Seuss on the Loose Cool Homeschool Rhyme Time

Dr. Seuss was the master of rhyme, and rhyming is a great literacy activity that builds phonemic awareness and can build vocabulary. You can have fun rhyming with your kids in your homeschool as you celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday on Read Across America Day – March 2!

~Read One Fish, Two Fish, Read Fish, Blue Fish. This book is full of short vignettes that rhyme. You can discuss which words rhyme in each vignette and compile a list.

~Play “Go Fish for a Rhyme”. Make a deck of cards with pairs of rhyming words. Play as you would normally play “Go Fish” except ask for a word that rhymes with one of your cards. For example, ask, “Do you have a word that rhymes with car?”

~Play “Toss-a-Rhyme”. Use a bean bag or a small soft ball for this kinesthetic activity. The first player holds the ball, says a word (such as cat), and tosses the ball to another player. The next player catches the ball and says a word that rhymes with the first player’s word (sat). Then the ball is tossed to another player for another rhyming word (fat). Other players can give hints if someone gets stuck. If no one can think of a rhyming word, then the player holding the ball chooses a new word.

~Make collages of words that rhyme. This is an especially great way to work with younger children who are not yet reading. Brainstorm words together first. For example, a collage might include pictures of the following: black, sack, tack, track, hack, jack, mac (truck), pack, rack, and stack.

~Play “Find the Rhyme”. This is another kinesthetic way to teach non-readers to rhyme. Fill a shoe box with small items, trinkets, or toys. Be sure to include rhyming pairs (sock-block, crow-bow, girl-curl, hat-cat). Pair up the items that rhyme.

~Write a short story or even a rap in Seuss’s style. Easy Fun School has a great example of how you can do this with your kids.

Enjoy some word play and rhyme away!

Photo courtesy of ffg

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