Winning the Toothbrush Battle with Rhymes and Routines

The everyday is full of quiet magic. A conversation here, a rhythm there—and just like that, you’re building a reader, one meaningful moment at a time.

Tiny Steps, Mighty Readers: Everyday Literacy Hacks

AGE CATEGORY

Toddlers

SKILL

Sound Explorer

EVERYDAY TASK

Bedtime – Brushing Teeth

Activity

Phonological Awareness Builder

Toothbrushing battles? Yep, they happen. Turning this daily task into a rhyming ritual not only brings some fun to the sink—it helps your little one know what to expect, how long to brush, and maybe even look forward to it.

Discover the magic in the mundane and how ordinary moments can build extraordinary readers—one small, joyful step at a time.

Rhyme Time at the Sink

Brush Up on Rhymes!

One of the simplest ways to build language skills is through daily routines—and brushing teeth is a golden opportunity.

Try choosing one to three fun, rhyming songs to sing during toothbrushing time. Whether it’s a classic tune or a silly made-up rhyme, the repetition gives your little one consistent exposure to rhyming patterns every single day.

Bonus? These familiar songs become a built-in timer, helping your child anticipate how long brushing will take. When children can anticipate the length of an activity, it can help reduce battles with doing the activity.

Here are some song choices to get you started:

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Teeth So White” (To the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

Twinkle, Twinkle, teeth so white,
I brush my teeth each day and night.
Brush up high and then down low,
Brush them fast and brush them slow.
Twinkle, Twinkle, teeth so white,
I brush my teeth to make them bright.

-Ox and Owl Song Lyrics

“The Itsy Bitsy Spider“

The Itsy Bitsy spider
Climbed up the water spout,
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out,

Out came the sunshine
And dried up all the rain,
And Itsy Bitsy spider
Climbed up the spout again.

Ox & Owl Literacy

Find More Everyday Literacy Hacks