Poetry in Motion
Poetry is a playground for words! The more children love words, the more they’ll want to read! Sharing poems with your child is one of the most impactful ways you can practice important early literacy concepts like rhyming, rhythm, and phonemic awareness (the sounds letters make). Here are some ways you and your preschooler can practice poetry together:
- Read poetry collections and post favorite poems around your house
- Pick a very short poem to memorize and recite together
- Have a poetry tea party or pajama party
Nursery Rhymes
They may sound silly, but nursery rhymes have a lot to teach us. In addition to those important rhyming skills, nursery rhymes often feature fun vocabulary words and historical elements. Studies show that familiarity with nursery rhymes in preschool is associated with stronger literacy skills later in childhood. Here are some tips for sharing them:
- Read nursery rhyme books – the library has lots of great illustrated collections.
- Use visuals – nursery rhymes are meant to be shared aloud, but illustrations, props, or videos will help your child to better understand the content.
- Act them out – make up some hand motions, put on a costume, get creative!
Rhyme and Reason
Rhyming is one of the most foundational literacy skills, and it’s also the most fun! Children generally learn to rhyme in three phases: exposure to rhyming, recognizing rhymes, and then producing rhymes. Meanwhile, they’ll be learning lots about sounds, letters, syllables, and rhythm. Here are some ways to practice:
- Point out the rhymes in your favorite picture books and songs
- Play rhyming games – start very easy and work your way up
- Do a rhyming scavenger hunt in your house
Nursery Rhyme Time
Watch our Nursery Rhyme Time series on YouTube to learn the importance of rhyming in early development!
Rhyming Books
Giraffes Can’t Dance by Andreae Giles and Guy Parker-Rees
Frog On A Log by Kes Gray and Jim Field
Llama Llama series by Anna Dewdney
Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
