Rhyme Time
Did you know that awareness of sounds is very important in helping your child learn to read?
Rhyming is one type of sound that is often ignored, but it’s very important. In fact, children who are taught to rhyme often do well in reading. Children who are struggling with reading often cannot rhyme.
The good news is that rhyming can be taught--even to older struggling readers!
Familiarize your child with nursery rhymes: Jack and Jill, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Little Miss Muffet, Humpty Dumpty, Baa-Baa Black Sheep, Old Mother Hubbard, and Hickory Dickory Dock. Occasionally have your child finish parts of the rhyme: “Little Miss Muffet sat on a ________”.
Older children may not choose nursery rhymes, but often enjoy making silly rhymes with words and names.
Other games can be played in the car, while shopping, etc. Make rhymes out of grocery items by changing the first syllable. Sometimes a nonsense word results, but older children will develop so they can make more sophisticated rhymes: Nice price; bright light; fun run; pink drink.
How does rhyming help?
Our brains recall patterns, and rhyming represents patterns in sounds. Rhymes often represent patterns in spelling too. Recognizing rhymes and manipulating sounds to make rhymes helps build our supply of patterns.
Here are some links to sites on the internet that include rhyming activities:
Try rhyming with your child today!