Why I Love Rhymes for My Kids – And How They Help in Learning

Every day in my classroom, there is one time my children wait for the most—rhyme time. Their eyes shine, their little hands clap, and their voices join mine. For me, rhymes are not just songs. Rhymes are my secret tool to teach.

Rhymes Make Learning Fun

When we sing a rhyme, children forget they are “studying.”

• They laugh.

• They move.

• They repeat without fear.

Even a shy child, who never talks, starts to whisper a word when it is in a rhyme. That is the power of music and rhythm.

Rhymes Help in Remembering Words

If I say: “Apple, ball, cat, dog”—children forget.
But if I sing: “A for apple, B for ball”—they remember.
The music and beat make words stick inside their little minds.

👉 Research also supports this. A study from the University of Cambridge shows that children who learn rhymes early have stronger memory and recall skills. Rhythm and repetition make the brain store words faster.

Rhymes Teach Sounds and Pronunciation

When we sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, children hear the sound of r again and again.
When we say “Humpty Dumpty”, they enjoy the sound of h and d.
This is the first step of reading—hearing sounds clearly. Rhymes prepare their ears for phonics.

👉 According to the National Literacy Trust (UK), children who know more nursery rhymes at age 3 have better reading and spelling skills by age 6. Rhymes give them “phonemic awareness”—the skill of hearing tiny sounds in words.

Rhymes Build Confidence

Sometimes, I give the children a chance to stand in front of the class and say a rhyme. Their tiny voices shake at first, but when we clap, they beam with pride. Rhymes give them courage to speak out loud.

👉 Research in early childhood education journals shows that group rhymes help children overcome shyness and improve social confidence, because everyone says the words together.

Rhymes Teach Life Lessons Too

Many rhymes are not just words. They have small lessons.

• “Wash your hands, wash your hands” teaches hygiene.

• “Rain, rain, go away” makes them notice weather.

• “Twinkle, Twinkle” makes them look at the sky with wonder.

So, while singing, they also learn about the world.

Rhymes Bring Us Together

When I sing with my class, it feels like we are one family. Children copy me, I copy them, we laugh together. Even parents tell me later, “Teacher, my child sings your rhymes at home all day.” That makes me so happy, because learning has reached their home too.

👉 In fact, a Harvard study on music and learning found that shared singing creates bonding chemicals in the brain (oxytocin), making children feel safe and connected.

My Personal Favorite Moment

I still remember one little boy in my class. He was very quiet, never spoke a word. But one day, during rhyme time, I heard a soft sound: “baa baa black sheep.” The whole class clapped, and from that day, he never stopped joining in. Rhymes gave him his voice.