Rhyme Challenge 2025-26
It’s here! The 2025-26 Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge has arrived!
Get singing, rhyming, talking, and reading!
The new rhyme challenge will take place in toddler groups, school nurseries, pre-schools, and libraries!
Children that complete the challenge can take their certificates to their local library and enter a prize draw to win lots of lovely early years goodies!
For those unable to attend a group setting or library you can still complete the challenge! If you have learnt the rhymes at home and are unable to attend a group, please contact us and we will forward a signed certificate.
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 rhymes this year are *drum roll*
- See the sleeping bunnies
- Row row row your boat
- Large old bean (Ukrainian)
- Large old bean (English)
- Twinkle twinkle little star
- Hello library, have you any books?
You can access the rhyme sheets here.
Families that complete the challenge will also be in with a chance to win a lovely Gruffalo story sack or nursery rhyme set.
So what are you waiting for! Get singing, get rhyming, get talking, get reading....
Want to watch the Rhymes? You Tube video links will be added soon.
Here is an audio clip of the Large old bean rhyme in Ukrainian (Audio, 700 Kb).
If you are a group working with families with children 0 to 6 years and want to take the challenge in your venue, please email [email protected] to order a pack.
The challenge will take place in libraries, toddler groups and nurseries across the district. Library dates are as follows:
- Burley Library – 9.30am Tuesday 6, 13, 20 and 27 January
- Bingley Library – 2.15pm Thursday 8, 15, 22 and 29 January
- City Library – 10am Wednesday 28 and 4, 11 and 18 February
- Clayton Library – 10am Thursday 5, 12, 26 February and 5 March
- Eccleshill Library – 2.30pm Monday 12, 19, 26 January and 2 February
- Great Horton Library – 11am Thursday 16, 23, 30 April and 7 May
- Heaton Hub Library – 11.30am Monday 26 January and 2, 9 and 23 February
- Idle Library – 9.15am Monday 2, 9, 16 and 23 March
- Ilkley Library – 10am Thursday 15, 22, 29 January and 5 February
- Keighley Library – 11am Saturday 31 January and 7, 14 and 21 February
- Laisterdyke - 10.30am Tuesday 5, 12, 19 and 23 March
- Manningham Library – 12.30pm Friday 16, 23, 30 January and 6 February
- Menston Library – 10.30am Thursday 19, 26 February and 5, 12 March
- Shipley Library – 9.30am Wednesday 25 March and 1, 8, and 15 April
- Thornton Library – 11am Wednesday 18, 25 February and 4, 11 March
- Wibsey Library – 10am Monday 2, 9, 16 and 23 April
- Wyke Library – 2pm Tuesday 17, 24, 31 March and 7 April
Instructions
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.
Rhyme Challenge report
Bradford Libraries Rhyme Challenge Report 2024-25 (PDF)
You can watch the report here.
