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Classroom Strategies
Rhyming Games
Rhyme is found in poetry, songs, and many children's books and games. Most children also love to sing and recite nursery rhymes. Words that can be grouped together by a common sound, for example the "-at" family — cat, hat, and sat — can be used to teach children about similar spellings. Children can use these rhyme families when learning to read and spell.
Why teach about rhyming?
Developing a child's phonological awareness is an important part of developing a reader. Young children's ability to identify rhyme units is an important component of phonological awareness. Research shows that students benefit from direct instruction on rhyme recognition paired with fun activities that target this skill.
| When to use: | Before reading | During reading | After reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to use: | Individually | With small groups | Whole class setting |
Examples
Rhyme book #1
Students can draw pictures of objects that rhyme or cut out rhyming pictures found in magazines and place them in their books.
Rhyme book #2
The following link provides teachers with printable pages for creating a rhyme book for each student. Students can cut out each page and teachers can help staple the pages together at the left. Teachers can include a more advanced task with this activity by asking students to write the rhyming words in the spaces provided.
Printable rhyming book pages >
Rhyme matching
This website includes many examples of rhyme matching activities. Teachers can download and print worksheets for students to match the rhyming pictures. There are also more advanced Venn diagram printouts for students to supply the rhyming words.
Rhyme matching activities >
File folder rhyming games
Teachers can create file folder games and ask students to find the rhymes for words. The example below includes connecting the two words with yarn.
File folder rhyming games >
Space-themed rhymes
The file folder game found on the link below helps students match rhyming words. Teachers can download and print the game, including all materials and instructions.
Space-themed rhyming game >
Word family chart
This Reading Rockets article describes several ideas for rhyme games and classroom activities. One example provided is how to create a word family chart from various rhyming words. Teachers can use rhyming words from a story or nursery rhyme to pull words for the chart.
How Now Brown Cow: Phoneme Awareness Activities >
Children's books to use with this strategy
Giraffes Can't Dance
Picture book
Gerald, the giraffe, is told by the other jungle animals that he can't dance. Of course, they're proven wrong as Gerald does his thing in this rhyming tale. This book may also inspire alliterative use of language.
Jamberry
Picture book
Jaunty rhymes (that just may be 'sing-able') are likely to ead to wordplay (literally) as one follows the animal cast play with berries of all kinds.
Llama Llama Red Pajama
Picture book
A young llama really misses his mama when she goes downstairs. The rhyming text tells a silly story that just may create additional tales of "llama drama."
Sheep in a Jeep
Picture book
Silly rhymes about silly activities make the words jump off the page, complemented by humorous illustrations.
Differentiated instruction
for Second Language Learners, students of varying reading skill, and for younger learners
- Use pictures instead of words in activities for younger and lower level readers
- Include oral rhyming activities.
- Include a writing activity for more advance learners.
- Use blank diagrams for more advance learners to complete (see example here).
See the research that supports this strategy
Bradley, L., & Bryant, P. (1985). Rhyme and reason in reading and spelling. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Bryant, P., MacLean, M., & Bradley, L. (1990). Rhyme, language, and children's reading. Applied Psycholinguistics, 11, 237-252.
Moats, L. & Tolman, C. (2008). The Development of Phonological Skills.
Snow, C., Burns, M., & Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
