Teaching rhyming words is one of my favorite early literacy activities—especially when I get to use our favorite picture books. Young readers love it. I still remember how my daughter giggled her way through Sheep in a Jeep. She couldn’t read the words yet, but she knew the rhyme—
“Sheep weep!”
“Jeep in a heap!”
Those silly sounds? They weren’t just fun—they were helping her build an essential skill for learning to read.
Did you know that rhyming is one of the best predictors of how easily a child will learn to read?
Let’s chat about why rhyming is such a powerful early literacy skill, when and how to teach it, and an easy, fun way you can do it at home—one page at a time. 💛
Rhyming isn’t just playful—it’s purposeful.
It’s actually one of the earliest signs of reading readiness.
When your child plays with rhymes, they’re practicing a skill called phonemic awareness—the ability to hear and work with individual sounds in spoken words. This is the foundation for reading success. Before a child can read a word, they need to hear the sounds that make it up.
Why teach rhyming?
✔️ It helps kids hear patterns in language and develops auditory discrimination.
✔️ It boosts memory and prediction—two huge skills for decoding new words.
✔️ It’s one of the earliest indicators of reading readiness in young learners.
✔️ It develops phonological awareness skills, which lay the groundwork for reading fluency.
✔️ It makes identifying word families easier when they begin to decode words.
✔️ It’s FUN! Kids love silly rhymes, nonsense words, and playing games that involve sounds.
This first stage is all about listening. Children need exposure to rhyming language before they can produce it. Read rhyming books, sing songs, play games with rhyming words, and talk about what you hear.
Try this:
“Cat and hat rhyme! Do you hear how they sound the same at the end?”
Encourage your child to notice the sound patterns without pressure to respond with the correct answer—just hearing rhymes is a great way to begin.
Once your child can recognize rhymes, they’re ready to try generating rhymes themselves. Start with prompts:
“Can you think of a word that rhymes with bug?”
“Hmm… How about hug? Or mug? Let’s try together!”
Soon, they’ll be creating their own rhymes—and even inventing silly rhymes. That kind of language play is exactly what we want to see.
This is when rhyming gets internalized. Your child understands how rhymes work, can identify them, create them, and even use them in poems, songs, or writing.
At this stage of rhyme recognition, rhyming isn’t just a game—it becomes a thinking skill they can use in reading and spelling. You’ll start to see the connection to phonics really take off- especially in understanding word families.
So… when should we start?
Honestly, you can begin in toddlerhood just by playing with initial sounds and singing classic nursery rhymes like Hickory Dickory Dock. Around ages 4–5, most children are ready for intentional rhyming practice to support their reading development.
Eventually, most students master these skills:
If your child isn’t quite there yet—no worries. Rhyming is a developmental skill, and with lots of practice and encouragement, they’ll get there.
Here are some hands-on ideas you can sprinkle into your homeschool days to build the concept of rhyme using fun games, silly voices, and simple words. (No prep? No problem. Just pick one and go!)
Start your morning with a quick question:
“Can you think of a word that rhymes with tree?”
You might hear bee, key, me, or something totally silly—and that’s okay!
Toss a soft ball or stuffed animal back and forth. Each person must say a rhyming word before tossing it again. Start with a word like “log” and see how long you can go!
Make a silly “monster” out of a cereal box. Tell your child the monster is very picky and only eats rhyming words. Try “cat,” then hand them a few cards—bat, hat, sun. They get to feed it the rhymes… and the monster spits out the wrong ones! (Complete with silly sound effects, of course.)
Choose a target word like “bug” and go on a scavenger hunt to find things that rhyme with it—real or imaginary. Mug, rug, slug… tug? Why not!
✨ Got multiple ages? Use picture-based rhymes for your preschooler and written rhyming activities for your 2nd grader—all at once!
These children’s books are more than just bedtime favorites—they’re secret literacy tools in disguise.
1. Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
A hilarious, fast-paced read-aloud filled with short e-vowel rhymes. Easy to memorize and perfect for preschoolers. My daughter loved the whole series, and we reread them again and again.
2. Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
For a solid year, we read this book every single night. Its gentle rhythm, animal sounds, and rhyming text create the perfect combo for early learners.
3. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
A classic, silly favorite with a rhythmic, repetitive structure that helps children anticipate rhymes and join in. There are more in the series, too!
4. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
Perfect for vehicle-loving kiddos, this one sneaks in sweet rhymes and helps wind down at bedtime.
5. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
Fun, rhyming, and alphabet-focused! It’s a great bridge between letter knowledge and rhyme. Link to my ABC read-aloud tips here: 5 Ways to Boost Your ABC Book Read-Aloud Time
6. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Clever and captivating! The rhyming is more advanced, so it’s great for older preschoolers or early readers who are ready for more complex language. My husband reads this one to my daughter on a weekly basis.
7. The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian & Ann Seidler is a delightful, giggle-worthy read for kids around ages 4–8. A lovable creature shows up in a town with a sign that says “Feed Me,” but every time he asks for food, he uses silly, made-up rhyming words like “feet loaf” or “boop with a smacker.” The townspeople scramble to figure out what he really wants to eat—while making lots of hilarious mistakes along the way.
This book is a goldmine for teaching rhyming words and phonemic awareness without feeling like a lesson. Kids get to hear real and nonsense rhymes, play with sounds, and shout out silly guesses. My favorite part? A little boy in the story always figures out the real answer—making it a sweet win for the kids in your life, too.
Try this: After reading, come up with your own silly food rhymes together. Ask, “What do you think ‘schmancy pants pie’ could mean?” The sillier, the better—and you’re sneaking in language development while everyone’s laughing.
🎵 Down by the Bay – Super Simple Songs version is a big hit in our home! We love a good rhyming song! Sing it together, then pause and let your child finish the rhyme:
“Did you ever see a frog… jumping on a log?“
Here’s how to use it:
Sing the song together a few times, then pause before the rhyme, and let your child fill in the blank. For example:
“Did you ever see a frog… (jumping on a ___?)”
Encourage them to come up with their own rhyming pairs. Don’t worry if they make nonsense rhyming words—those are often the best kind! This is a fun, low-pressure way to help your child hear and generate rhyming words.
It’s repetitive, silly, and perfect for building phonemic awareness through music.
Rhyming is a building block of reading success—and it doesn’t have to be hard or fancy.
Remember, you’re not just “doing a reading activity.” You’re helping your child grow confident with language—one page at a time.
If you’re feeling inspired but still not sure where to begin, try this:
✅ Pick one rhyming book from the list above.
✅ Play one oral rhyming game (Rhyme Toss is always a winner!)
✅ Download one printable (like this FCRR Rhyming Game Pack)
Then call it a win. ☕ You showed up. You made it fun. And you’re building a solid foundation for reading—without being overwhelmed.
