of course, focuses only on the last sounds, but it is a precursor to noticing all the sounds in words.
Meagan Held
says:Interesting article. My Kindergartner isn’t a very “creative” rhymer-he will think of 1-2 rhyming words and then move on. While he’s gotten a good start to reading, it hasn’t been as instinctual as it was for older brother. On the other hand, my preschooler will spend a few minutes thinking of ALL the words that can rhyme with another word. (We were playing the dinner game, and he wanted a turn asking for “bickles”). It will be interesting to see how he does when introduced to reading. :)
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceInteresting observations, Meagan. Some children do enjoy rhyming more than others. I wouldn’t be too concerned with your kindergartner’s wanting to rhyme just a couple of words before moving on. It shows he has mastered the skill, but may not be a favorite activity.
Karen
says:I am enjoying the new Uppercase Letter Crafts book with a special little person!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you for letting us know you are enjoying the new Uppercase Letter Crafts book, Karen! We appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Holly DiBella-McCarthy
says:I made a Rhyming Memory (or Concentration) game! It’s free to download on my website! Lots of fun to play- hollydibellamccarthy.com
Nancy Martin
says:Thank you for sharing these games. Let’s keep it fun!
Vanesia D
says:My 12 year old struggles with rhyming. These are great tips.
Crystal
says:Great information!
Shanna
says:Love all the ideas for games.
Thank you!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceYou’re welcome, Shanna! I’m glad you like these.
Stephanie
says:Very interesting!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Stephanie.
Jhk
says:Still working on this with my pre-reader!
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceI hope this is helpful. Let me know if you have questions or need additional suggestions.
Brittany
says:I’ve been wondering if I’m teaching rhyming right, so this was helpful! My daughter is learning to read at 4 but hasn’t gotten the hang of rhyming yet. All in time I suppose.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceBrittany,
Yes, some children just need more time and more focused attention on rhyming to master this skill. I hope you find the stages and tips in this blog post helpful. However, if you have concerns or questions, please let me know.
Aly
says:This is one of my favorite programs. Even years later.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceThank you, Aly!
Stephanie Rasmussen
says:‘Get out of the wagon’ is a simple yet fun way to practice identifying rhymes.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceGlad you like this activity, Stephanie!
Brooke
says:This is so interesting! I had no idea but will start with some of these ideas with my 3yo.
Michaela
says:Love all these ideas! My 3.5 year old makes up silly songs and she will naturally create her own rhymes and make up words that rhyme. She seems to do it naturally without thinking about it but if I ask her directly for a word that rhymes with cat, for example, it takes her some time to think of something.
Robin E.
says: Customer ServiceIt sounds like your child is doing very well considering her age, Michaela! She may need more practice with stage 3 of rhyming, but it sounds like it won’t take much. Keep up the great work!