16mo–2.2y10 minReadingMusicQuiet time
Echo Rhyme with Funny Voices
A short rhyme-and-story routine where you uses rhythm, repetition, and expressive tone to help your child attend, anticipate, and join in with repeated sounds and simple action words.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a short rhyme or storybook with repeated lines (or a familiar nursery rhyme you can say from memory)
- a comfortable spot to sit together
Nice to have
- a small soft toy to ‘act out’ the rhyme
- a simple shaker made from a sealed container with dry rice (adult holds)
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneShows interest in play with sounds, songs and rhymes.Mind· 16mo–2.2y· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneCopies sounds or wordsMind· 10mo–20mo· core· Step 2
- MilestoneCompletes Familiar Story or Rhyme PhrasesMind· 20mo–2.7y· core
- MilestoneAttends to Shared Book ReadingMind· 18mo–2.7y· stretch· Step 4
- MilestoneCopies heard wordsMind· 8mo–20mo· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneUnderstands simple questionsMind· 14mo–2.2y· stretch
- MilestoneSingle channelled attention. Can shift to a different task if attention fully obtained – using child’s name helps focus.Mind· 16mo–2.2y· core· Step 4
What it practices
- Listens with interest to the noises adults make when they read stories.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Shows interest in play with sounds, songs and rhymes.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Single channelled attention. Can shift to a different task if attention fully obtained – using child’s name helps focus.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Identifies action words by pointing to the right picture, e.g., “Who’s jumping?”Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Recognises and responds to many familiar sounds, e.g. turning to a knock on the door, looking at or going to the door.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Encourage repetition, rhythm and rhyme by using tone and intonation as you tell, recite or sing stories, poems and rhymes from books.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)