Why do we rhyme?

Have you noticed how much easier it is to quote Dr. Seuss or older poems that rhyme? It’s most likely because there’s an underlying beat and our ears learn to expect certain sounds.

Nursery rhymes are fun to sing and say, and because they rhyme, they also help children develop phonological awareness.  This is the word educators use for the ability to play with parts of words. Research shows this is an important skill for reading.(Early Literacy Storyimes.Ghoting, Saroj Nadkarmi, 2006)

We have plenty of nursery rhyme books! Check out Four and Twenty Dinosaurs by Bernard Most 

Here are two lesser known rhymes to get you started:

The leaves are green, the nuts are brown;

They hang so high, they won’t come down.

Leave them alone til frosty weather,

Then they’ll all come down together.

Wash the dishes,

Wipe the dishes,

Ring the bell for tea;

Three good wishes,

Three good kisses,

I will give to thee.