2.5y–4.2y10 minStory timeMusicFamily time
Rhyme Finishers: Guess the Last Word
A rhyme-and-pause game where the adult highlights rhyming words, plays with silly alternative endings, and invites your child to supply the last word—building attention, anticipation, and recall in familiar rhymes.
What you'll need
Essentials
- one familiar nursery rhyme (spoken or sung)
Nice to have
- 2–4 small objects or pictures (to act the rhyme out, e.g., toy mouse, cup ‘clock’)
- a phone timer (to keep the game short and fun)
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
- MilestoneCompletes Familiar Story or Rhyme PhrasesMind· 20mo–2.7y· core
- MilestoneRecognizes rhymesMind· 3.3y–5y· core· Steps 1, 2
- MilestoneListens and joins inMind· 2.3y–3.3y· stretch
- MilestoneJoins in Singing Familiar SongsMind· 2y–3y· stretch· Step 1
- MilestoneAttends and recallsMind· 2.5y–4.2y· stretch· Step 4
- MilestoneAnswers simple open questionsMind· 2.3y–3.3y· stretch· Step 4
What it practices
- Listens to stories with increasing attention and recall.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Joins in with repeated refrains and anticipates key events and phrases in rhymes and stories.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Focusing attention – still listen or do, but can shift own attention.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “When singing or saying rhymes, talk about the similarities in the rhyming words. Make up alternative endings and encourage children to supply the last word of the second line, e.g. ‘Hickory Dickory boot, The mouse ran down the...'”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)