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I will be focusing on mode of reading and the key focus will be phonological awareness. Phonological awareness refers to the ability to mentally manipulate words, syllables and sounds in spoken language (Goldsworthy, 2010). The phonological aspects of a language include intonation, stress and timing as well as attending to words, syllabus and phonemes ( Hill, 2006). The resources here are targeting teachers and parents who can use them to guide and teach children to acquire understanding of how sounds of spoken language works.

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This pin offers a rhyming game which allow children to learn about rhyming words in a interesting and fun way. The board game has a rhyming picture pair on each space. Children can take turns moving around the board and naming the rhyming pictures when they landed on a space. It helps children to become more aware of rhyming words and learn how to construct them, expanding their vocabulary. This can be played with parents and siblings at home. Holdaway (1979) states that homes provide a setting where interaction between adults and children are socially, emotionally and intellectually conducive to literacy and growth. Also, Morrow (1989) identifies the five vehicles for early literacy development which includes home, language, reading, writing and school environment.

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This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This free rhyming game is perfect for young learners!

One of my favorite things about teaching is the day the light magically goes on.

When you've worked (for what feels like forever) and suddenly your learner gets it.

We had one of those happy moments in our house this week.

My daughter, almost four, figured out how to RHYME!

Now, my daughter has almost two years until kindergarten. But I'm always alert for potential challenges. And when she didn't learn to rhyme naturally after hearing a gazillion rhyming books (as her four older siblings did), I decided to be more intentional.

I decided to help her practice rhyming by creating a simple rhyming board game.

And, lo and behold - it worked!

The board game is super simple. It has a rhyming picture pair on each space. We took turns moving around the board and naming the rhyming pictures when we landed on a space.

"Car, star."
"Flag, bag."
"Five, hive."
"Book, hook."

You get the idea.

Instead of rolling a die to move around the board, we used cards with one or two dots on them. That makes this game accessible to young learners who aren't ready to count six dots and move six spaces. Plus, it makes the game longer ... which means your learner gets more practice!

I was surprised at how much she enjoyed this game. (In fact, we played it twice more after the first round, at her request!)

Even her older brother, age five, an expert rhymer but a notorious "I don't want to do learning activities with Mom" kid, asked to join in.

So I guess we have a hit! Who knew that such a simple game would do the trick?

Now, when I ask my Three to rhyme, she happily supplies a real or nonsense word.

"What rhymes with book?" "Pook!"
"What rhymes with pen?" "Sken!"
"What rhymes with horse?" "Porse!"
"What rhymes with car?" "Star!"

(She supplied all of those rhymes just now as I wrote this post.)

P.S. As I was finishing up this post, my Three asked, "Mom, would you do something fun with me?" I told her that I could do something fun with her after quiet time (i.e., Mom's work time). "What do you want to do?" She saw a picture of this game on my screen and replied, "Can we play that game again?"

Music to my ears.

P.P.S. This free game comes in a color version. To save ink, print in grayscale.

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This fun rhyming game is perfect for introducing rhyming to preschoolers! It works especially well when you've tried everything else and can't get it to click. #rhyming #phonologicalawareness #preschool

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This pin shows a silly picture book titled 'Down by the Bay' by Raffi, which uses exaggerated, no sense rhyme to make into a song. The insertion lyrics of the song follow a kind of variation of the question "Did you ever see a _____, _____ing a _____?", with rhyming words such as goose and moose. The rhyme will motivate children to focus more on the word sounds. Rhyming is an important phonological awareness skill. These rhyming words become the building blocks that children will build upon as they learn to decode words, build fluency and eventually become solid, independent readers.
(Gillon, 2017). This is link to Marie Clay's Emergent Literacy where children begin to understand the function of reading and develop a positive attitude towards it through listening to books.

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The pin suggest a outdoor phonics activity where children will pick up a balloon and bring to a letter to make into a word. If it is correct, they can throw the water balloon to the letter to burst it. This encourages children practice blending onset-rime words without the use of worksheet and allow children to use prior knowledge and apply them to build new ones in the process. Children also get to work together to help each other check if their answer is correct. According to social constructionist theory, Dewy(1966) emphasis that early childhood learning is build around the interest of the child and learn best through play because of social interaction. Hence, this activity the children actively seeks their own answers and leads to literacy and language development.

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Time for week 7 of Get Ready for K Through Play, the8 week series I am working on with my favorite bloggers. We will be providing you with all the tools you need to prepare your child for Kindergarten in fun, hands-on ways. Each week we have been focusing on a different Kindergarten readiness skill. This week's topic is Alphabet and Phonics and I will be sharing a fun water balloon game to help kids practice their phonics skills.
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Kids love water balloons and since it's summer can there be a more fun way to learn? For this phonics activity, I filled 15 water balloons and wrote some word endings on them - at, an, ar, ug, in. I made 3 balloons for each ending.

Then I wrote the following letters on index cards: F, H, C, J, P, B, and M. I taped those cards to the wall.

I gave the kids the box of water balloons with the word endings. They would pick a balloon and bring it up to a letter to see if it made a word. If it did, they had to read the word and they got try and throw the balloon on the letter to pop it.

In addition to being a fun phonics game, my kids had the opportunity to enjoy some gross motor play.

Sometimes they really surprised me with their good aim!

Whenever they got a new balloon, they would go down the line of letters to see if they had a word. "Har is not a word, but car is!"

Our game was interrupted by a little visitor who did not appreciate being splashed by water. We took a little break until he moved on.

As we played, we kept a list of the words that we made. At the end we read and reviewed them.

If you are looking for a way to practice phonics that doesn't involve worksheets and you want to beat the heat as well, then you need to try water balloon phonics.

You'll make a splash with your kids!

For more fun Alphabet and Phonics activities hop on over and visit my friends:

June 19 - Social and Emotional Skills

June 26 - Independence Skills

July 10 - Books, Reading and Literacy

July 17 - Fine Motor and Writing Skills

July 24 - Alphabet and Phonics

July 31 - Ready to Learn Skills

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Water Balloon Phonics - Get Ready for K Through Play - Mess for Less

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Time for week 7 of Get Ready for K Through Play, the 8 week series I am working on with my favorite bloggers. We will be providing you with all the tools you need to prepare your child for Kindergarten in fun, hands-on ways. Each week we have been focusing on a different Kindergarten readiness skill.

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This pin allows children to engage in a hands-on phonemic awareness activity where children will roll the playdough into balls and place basic consonant-vowel-consonant letter cards on top separately. The children will learn the different individual letter sounds by moving the playdough balls apart and blending all the sounds together by moving the balls closer. For instance 'c', 'a', 't' and putting them together to make 'cat'. This activity also allows children to do phoneme manipulation and sound word discrimination by changing 'cat' to 'bat', identify with word or sound is same or different. The ability to hear the sounds in words and to isolate the sounds from one another can help a child become a reader. Even before he learns the letters of the alphabet, a child can say the sounds in his language. When he can hear the sounds in a word and tell where the sounds occur in the word, he is developing pre-reading skills. According to Gillon (2017), research has shown that a child’s awareness of the sounds of spoken words is a strong predictor of his or her later success in learning to read.

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Kids will have fun learning about phonemic awareness with this fun, hands on activity building words with playdough. This is the perfect learning activity for PreK, Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade kids.

Before a child can learn to read, they need to be aware of the sounds ( phonemes) that make up words.

Use this fun phonemic awareness activity with playdough balls to help your child physically separate the sounds while doing word building.

Phonemic Awareness

Start with basic CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words.

1. Say the word aloud, count how many sound you hear.

2. Make that many balls with the playdough, place them apart.

3. Find the first letter you hear and press into the first ball of playdough.

4. Find the next letter you hear etc.

5. Now move the balls with letters closer to each other, starting with the first sound you hear: "c", "a", "t"(Segmenting: breaking words into their individual sounds).

6. Now say the whole word: "cat"(blending all the sounds together).

If your child is ready to learn about diagraphs(two letters make one sound like "ng"), do the same but now there are still three sounds(three balls of dough) with four letters.

Ask your child to change the word "ring" to "bring". He/she should be able to hear the "b" sound that needs to be added in front of "ring".

You could also add phoneme manipulation to the activity by asking your child to change the word "cat" to "cot". He/she should be able to hear the difference and then find the letter that needs to change.

Variation

For younger kids that does not know their letters yet: only do it orally. Do still use the playdough balls idea, but without the cards. For example: say the word, count the sounds, make the playdough balls while sounding it out and move the balls together while saying the word.

For older kids: move onto trigraphs, and difficult vowel combinations like "dough" where it will only be two balls for the two sounds(despite the 5 letters): "d" and "ough". Tricky words can also be done in the same manner. For example: "special" can be seen as 5 sounds: "s" "p" "e" "cia" "l".

A lovely, tactile way to bring phonemic awareness into a word building activity!
More fun word building ideas:

Nadia is South African mom to two littlies, a former preschool teacher and currently working as a reading therapist at a remedial school. She blogs over at Teach Me Mommy about easy and playful activities inspiring you to be your child's first teacher. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Kids will have fun learning about phonemic awareness with this fun, hands on activity building words with playdough. This is the perfect learning activity for PreK, Kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade kids. Before a child can learn to read, they need to be aware of the sounds ( phonemes) that make up words.

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Must have apps for phonological awareness

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Must have apps for phonological awareness

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This pins is a list of apps for phonological awareness. Such multimodalilty approach allow parents and educators to enhance the classroom experience, allowing creativity and flexibility between teachers and learner's interactions as well as satisfy all learning styles and cognitive differences, as well as to achieve individual and general aims and objectives. However, this can be a controversial resource as the issues concerning are the impact of our multidisciplinary twenty-first century, the evolution of communication within and outside of the classroom, interaction including and consciously considering modes employed and how these affect learning and the cognitive process of language acquisition (Marchetti & Cullen, 2009)

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Counting Syllables: Pictures and Fingers 

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Counting Syllables: Pictures and Fingers 

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This pins shows a youtube video demonstrates an effectively way to teach children how to count and segment syllabus using fingers and picture word cards instead of clapping. This helps children who cannot multi-task to count while clap to be able to do the counting more easily. Becoming aware of the syllabus in words helps children to write and read compound words like birthday and words with several syllabus such as umbrella (Hill, 2006). In addition, this resource is supported by visual literacy theory where children make meaning of the word from the image and such visuals can enhance and accelerate classroom instructions for using images to build skills to support reading and making meaning of text. (Dumetz,

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Counting Syllables: Pictures and Fingers

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This pin shows the Letterland phonics where there are different letterlanders characters. Each characters have their own songs that reinforce alliteration such as 'Annie Apple, she says 'a...'. She belongs to Mr. A'.  In addition, the song allows children to learn the letter sounds too. Awareness of similar sounds in alliteration sentence, as at the beginning of words such as annie and apple, is vital for learning the sound-and-letter correspondence of initial letters in phonics (Hill, 2006). Phonemic awareness is the insight that every spoken word can be conceived of as a sequence of phonemes, hence it is the key to understand the logic pf alphabetic principle and thus to learn ability of phonics and reading (Hill, 2006). Such media literacy of using media such as youtube videos allows parents and educators to use media wisely and effectively.

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This pin allows children and parents to go on an outdoor scavenger hunt together to search for answers to clues given on the paper list. Each item required the children to think about words that rhyme, begin or end with a certain sound, contain a certain number of syllables, or identify letters found in the environment.  As the family looks for objects beginning with certain letters or rhyming with other words, this activity will strengthen the child's observation skills while building literacy. This is supported by Vygotsky's social constructionist  theory where children actively construct knowledge and involved in hands-experiences and such learning will lead to literacy development. Also, adults play important role to scaffold and facilitate children's learning in the literacy walk.

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Get Your Kids Walking & Talking With a Literacy Scavenger Hunt

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Turn your next stroll into a language-building challenge with this fun-for-the-family printable.

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This pin shows the different ways and methods of learning word families such as -op, -at and -ip. According to research, another strategy that has proven to be helpful for many children is the teaching of phonograms. We often refer to these as “word families” because the onset (beginning sound of the word) can be changed to produce a family of words that all rhyme.  This allows children to begin grouping sets of letters within a word to make it more easily recognizable the next time that she sees the same chunk.

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by -
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What are Word Families?

Beginning readers can benefit greatly from learning and implementing word families. Here is what I share regarding phonograms (the fancy word for word families) in my I Can Teach My Child to Read eBook:

"Another strategy that has proven to be helpful for many children is the teaching of phonograms. We often refer to these as "word families" because the onset (beginning sound of the word) can be changed to produce a family of words that all rhyme. This allows children to begin grouping sets of letters within a word to make it more easily recognizable the next time that she sees the same chunk."

"Once your child recognizes the word "mop", she'll then have an advantage to reading all of the other words that have the same rime (top, pop, stop, cop, hop) because only one letter (the onset) is changing."

Word families can be taught and incorporated in a variety of different word games and activities, which make learning fun and engaging for kindergarten and preschool learners.

Our Favorites:
Word Family Activity: Pull Out Words
More Word Family Activities & Games:

Word Family Game: Word Ladders :: No Time for Flashcards

Word Building with Magnets and Tape :: No Time for Flashcards

Spin and Rhyme :: No Time for Flashcards

Word Family Activity: Houses Worksheet :: No Time for Flashcards

Rhyming Jars :: No Time for Flashcards

Word Family Game: Spin a Word Family :: Playdough to Plato

Word Family Game: Tic Tac Toe :: Kids Activities Blog

Word Family Blackout :: This Reading Mama

Word Family Activity: Learn to Read Strips :: Kids Activities Blog

Word Family Playdough Mats :: 1+1+1=1

Roll & Graph Word Families :: 1+1+1=1

DIY Building Words Center :: Apples & ABC's

The Cat in the Hat Word Family Game :: The Pleasantest Thing

Word Families Flip Chart :: Kids Activities Blog

Word Family Garden :: Playdough to Plato

Word Family Eggs :: Playdough to Plato

Word Families with Bread Ties :: Still Playing School

Paint Chip Word Families :: Life with Moore Babies

Word Family Slam :: Toddler Approved

Apples and Worms Word Family Activity :: J Daniel 4's Mom

Keurig Cup Word Families :: Kathy Griffin's Teaching Strategies

McDonalds Fries Word Family Sorting :: First Grade Schoolbox

Stamp & Spell Literacy Play (with laydough, alphabet stamps, and scrabble letters) :: Childhood 101

Click here for more ideas for preschoolers & kindergarteners:
Is Your Child Kindergarten Ready? 33 Ways To Prepare Your Child For Kindergarten Homeschooling Preschool How To Teach A Child To Read Dr. Seuss Preschool Activities Fun Sight Word Activities For Kids 5 Pre-writing Activities For Preschoolers
Interested in teaching your child to read? Check out our eBook!

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30+ Fun Word Family Activities & Games - I Can Teach My Child!

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by - This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy. Beginning readers can benefit greatly from learning and implementing word families.

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This pin offers a list of books that/ rhymes. The best way to get children expose to rhymes is through books and songs. It teaches them how language works by noticing how the sound and letter works. According to Teale (1982) emergent literacy theory, he states that literacy is as a result of children's involvement in reading activities by literate adults. Hence, literacy is develop in the early years of a child's life and it is a continuous building of knowledge on oral language which will contribute to reading and writing.

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Looking for a list of books that rhyme? We've got 75 favorites in this post!
This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no cost to you.
If you've been following this blog for a while, you know I like to talk about the importance of rhyming. If a child begins kindergarten without an understanding of rhyme, h/she is most likely going to have problems learning to read.

The good news is that most children learn to rhyme through games and books. And it's not too late to get started!

I've been working at teaching my three-year-old to rhyme. It finally clicked after we played this simple game.

And she's getting better and better at it - thanks to all the rhyming books I've been bringing home from the library! In this post I'll share our favorite rhyming books for kids of all ages.

The ultimate list of books that rhyme

Down by the Bay, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

The best way to teach rhyming is to start reading rhyming books to your baby or toddler. My almost-tw0-year-old doesn't rhyme yet (truthfully, he hardly talks!), but he adores his board books - especially ones we can sing, like this one. And the silly song is one I don't mind singing over and over again. Usually. Ages 0-4.

Drummer Hoff, by Barbara Emberley

This 1968 Caldecott (best picture) winner tells the story of seven soldiers who put together a cannon - and Drummer Hoff, who fires it off. The pattern will remind you of "This is the House that Jack Built," but it's much shorter and a lot more appealing to kids. This is another favorite of my one-year-old. Ages 1-4.

Barnyard Dance, by Sandra Boyton

Truth. I cannot get my current toddler (almost two) to listen to Sandra Boynton books yet (with the exception of Snuggle Puppy). They just aren't his thing. But his five older siblings all had their favorites, especially this one. "Bow to the horse. Bow to the cow. Twirl with the pig if you know how." This book of square-dancing animals is irresistible. Ages 0-3.

Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown

The simple illustrations and gentle, quiet poetry make this a lovely book for bedtime. If this book does not hold your baby's interest, keep trying or set it aside for a few months. Like generations before her, she will learn to love it. Ages 0-2.

Ten in the Bed, by Penny Dale

I can't even begin to count how many times I've read this rhyming book to my toddler. We love the illustrations and the fun story of a little boy who keeps pushing his stuffed animals out of the bed. Ages 0-2.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat, by Annie Kubler

Be sure to check out this and the many other familiar rhymes illustrated by Annie Kubler. They are simply done with happy babies draw throughout. Just the right length for a tiny listener. Ages 0-2.

Busy Barnyard, by John Schindel

I have found that photographs interest babies more often than illustrations. I love the busy books series for a few reasons: they have fun photographs, they rhyme, and they're short. Perfect for babies. We also love "Busy Piggies," "Busy Kitties," and "Busy Monkeys." Ages 0-2.

Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino

In this classic story with Steven Kellogg's unmatched illustrations, Lloyd the llama guesses what animal is each baby's mama. This book works especially well for having your child complete the rhymes. I've found that my kids don't start enjoying this one until they're at least two and a half. Ages 2-5.

I Spy Little Books, by Jean Marzollo

I don't know what it is about this series of rhyming books, but they've been a favorite for all my babies. I think it helps that I created a simple tune that I use as I sing the books. These books are actually the first board books that have captured my kids' attention. You can find many books in this series. Ages 0-2.

Nursery Rhymes, by Kate Toms

Nursery rhymes are an absolute must for your toddlers and preschoolers (and even older children, too!). This beautifully illustrated collection by Kate Toms is a favorite of my one-year-old. He says very little, but the other day I heard him talking to himself as he looked at This Little Piggy. "Wee, wee, wee ..." Ages 0-3.

Mouse Mess, by Linnea Asplind Riley

This rhyming tale of a mischievous mouse is a quick and fun read. "Crackle, sweep, he rakes cornflakes - and jumps into the pile he makes!" When they were first learning to talk my older kids loved to fill in the rhyming word at the end of each page. Ages 1-5.

The Lady with the Alligator Purse, illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott

We love singing books, so my kids are big fans of the silly song about a baby named Tiny Tim who tries to eat a bathtub. Miss Lucy calls the doctor, the nurse... and the lady with the alligator purse! Ages 2-5.

Shoo Fly! by Iza Trapani

We enjoy many of Iza Trapani's books in which she takes a familiar song and adds verses with her own unique illustrations. My kids can't get enough of this one, and I love to sing it! "Shoo fly, don't bother me, shoo fly, don't bother me..." Ages 3-6.

I Saw an Ant on the Railroad Track, by Joshua Prince

This book was a favorite of my Five and Seven back when they were three and four years old. They wanted to hear it every time they caught a glimpse of it. Rhythmic rhyme tells the story of an ant walking on the railroad track... while a freight train comes right his way. What will switchman Jack do? This book is so fun to read and listen to! Ages 3-6.

Trashy Town, by Andrea Zimmerman

This was a big favorite at our house when my older boys were little. Mr. Gilly drives around Trashy Town collecting garbage. After each pick-up we read, "Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the trashy town!" The simple illustrations, predictable text, and of course the subject (trash!) will likely make this a winner at your house, too. Ages 2-5.

Itsy Bitsy Spider, by Iza Trapani

I've already mentioned that we love Iza Trapani's books. The additional verses to our favorite rhymes are so much fun! We had a copy of this book in our back seat the other day when I was picking up some girls for a play date with my ten-year-old daughter. I love that all three of them had fun singing the book together as we drove back to our house. Ages 1-6.

Bear Snores On, by Karma Wilson

This and the other books in the series are made even better by Jane Chapman's endearing illustrations. In the first book, many animals and birds get out of the cold and into Bear's warm cave. As they brew tea and pop corn, Bear snores on. When he wakes up to find his friends having fun without him, Bear is distraught: "You've snuck in my lair, and you've all had fun. But me? I was sleeping... and I have had none!" Ages 2-6.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

Here's a favorite that deserves a place on every list of rhyming books! The lowercase letters are climbing the coconut tree, but it can't hold them all. Chicka chicka boom boom! Uppercase letters rush to comfort their injured children. Ages 2-5.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, by Pam Adams

Are you familiar with the silly old song? This is one of our favorite books because of the wonderful illustration with the die-cut holes - revealing all the animals the old lady swallows. My toddler liked this one too, although I had to be careful that he didn't rip the pages. Ages 1-5.

Baby Danced the Polka, by Karen Beaumont

What a clever lift-the-flap book! We loved this simple book about a baby who just isn't ready for his nap ... so every time he's put to bed, he gets up from the crib to dance a polka, do the boogie-woogie, dance the cha-cha, all with different stuffed animals. My favorite thing about the book is how easy it is for kids to guess the rhyming word. After they guess, lift the flap to see if they're right. A winner! Ages 2-4.

Clap Your Hands, by Lorinda Bryan Cauley

Not only is this a wonderful rhyming book, but it's also a book that will inspire your preschooler to get up and move. I love how the rhymes are easy for young listeners to fill in. "Reach for the sky, wiggle your toes. / Stick out your tongue and touch your _____." Recommended! Ages 2-4.

The Very Cranky Bear, by Nick Bland

This book has become very popular, but I'll be honest. I just didn't care for the story. It's about a cranky bear who encounters four animals who try to cheer him up. It felt weird to me that the sheep had to shave half her body to make a pillow for the bear and finally cheer him up. That said, the book has cute illustrations, excellent rhyme, and my three-year-old loved it. Also, it's a best-seller. So I'm probably missing something. Ages 3-5.

Edward the Emu, by Sheena Knowles
Duck in the Truck, by Jez Alborough
"Edward the emu was sick of the zoo. There was nowhere to go, there was nothing to do." So each night, Edward finds a new animal cage and pretends to be that animal. After sharing a cage with a seal, lion, and snake. Edward returns to his own cage - only to discover a new emu has taken residence there. "'Hello, I'm Edwina! It's nice meeting you. You're the best thing I've seen since I came to the zoo!'" Children will also enjoy the sequel, Edwina the Emu. Ages 3-6.

This is a fun rhyming book about a duck whose truck is stuck in the muck... and the animals who help him get out. My second son (now seven years old) loved it as a toddler; in fact, he requested it every time we drove by the library. Finally he received it as a gift for his third birthday. Ages 2-5.

There's a Wocket in My Pocket, by Dr. Seuss

This book lends itself to a lot of fun rhyming practice. The narrator rhymes nonsense words with real words by naming all the strange creatures in the house - the nupboard in the cupboard, the ghairs beneath the stairs, and the bofa on the sofa. The play on words is excellent for building phonemic awareness, too! Ages 3-6.

Noni the Pony, by Alison Lester

I include this book because it has some nice rhymes and beautiful pictures. That said, the story didn't grab us. In fact, I've read it several times and still can't remember what it's about. Worth reading a couple of times, but probably not one you're going to get attached to. Ages 3-4.

The Terrible Plop, by Ursula Dubosarsky

This book will remind you of Chicken Little - when the rabbits hear an apple fall in a stream and run away, terrified of "the terrible plop." Soon all the forest animals are in a frenzy, until the rabbit comes face to face with unbelieving bear. I thought the story just okay, and the ending predictable. But my Three loves it and requests it often. She gets the final word. 🙂 Ages 3-5.

Don't Forget the Bacon! by Pam Hutchins

This is a fun book which might remind you of that old Sesame Street sketch. As a little boy heads for the store, his mother calls, "Six farm eggs, a cake for tea, a pound of pears, and don't forget the bacon." Before long her son is reciting, "six fat legs, a cape for me, a flight of stairs, and don't forget the bacon." This is a fun story for kids of all ages, but if you want to use it to teach rhyming, use it with older listeners. Ages 3-6.

Rhymoceros, by Janik Coat

This book was a big hit at our house, and even my toddler (who loves only a very specific set of board books) wanted to listen too. We adore the lovely, textured graphics, and the rhymes such as grumpy/bumpy, stinky/inky, and tired/wired. One to own, along with another favorite by the same author, Hippoposites. Ages 1-5.

Baa Baa Black Sheep, by Iza Trapani

Here's another of Trapani's creative takes on common nursery rhymes. This one doesn't flow as well as some of the others, but we still enjoyed it. In these additional verses to Baa Baa Black Sheep, the other animals are offended when the sheep doesn't give them any of the things they ask for (milk, hay, bones, seed, etc.). As it turns out, she's busy knitting something special for each of them. Ages 2-5.

The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson and Ariel Scheffler

A clever mouse outwits a hungry fox, owl, and snake by warning them of a ferocious beast whose favorite foods are roasted fox, owl ice cream, and scrambled snake. When it turns out that the Gruffalo really does exist, the mouse has one more creature to outsmart. I can't say enough wonderful things about this one. Buy it for Christmas! Ages 3-7.

Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson

This book was an immediate hit with my kids, and even the older kids joined us on the couch. We love the funny story about a witch who keeps dropping things from her broom, and the helpful animals who return them. When a terrible dragon is ready to eat the witch, her animal friends come to her rescue. We especially love the delightful ending. Ages 3-7.

I Ain't Gonna Paint no More! by Karen Beaumont

What I love about this book: the amazing illustrations, the way it allows students to guess the rhyming words before you turn the page, and the silly story of a child who isn't supposed to paint anymore, but paints his whole body. What I don't love: rhymingwith heck and butt (the second one is implied) in a book for preschoolers. Ages 3-6.

Snowmen at Night, by Caralyn Buehner
Llama Llama Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdney
So what do snowmen do at night? According to this book, they leave our yards and join their friends for snowball fights, sledding, and even snow baseball. This is a fun story, but the paintings really steal the show. This is my favorite, but you'll find many more books by the same author ( Snowmen at Christmas, Snowmen at Work, and Snowmen at Play). Ages 3-6.

This story will ring true for parents who are called back to their child's bedroom too many times after lights out. In the end, Llama learns that sometimes his mother is busy, and he must be patient. The rhymes, fun pictures, and reassuring message combine to make this a favorite. "Mama llama's always near, even if she's not right here." Ages 2-5.

Sheep in a Jeep, by Nancy Shaw

It's hard not to fall in love with this hilarious rhyming book about five bumbling sheep and their road trip. If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out! Ages 2-5.

Hand, Hand, Fingers Thumb, by Al Perkins

This is a fun rhythmic book about monkeys drumming on drums... with the catchy refrain "Dum ditty dum ditty dum dum dum." Fun to read, listen to, and read along! Ages 0-4.

Dog on a Frog? by Kes & Claire Gray

This book is absolutely hilarious. It's about a frog who is not happy about a dog sitting on him. As it turns out, dogs are supposed to sit on frogs. Just like cats sit on mats and frogs sit on logs. But the frog has had enough and changes the rules. Now dogs should sit on logs, cats should sit on gnats, slugs should sit on plugs ... and on and on it goes. My favorite page is the one where cheetahs sit on fajitas. Definitely one to check out! Also read its companion, Frog on a Log? Ages 3-7.

This book is actually the prequel to Dog on a Frog, and it's very similar. Cat tells Frog that all animals have a place they must sit - because it's the right thing to do. At the end of the book, Frog learns the unfortunate truth that frogs sit on dogs. Also hilarious! Ages 3-7.

I always appreciate rhyming books which build up to the rhyme, so that your learner can guess it before turning the page. This page does just that as your child tries to guess which animal the magic hat lands on. I think it's a cute story, but my Three didn't care for it. I still think you should give it a try with your learners. Ages 3-5.

How Do Dinosaurs series, by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

This is such a dear set of books; there are many in the series, and not one has disappointed me. You'll love the beautifully illustrated dinosaurs who teach a lesson about child behavior in an appealing way. The rhymes are perfect. So well done! Ages 2-5.

I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie, by Alison Jackson

I'm a fan of any retelling of I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. I guess I'm biased, because this was an old song I loved to hear my mom sing to me when I was a kid. This book is an absolutely hilarious, completely absurd Thanksgiving version of the old song. The old lady swallows a pie, some cider, a roll, a squash, an entire turkey... we've read this countless times and never tire of it. Ages 3-7.

Moose on the Loose, by Kathy-Jo Wargin

Bold illustrations and simple rhymes make this book a winner. "What would you do with a moose on the loose? Would you chase him or race him or stand up to face him?" Ages 3-5.

There's a Bear on My Chair, by Ross Collins

This is a funny book about a mouse who's very frustrated by a polar bear who won't get off his chair. Interestingly, all the rhymes in the book rhyme with bear - so this book won't teach a lot of variety when it comes to rhyming. But it's extremely creative and funny. Ages 3-6.

One Duck Stuck, by Phyllis Root

My middle boys couldn't get enough of this rhythmic rhyming book when they were two and four years old. "Down by the marsh, by the sleepy, slimy marsh, one duck gets stuck in the muck. Who can help? As each group of animals comes by to help (from two fish all the way up to ten dragonflies), there's "no luck. The duck stays stuck in the muck." But when all the animals work together... "Spluck!" Ages 2-5.

The Frogs and Toads All Sang, by Arnold Lobel

This is a lovely set of short rhyming stories that were discovered by Arnold Lobel's daughter after his death. At first glance, I thought it would bore my Three, but she loved the silly little rhymes. Ages 3-6.

Giraffes Can't Dance, by Giles Andreae

Every year the animals come together for the spectacular Jungle Dance. But poor Gerald the Giraffe... his legs are too skinny and his neck too long. All the animals let him know that he can't dance. Finally, when Gerald starts dancing to his own music, the animals are entranced. We just enjoyed the story, but you could get deeper with the story's lesson... "sometimes when you're different, you just need a different song." Ages 3-6.

Who Stole the Cookies? by Judith Moffatt

Many versions of this story exist, but this early reader is my kids' favorite. They like the collage illustrations and simple rhymes. This is one from our personal library, and I've read it more times than I can count! Ages 2-5.

Goodnight, Good night, Construction Site, by Sherri Duskey Rinker

Have you ever driven by a construction site in the evening when all the big machines are quiet and still? This book brings those big machines to life in a tender way. Ages 3-5.

I Like Bugs, by Margaret Wise Brown
Hairy Maclary's Bone, by Lynley Dodd
We own this simple rhyming book, and it's been a favorite at our house for quite a few years. Quick to read, with fun illustrations. Recommended! Ages 2-5.

It seems that Lynley Dodd's books are a well-kept secret here in the U.S. In this book, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy gets a bone; five hungry dogs (Bitzer Maloney all skinny and bony, Schnitzel Von Krumm with the very low tum...) try to follow him home, but he loses them one by one. Dodd's books have great illustrations, funny storylines, and clever rhymes featuring new words which will broaden your child's vocabulary (maybe yours too!). They are quick reads and appealing to toddlers up through early grade school. Have I convinced you yet? Check your library. 🙂Ages 3-7.

Over in the Meadow, by Lilian Obligado

If you don't know this familiar rhyme, you should absolutely check it out! There are many books that present this fun song, but the illustrations in this one are our favorites. Not sure how the song goes? Google it on Youtube. The book isn't any fun if you don't sing it! Ages 2-5.

Jesse Bear, Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom

This is a gentle, comforting book about a little bear who takes us through a fun day of playing. I thought it would be boring, but I was pleasantly surprised. Sweet, but definitely for younger listeners. Ages 2-4.

Row Row Row your Boat, by Iza Trapani

Here's another favorite from Iza Trapani. The pictures steal the show as a family of bears gets caught in a rainstorm. A favorite! Ages 3-5.

The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss
Hickory Dickory Dock, by Keith Baker
Some of the longer Dr. Seuss books test my patience, but I never get tired of this one! The Sneetches are yellow creatures that are divided into two groups: those with stars on the bellies and those without. Those with stars believe they are far superior to the plain-bellied Sneetches. But when a sly visitor comes to town and tricks them into spending loads of money to prove they're the best, all the Sneetches learn a valuable lesson. Ages 4-7.

We're big fans of nursery rhymes at our house, so we really love this book which expands on the traditional rhyme. As the clock strikes a new number, another animal wanders by the clock. "Hickory, dickory, dock. Someone nibbled the clock. The clock struck nine - a porcupine! Hickory, dickory, dock." Ages 2-5.

Cars! Cars! Cars! by Grace Maccarone
I'm a Little Teapot, by Iza Trapani
This is a great rhyming book with charming pictures. It's a quick read and a book your preschooler will love so much he'll soon be reciting it to you. It also works well for teaching opposites. Ages 2-5.

(Yes, another Trapani favorite!) The teapot shares its dreams with us by reciting adventures of all kinds- fighting a bull in Mexico, meeting an alien in space, singing in an opera, going on a fox hunt... okay, so it's a bit of a stretch. But we love to sing it! Ages 3-5.

The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss wrote this book nearly sixty years ago, but its popularity has only increased over the years. There's just something irresistible about the crazy cat who livens up the day of two children on a "cold, cold, wet day." Ages 2-6.

Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans

This is a classic book about 12 little girls who live in a boarding school in Paris under the care of their teacher, Miss Clavel. Children are fascinated by the ending, in which Madeline needs to go to the hospital to have her appendi removed. It's easy to see why this book has delighted children for generations. Ages 3-7.

Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen

We own and love this book about a group of silly animals who try to squeeze into a small boat. The illustrations are the best part - but the simple story and funny ending are also wonderful. Ages 2-6.

My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes, by Eve Sutton

This is a favorite book from my childhood, so I was thrilled to discover it at the library to share with my preschooler! The cat from France likes to sing and dance, the cat from Norway get stuck in the doorway ... and so it goes around the world, always ending with "but my cat likes to hide in boxes!" A favorite. Ages 2-5.

Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush, by Iza Trapani

This is my last recommendation for Trapani's books, I promise! She has quite a few more, but their rhymes are forced and not as engaging as the ones I've mentioned in this post. I love this book because it tells the story of animals invading a garden - with the gardener doing everything she can to keep thm out, only to be thwarted by another animal! This rings true for our house, as my husband now has three types of fence on our garden (to keep out the rabbits, raccoons, and deer). Ages 3-6.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies, by Jan Thomas

This is a quick, funny book about some dust bunnies who rhyme wherever they go - and are completely confused by Bob's non-rhyming warning to beware of the vacuum cleaner! Ages 3-6.

The Pout-Pout Fish, by Deborah Diesen

This has to be one of my favorites on the list because the book is just so fun to read. All the other ocean creatures want to know why the Pout Pout fish is so glum. But he just can't help it! "I"m a pout pout fish with a pout pout face, and I spread my dreary wearies all over the place. Glub... glub... glub." This continues until the silver fish shows up and turns his frown upside down. It turns out that the Pout-Pout fish is actually a Kiss-Kiss fish! Ages 3-7.

The Seven Silly Eaters, by Mary Ann Hoberman

Mary Ann Hoberman is the author of many rhyming children's books including the You read to Me, I'll Read to You series. In this book Mrs. Peters has seven children - each of whom will eat (or drink) only one particular food. Poor Mrs. Peters is worn to the bone cooking homemade oatmeal, baking homemade bread, squeezing lemons for lemonade and peeling apples for applesauce. At the end of the book the family discovers a recipe that everyone will eat. Ages 3-7.

Mrs. Spider's Tea Party, by David Kirk

This and the other Miss Spider books are bright, fun stories suited for older children because of their higher vocabulary and clever word play. In this first book, Mrs. Spider is devastated when none of the insects she's invited will come to her beautiful tea party. When a drenched moth is forced to stop by, he learns that Mrs. Spider is a herbivore, and she soon becomes a friend of all the bugs. Ages 3-7.

The Hungry Thing, by Jane Slepian and Ann Seidler

This book and its sequel (The Hungry Thing Returns) are the perfect books to teach rhyming to older children. A hungry monster visits a town (a school in the second book), but when making requests he speaks in rhyme. What does he mean by "flamburgers?" What is "crackeroni and sneeze?" These books are real treasures but can be hard to find - check your library. Ages 3-7.

And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street, by Dr. Seuss

This, the first book Dr. Seuss published, is about an imaginative boy named Marco. With great exaggeration, Marco describes what he sees and hears along Mulberry Street. On each page he turns the ordinary man and wagon into something even more outlandish. Ages 4-7.

Horton Hears a Who!by Dr. Seuss

Horton the elephant hears a small sound from a speck of dust, which turns out to be a tiny community called Whoville. Horton takes it on himself to protect the Whos because "a person's a person, no matter how small." You might appreciate checking this book out from the library from time to time instead of owning it; it is very long. An audio version with Dustin Hoffman as narrator is wonderful to listen to in the car. Ages 4-7.

Kermit the Hermit, by Bill Peet

Kermit is a hermit crab who stores all the junk he finds in his cave. One day he is rescued from a dog by a boy in ragged clothes. Kermit wants to thank the boy, so when he finds a treasure of gold, he slowly accumulates it until he must move his hoard out of his cave. A pelican helps him deliver it down the chimney of the boy's ramshackle home. The boy's family becomes rich, and Kermit learns to think of others first. Ages 4-8.

"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!", by Patricia Thomas

The elephant warns the other animals about a tremendous sneeze on its way. The sneeze would blow the stripes off the zebra, the monkeys out of the trees, and the hippopotamus onto his bottamus. As all the animals plead with the elephant not to sneeze, he laughs instead. Young children will laugh along with him. Ages 3-7.

"I Can't" Said the Ant, by Polly Cameron

This is the classic (1961) story of a broken tea pot and all the kitchen items who try to help. "Teapot fell," said the dinner bell. "Is she dead?" asks the bread. "Broke her spout," said the trout. "Push her up," said the cup. "I can't," said the ant. "Please try," said the pie." Ages 3-7.

The Caboose Who Got Loose, by Bill Peet

Katy Caboose is unhappy with her dirty, jostling life at the end of the train but finds happiness at the end of this action-filled story when her rusty bolts break apart from the train. Anyone who thinks rhyming books must be simple has never read Bill Peet. "The next thing she knew she was jerked and then jolted, then hitched to the train with her coupler bolted..." Ages 4-8.

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The ultimate list of books that rhyme - The Measured Mom

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Looking for a list of books that rhyme? We've got 75 favorites in this post! This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no cost to you. If you've been following this blog for a while, you know I like to talk about the importance of rhyming.