Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Atlanta, GA

There's no doubt about it, and plenty of research to prove it, Rhymes and Rhyming are essential to your child's development.  They help develop language skills, early literacy, intelligence, and brain development. But they are also lots of fun. 

Since my husband is from London, we've introduced some Rhyming Slang

There are lots of fun books with great rhymes and rhythms to get you warmed up.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein.  Fantastic book with rhymes from the most simple to more complex.  The poems are funny, the illustrations are sweet and classic Shel Silverstein.  And sometimes, the poems just speak to young kids and their feelings (such as Sister for Sale, and What a Day).

Dr. Seuss.  Any book by Dr. Seuss.  I don't need to tell you... I'm sure you all have some in your at-home library. 

Mother Goose.  The mother of all rhymes for kids and probably the best rhymes to start with. 

As your kids get older, it's fun to take familiar rhymes and songs and change the words.  Take Me Out of the Bathtub by Alan Katz is a great book to get you started and introduce you to the finer points of making up your own rhymes to familiar songs!

I'd love to hear some of your favorite rhyming books or authors.  Please feel free to share! into our children's vocabulary.  Not only do we do this because it's fun, but it's also part of their heritage.  We also like to make up our own versions of the slang as well, and i would be willing to bet, while you may not call it "rhyming slang" you do the same with your kids.  We take a word and try to make as many rhymes with it as possible.  And then we move on to phrases.  This is particularly fun at meal times and while traveling in a car for long periods of time.  Easy entertainment!  As the kids get older we've expanded it to making up simple poems as well.