The Importance of Rhyme

Research is showing that learning how to manipulate words through rhyming and word games is an important, if not crucial, reading skill. Students who struggle with reading often have a difficult time breaking words down into their individual sounds, and even in hearing each of these sounds. Here are some ideas to help develop this critical reading skill.

Help your child memorize nursery rhymes. Repeat them over and over. Enjoy the rhythm and rhyming patterns. Find the word families like dock and clock, spoon and moon, or Peep and sheep.

Memorize a tongue twister. Enjoy the alliteration of Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Speak in Pig Latin. This gives kids and adults alike the chance to take words apart and hear the beginning sound separate from the rest of the word.

Make up your own rhyming verses. Kids especially love to create. They don't even have to write them down. Saying the rhymes out loud helps a student hear and identify the sounds.

Make up "Hink Pinks." This is a fun car game and develops a critical reading skill. Kids can really get into this game as they make up riddles such as, "What is a plate for tuna?" A fish dish. Or, "Name a small, stinging insect." A wee bee. A fun book to help you get started is The Hink Pink Book or What do you call a Magician's Extra Bunny? By Marilyn Burns. Also see the "Web Tips" section of this newsletter for an Internet site with fun word and poetry games.