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Home » Kindergarten Teaching Ideas

How to Rhyme: Hand Motions for Kindergarten

By Leslie Simpson · About 3 minutes to read this article.

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Teach how to rhyme in kindergarten with simple hand motions. Here is one way to make rhyming orally easier to teach in kindergarten.

How to Rhyme Hand Motions for Kindergarten

I found myself asking, "How do I teach kindergartners how to rhyme?"

And not just how to identify two words that rhyme, but to make their own rhyming words.

If you asked me this question my first year of teaching, I would've responded - "It's just something they know or don't know."

That answer is only partially true. There is a developmentally ready piece that helps make a student hear, identify and produce rhyming words. I won't deny that.

But it doesn't mean we can't explicitly teach students how to produce rhyming words orally.

Teach how to rhyme in kindergarten to rhyme in kindergarten

And I focus on producing rhyming words orally, because to model how to make rhyming words with letters would be a little over most of the kids' heads at the very beginning of the school year.

How to teach rhyming words orally

I've learned since my first year of teaching that making a visual and kinesthetic clue - a hand motion - helps my kinders understand what I'm asking for and are more likely to use them independently as a strategy later on.

And in this case - we're talking rhyming.

So here are my hand motions I came up with to teach how to rhyme that really worked for us. The neat thing? They will also lend themselves to teaching onset and rime. Yay!

Essentially teach them how to isolate the beginning sound(s) (onset) and replacing it with a new one - while keeping the end of the word intact.

Can't see the video? Be sure you're not running an ad blocker.

By using these hand motions, students could better "feel" the sounds as they said them out loud.

Using these motions, they were better at segmenting and blending onsets and rimes - not to mention that they caught on much quicker to hearing rhymes and making them on their own.

I started showing them how to rhyme using your motions and within a few days, they got it. I can see a difference between last year’s class and this one. I can just go down the rows on the rug and they give me a rhyming word like popcorn. No more “Give me a word that rhymes with snake,” — “Alligator??” – Ruth

Let's wrap it up

I hope this set of hand motions can be helpful to you and your class of kinders.

Just as I tell my kinders emphatically... the more we practice, the better we get!

Ready to work on more skills? Let's master the alphabet with some of my favorite free downloads.

6 free alphabet identification printables

Or let's go the next step with those who are ready and blend onsets and rimes!

Rhyming and Blending Onsets and Rime

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.

More reading skills

  • Beginning Sounds – 5 Guided Reading Activities
  • Ending Sounds – 9 Guided Reading Skill Group Materials
  • 8 Free Rhyming Activities for Kindergarten
  • Rhyming & Blending Onsets and Rime
How to Rhyme (Hand Motions) for Kindergarten
How to Rhyme: Hand Motions for Kindergarten
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About Leslie Simpson

Leslie is the teacher behind KindergartenWorks. She believes in teaching kinders how to be pretty incredible along with teaching them to read, write and think for themselves. She enjoys drinking hot tea, making mud pies with her three kids and sharing what she's learned with teachers.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Victoria says

    July 22, 2022 at 3:32 pm

    Can’t see the video

    Reply
    • Leslie Simpson says

      August 24, 2022 at 1:51 pm

      If you have an ad blocker, that might be causing an issue. Try temporarily disabling to see the video.

      Reply
  2. Katherine Swider says

    March 25, 2018 at 11:29 pm

    I'm just now finding your site in 2018! I am amazed at your teaching strategies and ideas! I am feeling so inspired. Thank you and I hope you continue to teach adults how to teach 🙂

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      March 26, 2018 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks Katherine and welcome!

      Reply
  3. Allison P. says

    September 11, 2017 at 2:04 pm

    What is the hand motion for rhyming? Am I just missing it or is my computer not able to view the whole post?

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      September 13, 2017 at 2:16 pm

      Hi Allison, it seemed that the video showing the motions wasn't playing correctly. I think I've fixed it. You should be able to see it now *fingers crossed*
      - Leslie

      Reply
  4. Sandi MacDougall says

    June 28, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    Thanks for sharing, Leslie.

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      June 28, 2015 at 9:03 pm

      You're welcome Sandi!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  5. Maggie Huf says

    July 27, 2014 at 8:58 am

    Brilliant! Love how simple it is to remember too. Thank you for posting a video. I have used hand motions and music for many years, but it is always great to learn a new trick!

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      July 27, 2014 at 11:21 am

      Thanks Maggie!

      Reply
  6. Kristin Lynn Vandro says

    July 25, 2014 at 3:52 pm

    Have you thought about making a poster for each essential reading foundation as a reminder to the kids for which exercise you would be teaching/practicing (since we know it's a daily think in Kindergarten? 1 poster for rhyming, 1 for blending, 1 for segmenting, etc
    Ps: what reading program do you use? Do you follow the daily oral language part (if your program includes one)?

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      July 27, 2014 at 11:23 am

      I haven't, but do you mean like a visual cue including a reference to the hand motions {for example}? We have Journeys... but the boxes have yet to be opened in all honesty. I just do my own thing. I'm really big on using the standards to create my own curriculum.
      - Leslie

      Reply
  7. Kristin Lynn Vandro says

    July 25, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    I swear you read my mind! I have been thinking about this since I started teaching kindergarten but kept working with the reading curriculum I was provided. This makes so much sense! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Leslie says

      July 25, 2014 at 6:13 pm

      Ha ha! It can definitely be tricky to teach the concept for a five year old to understand. I wanted to first just tell them that rhyming words were rhyming words because they rhymed 😉 You're welcome!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  8. Angelia says

    March 03, 2013 at 4:21 pm

    Oh my goodness, I wish I had seen this earlier! My kiddos (special ed) really, really struggle with rhyming and onset/rhyme. I LOVE this. They really learn better with a visual/kinesthetic motion. I'm starting this tomorrow!

    Angelia
    Extra Special Teaching

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      March 03, 2013 at 6:15 pm

      Thanks Angelia - I think many of us learn better that way 😉

      Reply
  9. Brenda Fanjoy says

    December 12, 2012 at 8:28 am

    I teach my Pre K kids the letter sounds with a hand motion- motor memory really helps them learn quickly. I can also use it as a tool to help when they forget the letter sound/name. I also taught sound first then letter name.

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      December 12, 2012 at 4:46 pm

      Oh yes! Incredibly key in teaching sounds! I used to always teach the sign language and still did this year, but mione really caught onto making a movement/motion that connected with the leap frog letter factory video that we watched the first week of school. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  10. Mrs. McKown says

    December 09, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    Awesome post, Leslie! Some of my kinderkids continue to have a difficult time with rhyme. This will be a great "tool" to add to my tool box! Thank you for sharing!
    Did want to let you know that some of your links to additional resources are not working :o(
    (By the way, Paige just watched the video with me and she is now walking around using the hand movements, breaking words into onsets and rimes and substituting those initial phonemes! Ha!)

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      December 09, 2012 at 6:41 pm

      HA! Paige is such a cutie - I can just picture her doing that now! Thanks for the heads up about the items - the twofulbrighthugs site was live when I posted this, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that they come back soon!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  11. Becky says

    December 08, 2012 at 9:57 pm

    Thank you for linking to my Rhyme Time pack. 🙂

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      December 09, 2012 at 1:39 pm

      You're welcome Becky - thanks for creating free products for others to use! I hope many enjoy it!!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  12. Tinambay says

    December 08, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    Do you have motions or tips for blending? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      December 09, 2012 at 1:40 pm

      Tina, I have a post that will be coming on using a simple tool we can all get our hands on that practices both segmenting and blending. It's not magic, but does help 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  13. Connie Jensen says

    December 08, 2012 at 11:13 am

    Thank you so much for this great post. We will be working on rhyming in our RTI groups in January, so the timing is perfect. You've given great tips and great links.

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      December 08, 2012 at 1:59 pm

      Thanks for sharing how you will use the tips and links Connie! Best wishes as your RTI groups get into full swing!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  14. Mrs.Parker says

    December 07, 2012 at 11:22 pm

    Great tip, Leslie! It's all those tricks of the trade that help lay a great foundation for reading success!

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      December 08, 2012 at 1:59 pm

      Thanks Mrs. Parker! Hope you're having an excellent December!
      - Leslie

      Reply
  15. downunderteacherblog says

    December 07, 2012 at 9:41 pm

    This is a super easy tip that any teacher can implement! I'm moving down to first grade next year and this will be great when we review word families at the start of the year!

    Kylie
    Down Under Teacher

    Reply
    • Leslie @KindergartenWorks says

      December 08, 2012 at 1:59 pm

      Thanks Kylie! I hope you have a great transition to first grade - all the best!
      - Leslie

      Reply

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