ABC Nature Riddles

Ideas for Parents and Teachers

As a young child, I had dyslexia and had a very difficult time reading, writing and speaking words. Fortunately, my parents believed that children can learn language and be entertained at the same time. So as a family we played a word game we called alphabet riddles. We would invent riddles while riding in the car, or waiting on a bus, or whenever we had a few minutes to spare. It worked like magic. It made learning words fun!Creating nature riddles that rhyme is a wonderful way to explore words. As you engage children personally in the poetic process, you will see them blossom in their vocabulary, their understanding of words and their meanings. You will help them develop reading, writing, thinking and vocal presentation skills.

~ Create nature riddles! They don't have to be fancy. Choose something in nature you like. Think of words that describe the object. Begin the riddle with letter and word clues. Start with a simple riddle:

I start with an S and end with a Y.
Find me outside when you look way up high.

~ Stretch the exercise. Look up the definition of the word in the dictionary. Read the definition aloud. Add more lines with more clues to the riddle. End the riddle with a question inviting an answer.

When the sun shines through
I'm beautifully blue.
I'm not the sea.
What can I be?

~ Share riddles! Written riddles can be solved independently, but it's always more fun to share a rhyming riddle. So, write it down and then share it with others.~ In a group, instruct children to wait until all clues have been given before guessing the riddle. Allow the first child who guesses the answer to say the correct word, spell it, or write it on the blackboard. Then, the child may create a new nature riddle or choose someone else to make up one.~ Encourage children, as an extended activity, to draw the nature object.

Enjoy!