And Rediscover the Joy of Rhyme
In planning Storybook Workshop curriculums over the years, I’ve often found myself on a quest to reconnect with the simple joys of my own childhood. Along the way, I’ve reimagined those memories—updating and enhancing them—so they can hold a special place in your child’s classroom experience.
One of my favorites from childhood was rhyming. It’s one reason our classes are filled with old-fashioned songs, rhymes, and chants. Beyond being delightful, these time-honored traditions are also essential to early literacy development.
Did you know that listening, speaking, singing, and rhyming are key foundations for reading and writing? Before a child can learn to read, they must first build a strong vocabulary and the ability to recognize and play with sounds and rhyming patterns. That’s where singing, chanting, and storytelling come in.
Gone are the days when nursery rhymes were part of every child’s daily routine. When we introduce Mother Goose rhymes in class, many of our students are hearing them for the first time. It’s pure joy to watch their faces light up when they master a rhyme and can recite it from memory!
Through rhyme, children learn to:
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Develop phonemic awareness—the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds
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Listen closely and follow a steady beat
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Memorize full songs and chants at a young age
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Strengthen oral storytelling, which leads to better writing skills
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Predict missing words and patterns in language
These skills build auditory discrimination, phonemic awareness, and vocabulary—cornerstones of strong reading ability.
At Storybook Workshop, we love returning to the classics. Read and sing Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes with your child—they’re silly, timeless, and full of learning. Discover modern rhyming authors like Julia Donaldson, Mo Willems, Nick Sharratt, and of course, Dr. Seuss. Play rhyming games (“What rhymes with cow?”), and trade screen time for lively children’s music. Before long, you’ll hear your child joyfully singing back—and practicing wonderful pre-reading skills.
I hope these ideas inspire you to revisit your own childhood favorites. Who knows? You may just find yourself going ‘round the Mulberry Bush or dancing over London Bridge once again.
Warmly,
Tina Moran