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It's Rhyme Time!
Why Toddlers Love Books That Rhyme
By Shannon McKelden
(Scholastic, 2001), Kathleen Hayes notes that rhyming stories invite "audience participation." "As you read, pause before reading the rhyming word, to invite your child to chime in," she says. "When kids participate in the reading in this way, long before they have learned to read, they will develop confidence that reading is something they can do!"
This method is used often by teachers. Ilona Peltz of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, used to teach kindergarten and found that she could keep the attention of her young charges with rhythm/rhyming books. "Our all-time favorite is Hippos Go Berzerk [by Sandra Boynton]," she says. "I'd have the children all lined up, dressed and ready for recess, and to kill the last minute or two until the bell rang ... we'd all chant this book together. I'd call out 'ONE!,' and they'd respond with 'Hippo, all alone.' We'd do it back and forth until the bell rang. Then, most of the kids would pour out the door, but a few would always stay to finish the chant; it was so much fun!"
The length of the rhymes should be age appropriate. For the younger toddlers, look for books with just a few rhymes per page, Kathleen Hayes advises, for example the Rosemary Wells nursery rhyme books. "The full page illustrations are engaging and will hold very young children's attention," she says.
Don't forget children's magazines, many of which feature rhyming poems and stories, and the library as sources for rhyming books. Nothing keeps the fun fresh like new adventures every month.
So whether you dig out your old childhood favorites or seek new treasures for your kids, never underestimate the power of rhyme for exciting your toddlers about reading.
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