- It increases their phonological awareness (ability to listen and discriminate between the different sounds that make up words) which is one of the biggest indicators of reading success.
- It helps them recognize rhythm and patterns in language, which improves their oral language skills.
- It teaches them to make predictions and anticipate a rhyming word, which is an important reading skill.
There are many ways to practice rhyming with your child:
- Read lots of rhyming books
- Read and memorize nursery rhymes
- Sing and memorize rhyming children's songs
- Play rhyming games like this one!
This is a Free Printable Rhyming Sorting Game that you can use with children of different levels. For kids who are starting out learning about rhyming, you can have them sort only 2 or 3 groups of cards, while more advanced kids can sort all 6 groups. This is great for both readers and non-readers!
Here is how I played it with my almost 3 year old:
I set up 3 groups of cards, then gave her one card at a time to sort in the correct group.
I started out by asking her "Does bat rhyme with cat, does bat rhyme with dog, or does bat rhyme with pie?" She was confused at first, so I said "Bat rhymes with cat because it sounds like cat. Bat, cat, bat, cat." I did that for a few cards until she got the hang of it and started doing it on her own.
Click here to download your FREE Printable Rhyming Sorting Cards!
For another rhyming activity check out this Dr. Seuss Rhyming Hat printable:
