Rhymes and Songs
Songs and nursery rhymes use rhyming words — words that sound the same at the end, like 'star' and 'are'. Listening to rhyming songs helps you hear sounds in words. This is an important step on the way to reading.
Worked examples
'Twinkle, twinkle, little STAR, how I wonder what you ARE.' Which two words rhyme?
'Star' and 'are' both end with the 'ar' sound — they rhyme. That's why the song sounds nice when you sing it.
Answer: star and are
'Mary had a little LAMB, its fleece was white as SNOW.' Do 'lamb' and 'snow' rhyme?
'Lamb' ends in 'amb' and 'snow' ends in 'ow' — different sounds at the end, so they don't rhyme.
Answer: no
Tips
- •Listen to the END of each word — that's where the rhyme is.
- •Clap or tap along to songs — it helps you hear the rhymes.
- •Sing rhyming songs out loud at home — the more you sing, the more you hear.
Key words
rhymesongrhymingsoundnursery rhyme