Rhyming Soup
To develop rhyme awareness through a playful cooking-themed rhyming activity.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Literacy
- Learning area: Literacy
- Level: EYFS 2-3
Objectives
- Identifies rhyming pairs
- Generates a rhyme for a given word
- Shows enjoyment of rhyme play
- Attempts to create rhymes
Materials
- Large pot or cauldron
- Rhyming object pairs (cat/hat, dog/log, fish/dish)
- Cooking apron
- Spoon for stirring
Instructions
Dress up as a cook with an apron. 'I'm making RHYMING SOUP! I need things that rhyme to put in my pot. Rhyming means words that sound the same at the end.'
Hold up a toy cat: 'I've got a CAT. What rhymes with cat? Hat! Yes! CAT - HAT! They rhyme! In the pot they go!' Stir dramatically.
Lay out objects and pictures. 'Can you find two things that rhyme? Listen — does FOX rhyme with BOX? F-ox, B-ox — yes! Same ending! In the pot!'
Accept near-rhymes and non-standard rhymes enthusiastically. A two-year-old who says 'cat-car' is experimenting with sound — 'they both start with 'c', great listening!'
Sing a rhyming soup song: 'We're making rhyming soup today, rhyming soup today! Cat and hat go in the pot, stirring every day!'
Empty the pot at the end and review: 'Let's see what rhymes we cooked! Cat-hat! Dog-log! Fish-dish! Delicious rhyming soup!' Repetition reinforces the rhyming pairs.