Rhyming Stages Checklist (Free PDF)

The three stages of rhyme awareness — exposure, judgment, production — with prompts to try at each one.

What’s inside

• An instructions page: work through the stages in order.
• Stage 1 — Exposure (from about 18–24 months): hearing rhymes in songs, no questions.
• Stage 2 — Rhyme Judgment (from about age 3: "Does cat rhyme with hat?") and Stage 3 — Rhyme Production.

How to use it

1. Spend real time on Stage 2 before asking for rhymes in Stage 3.
2. Use the example prompts on each page.
3. Check off each stage when it feels easy.
4. Nonsense rhymes count — "cat, bat, zat" shows the skill.

Watch out for

• Asking a child to produce a rhyme before they can judge one ("does cat rhyme with hat?") often leads to frustration — stay on Stage 2 longer.
• Nonsense rhymes (cat, zat, gat) count as real success; they show the child hears the ending.
• Rhyme awareness isn't a reading prerequisite on its own — keep teaching letter sounds alongside it.

Who it’s for

Ages 18 months to 5 years.

Where it fits: Stage 0 — Getting Ready

Goes well with

• Phonological Awareness: 8-Level Progression with Ready Activities
• Lesson: making rhyme