Rhyme Pairs

Step by step

1. 1Print and cut out the rhyming picture cards (cat/hat, frog/dog...).
2. 2Warm up little ears: say two rhyming words while exaggerating the ending ("c-AT... h-AT").
3. 3Spread out 4 or 5 pairs face up and name each picture together.
4. 4Match the pictures that "sound the same at the end"; check by saying the pair out loud. If they match by meaning instead (like cat and dog), repeat both words slowly, stretching the ending sound until they hear it.
5. 5Spice it up: play Old Maid with rhymes—try not to get stuck with the odd card out!
6. 6Level up: make trios of rhymes, make up silly rhyming words, or play memory match with the cards face down.

What it builds

Hearing that "cat" and "hat" end the same way teaches children to listen to the sounds inside words, not just their meaning. This is a huge building block for reading: sounds first, letters later.