Rhyme Challenge 2023-24

The 2023-24 Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge is now complete!

We hope you enjoyed singing, rhyming, talking, get reading…

The Rhyme Challenge is a fun way to introduce children and families to rhymes. Rhymes may be new to families or forgotten, and they require help to build up confidence to have a go themselves.

Young children learn best through seeing someone they know well doing things, and through repetition.

Rhymes can be shared almost anywhere - in the car or bus, the bath, in the supermarket. You can use rhymes during less popular activities to encourage children, for example, tidy up time, nappy changing, going to bed. Finally, rhymes are a great way to get children started on their lifelong reading journey!

The benefits of rhymes

• Rhymes are often repetitive and make the words easier to learn, especially when they are sung.
• They are a fun way for a child to acquire language skills and great building blocks for future learning.
• Most rhymes involve some physical interaction, which adds fun, surprise and anticipation.
• They give children a sense of story with a beginning, middle and end and an awareness of sounds.
• Rhymes introduce numbers, colours, shapes, animals, parts of the body etc.
• Help develop concentration and listening skills.
• They help parents to overcome feeling shy or awkward when talking to very young children.
• Help parents and carers realise how important they are as their child’s first teacher.
• Sharing rhymes help bonding and togetherness between children and parents and carers.