Rhyming games can be used to help a child learn about something new, or retain important information. Many things like historical facts and spelling rules have been turned into rhymes. Rhyming songs also can help children learn to count, and many teachers use alphabet rhymes to teach students the alphabet. A rhyming game called “What rhymes with…” can help sharpen a child’s spelling and rhyming skills. “What’s the next line?” a more challenging rhyming game, can help a child develop an interest in writing poetry or songs.
One way to help a child learn new things or remember facts is through the use of rhyming games. A fact given in rhyme form seems to be easier to recall. Most people who have heard the rhyme, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue,” remember it. The rhyme, “I before E except after C, or when sounding like A as in neighbor or weigh” is often used to help children remember how to spell certain words. Counting songs like “This Old Man” and “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe” are rhymes that are often used to teach children to count. There are also alphabet rhymes to help children learn the alphabet.
One of the easiest rhyming games is called “What rhymes with…” In this straightforward game, a parent or teacher picks a simple word, like ball, cat, or door, and asks a child to come up with as many new words that rhyme with the first word as he can. What makes this rhyming game so appealing is that it doesn’t require any equipment and can be played anywhere, whether in the classroom, or on a long and boring car trip. Along with helping a child learn about rhymes, “What rhymes with…” can also help to improve his spelling skills. If a child is instructed to write down all of the words he can think of that rhyme with another word, he will begin to understand that words that rhyme often have similar spellings.
Those looking for other rhyming games could try a game like, “What’s the next line?” In this game, a parent or teacher gives the child the first sentence, and the child must come up with a sentence that rhymes with it. This type of rhyming game can teach a child to appreciate poetry, and also help a child develop an interest in writing his own poems.