Rhyming books are a fun and engaging way to help your child develop language and literacy skills. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver, you’ll want to check out the best rhyming books for kindergarten kids. From classic favorites to new releases, these books are sure to delight and inspire young readers.

What are rhyming words?

Rhyming words are words that have the same ending sound in their last syllable or sound pattern. They are often used in poetry or songs to create a musical or rhythmic effect. Examples include cat and hat, or dog and log. Rhyming is a phonemic awareness skill that helps children listen closely to sounds within words.

Classic Rhyming Books for Young Children

Read on for a list of the best rhyming books for kindergarten students! This list includes picture books and board books as a fun way to teach rhyming! 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a popular children’s book written by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, with illustrations by Lois Ehlert. The book tells the story of the letters of the alphabet as they race up a coconut tree.

The story begins with the letters of the alphabet gathering at the base of the coconut tree. They all want to climb to the top, but the tree is so small that they begin to pile up on each other and fall down. As the letters fall, they encourage each other to get back up and try again.

The rhythm of the story is created by the repetition of the phrase “Chicka chicka boom boom” throughout the book. The phrase is used to mimic the sound of the letters falling down the tree.

As the letters continue to climb the tree, they eventually reach the top, but the weight of all the letters causes the tree to bend and sway. The story ends with the letters all safely back on the ground and the coconut tree standing tall once again.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is a classic story written by Bill Martin Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle. The book uses simple rhyming text and colorful illustrations to introduce young readers to a variety of animals and color vocabulary words. It’s a great read for kindergarten students and has a catchy rhyme.

The story begins with a brown bear, who sees a red bird. The red bird then sees a yellow duck, who sees a blue horse, and so on. Each animal in the book sees a different animal, and the book follows a pattern of “What do you see?” and “I see a ________ looking at me.”

The book ends with all the animals seeing a group of children. The children ask the animals what they see, and the animals respond with the same pattern of “I see a ________ looking at me.”

It’s simple rhymes and colorful illustrations make it a great tool for teaching children about animals, colors, and descriptive language. Its repetitive structure also makes it easy for children to follow along and join in on the reading. 

Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham is a classic rhyming book by Dr. Seuss that has been entertaining and educating children for generations. The book follows the story of Sam-I-Am as he tries to convince his friend to try green eggs and ham. With its catchy rhymes and colorful illustrations, this silly book is a great way to introduce young children to the joys of reading and language. In fact, many Dr. Seuss’s books are rhyming books. 

Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon is a classic children’s book written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. The story follows a young rabbit as he prepares for bed and says goodnight to everything in his room, from his red balloon to his toothbrush. The book is known for its simple, repetitive language and soothing rhythm, making it a beloved bedtime story for generations of children.

Throughout the book, the young rabbit bids goodnight to various objects in his room, including the “great green room,” the “quiet old lady whispering hush,” and the “comb and brush and bowl full of mush.” As he says goodnight to each object, the illustrations gradually become darker and more subdued, creating a calming atmosphere that is perfect for bedtime.

Goodnight Moon is a timeless classic that has been read and loved by generations of children. Its simple, repetitive language and soothing rhythm make it the perfect bedtime story, and the charming illustrations capture the imagination of young readers. The book’s universal themes of saying goodnight and preparing for bed make it a must-read for any child’s bedtime routine, and its enduring popularity is a testament to its enduring appeal.

The Lady with the Alligator Purse

The Lady with the Alligator Purse by Nadine Bernard Westcott is a well-known children’s song and book that tells the story of a woman who goes to the doctor with a series of unusual ailments. This silly story is so much fun and a funny book that you won’t mind reading again and again! 

Sheep in a Jeep

Sheep in a Jeep is another classic rhyming story that features a rhyme right in the title! This classic children’s book was written by Nancy Shaw and illustrated by Margot Apple. The book tells the story of a group of hapless sheep who decide to take a jeep for a drive and end up getting into all sorts of trouble.

The book’s playful illustrations and rhyming text make it a fun and engaging read for young children. The repetition of the phrase “Sheep in a Jeep” throughout the story encourages children to participate in the storytelling and reinforces their understanding of the story.

More Rhyming Books for Kindergarten

Llama Llama Red Pajama

Llama Llama Red Pajama is a popular children’s book written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney. The story follows Llama Llama, a young llama who is getting ready for bed. However, when his mother tucks him in and leaves the room, Llama Llama becomes anxious and starts to worry about where his mother has gone. He calls out for her, and when she doesn’t respond right away, he becomes even more upset.

As the story progresses, Llama Llama’s mother reassures him that she is always nearby, even when she’s not in the room with him. She explains that she is just taking care of some things and will be back soon. Eventually, Llama Llama calms down and falls asleep, reassured that his mother is always there to take care of him. This fun book also includes rhyming words and the plot makes it a wonderful story for kindergarten students! 

There’s a Bear in My Chair

There is a Bear in My Chair is a delightful children’s picture book written and illustrated by Ross Collins. The story follows a small mouse who discovers that he can’t enjoy his favorite chair because there is a large bear sitting in it, and the bear won’t budge.

The mouse tries various tactics to get the bear to leave, from asking politely to yelling and even trying to scare him away with a series of increasingly ridiculous contraptions. However, nothing seems to work, and the bear remains stubbornly in the chair. Students will love the silly rhymes in this book and seeing what happens!

Come Rhymes with Me!

Come Rhyme with Me is the perfect book for introducing rhyming words! There is a silly rhyme to go with each letter of the alphabet! Younger children will love listening to the story and guessing what word will go in the blank!

The Rhyming Dust Bunnies

The Rhyming Dust Bunnies is a great rhyming book written and illustrated by Jan Thomas. The story follows four colorful dust bunnies named Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob, who love to rhyme. Ed, Ned, and Ted are proud of their rhyming skills and often show them off. Bob, on the other hand, struggles to come up with a rhyme and is often left out of the fun making this a hilarious story! 

As the dust bunnies rhyme their way around the house, they fail to notice that a broom is heading their way, threatening to sweep them up. Bob tries to warn his friends, but they are too busy rhyming to listen. It’s up to Bob to think quickly and come up with a solution to save them all.

The book is a fun and engaging way to introduce young children to the concept of rhyming. The simple yet entertaining story is complemented by bright illustrations that capture the attention of young readers. The characters of Ed, Ned, Ted, and Bob are endearing and relatable, and children will be rooting for them to escape the broom’s path. This fun story is a must-have in your kindergarten classroom and perfect for teaching rhyming!

Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny

This hilarious book, Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny is the sequel to the book, The Rhyming Dust Bunnies. Children of all ages will love this simple story and the return of their favorite characters. It’s the perfect book for a follow-up lesson on rhyming! This book features the same bright colors and promotes a love of reading! 

How do you teach rhyming words?

Read rhyming books.

Reading rhyming books to children is a great way to introduce them to rhyming words. As you read, emphasize the rhyming words and ask the children to repeat them and listen for them. You’ll find some great rhyming books for kindergarten in this post. 

Sing songs and rhymes.

Singing songs and rhymes that contain rhyming words is another effective way to teach children about rhyming. Encourage children to join in and sing along. Nursery rhymes are full of excellent rhymes. 

Nursery Rhymes

Nursery rhymes are traditional poems and songs for children. They have been passed down from generation to generation and are still popular with children today. Nursery rhymes often have a simple rhyming structure and are made up of short verses that are easy to remember. They are usually accompanied by simple melodies, making them easy to sing along to.

Nursery rhymes can serve a variety of purposes. They can be used to entertain children, to teach them new words and concepts, and to help them develop their language skills. Many nursery rhymes also have moral messages or historical significance, making them a valuable tool for teaching children about the world around them.

Popular Nursery Rhymes for Young Children

• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
• Mary Had a Little Lamb
• Humpty Dumpty
• Jack and Jill
• Old MacDonald Had a Farm
• Itsy Bitsy Spider
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
• London Bridge Is Falling Down
• Little Miss Muffet
• Hickory Dickory Dock

Play games.

Play interactive games like “Rhyming Bingo” or “Rhyming Memory” to help children identify and remember rhyming words. You can create your own bingo game in this post, Free Blank Bingo Printable Cards and Templates. 

Create word families.

Teach children about word families by showing them how certain word endings can create rhyming words. For example, the “-at” sound in “cat,” “mat,” and “hat.” However, hearing rhyming words is a phonological awareness skill. 

Make it fun. 

The best way to teach rhyming is by making it fun! Use fun and engaging activities to teach rhyming words, such as creating silly rhyming sentences or writing rhyming poems. Older children may enjoy creating their own clever rhymes. 

By using a combination of these strategies, you can help children develop their rhyming skills and improve their overall language development.

Rhyming Activities

Rhyming Dust Bunnies Craft and Writing

This Rhyming with the Dust Bunnies Craft and Writing was created to complement a favorite rhyming book, The Rhyming Dust Bunnies,” and provide a quick and fun rhyming assessment for kindergarten teachers! 

This rhyming activity includes a dust bunny craft and response pages for students to draw pictures and rhyming writing pages for different abilities including rhyming with a given word, generating one rhyming pair, generating two rhyming pairs, and generating four rhyming pairs. 

Students will have so much fun using the craft pieces to create their very own dust bunnies. Then, students can show their understanding of rhyming by drawing pictures and writing simple words. Any kindergarten teacher will love this activity because it’s simple to prep and helps teach and assess an important skill. Plus, the writing can be easily differentiated to meet the needs of any student. or preschool to first-grade students.

Be sure to save this list of rhyming books for kindergarten to reference when you are teaching rhyming words to your students!