Lesson 6: Rhyming Hopscotch

Main Concept

Children will practice rhyming by incorporating physical activity through a fun game of hopscotch, where they jump and rhyme with each square.

Warm-Up Activity: Silly Stories

Take turns making up a rhyming story
- You: “A cat with a hat sat on a mat…”
- Child: “…Then met a rat swinging a bat!” Easier version: Tell the rhyming story yourself and let your child repeat the rhymes or choose between two words. Making up a whole rhyming sentence is an optional challenge.

Main Activity: Rhyming Hopscotch

Set up a hopscotch grid outside using sidewalk chalk or indoors using painter's tape
As the child hops on each square, say a word aloud (e.g., "cat"), and ask the child to jump to the next square while saying a word that rhymes with it (e.g., "hat," "bat," "mat").
Continue with other words, mixing both familiar rhyming words and made-up silly ones (real rhymes such as "slop," "flop," and "mop," or made-up rhymes such as "zop" and "vop").
Make it playful by encouraging children to hop or skip, matching the rhythm of the words with their movements. Easier version: Say the rhymes while your child hops, or offer two choices and let them choose the rhyme before hopping. Pause whenever needed; there is no need to produce a new rhyme at every hop.

Prewriting: Canes: (Down-and-curve shape like in "j" or "r")

Candy Cane Draw: Use red and white crayons to make “candy cane” strokes on festive paper.
Fishing for Canes: Hide paper candy canes in a sensory bin. Have kids fish them out and trace the shape with fingers or crayons.
Cane Walk: Make a large “cane” shape on the ground with tape—walk or drive toy cars along the path.

Extensions

Rhyming Dance Party: Play some music, and when it stops, call out a word. Children have to freeze and come up with a rhyme for it before the music starts again.
Rhyming with Actions: Have children come up with an action for each rhyming word (e.g., "hop" for "top," "clap" for "map") and incorporate the actions while hopping on the squares.