- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- babies today articles
- babies today q&a
- toddlers today articles
- toddlers today q&a
- breastfeed.com articles
- breastfeed.com q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
It's Rhyme Time!
Why Toddlers Love Books That Rhyme
By Shannon McKelden
(Penguin, 2007). "Since reading is the foundation for virtually all other learning, it is crucial that parents make reading time as fun and engaging as possible – rhymes accomplish this goal."
One of the best things about rhymes, no matter the form, is that kids don't have to be taught to love them. The enjoyment comes naturally.
Sharon Wren's boys were about 2 years old when they picked up the fun of rhymes, and that enjoyment has continued, even as they have gotten older. "My youngest is on a Dr. Seuss kick right now," says the mom from East Moline, Ill. "I can almost do Green Eggs and Ham from memory. When he found out I used to make my mom read me Cat in the Hat every day when I was little, he started asking for it too."
What babies and toddlers don't know is that while they're having fun with rhymes, they're also learning.
Wren believes rhymes helped her boys pick up the basics of language. "I think the word/sound repetition helps build vocabulary," she says. "Once kids can recognize, say, the word 'cat,' they get so excited when they see it again. Once they know 'cat,' it's a short hop to 'hat,' 'pat,' etc."
Kathleen Hayes, editor of Highlights High Five magazine, which includes rhyming poetry and stories for children ages 2 to 6, agrees. "Word families (cat, fat, sat, mat) are used to teach specific word attack skills, and if kids have had lots of practice recognizing rhyming words before they are formally introduced to phonics instruction, they will have an easier time making sense of how leters and sounds 'work,'" she says.
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||