Deschutes Public Library

Rhyming helps children learn how to take words apart, and change their beginnings or endings to make new words. That’s part of phonological awareness, another skill needed to learn to read.

Check out our favorite songs, rhymes, tickles and lap bounces.

What can you do?

• When you’re on a walk, choose a word and think of all the words you can that rhyme with it. They don’t have to make sense!
• Give everyone, including pets, a rhyming name for a day. Daddy Laddy, Bethany Pethany, Spot Dot.
• Learn to sing “The Name Game.”
• Read aloud books that have rhyming stories; just ask library staff for recommendations.

Singing takes apart words into their smaller parts, which also helps children to understand later about the phonics of reading.

What can you do?

• Make up silly songs together.
• Sing while you’re bathing or diapering or feeding your child.
• Encourage sing alongs for the whole family.
• If you’re not comfortable singing, remember that the library has lots of CD’s to check out for free.