Phonological awareness is an awareness of the sounds in words.  When a child can determine if words rhyme, can produce a rhyme, recognize when words start with the same sound, or can clap out the syllables in a word, he or she is developing phonological awareness. 

There are different strategies that support the development of phonological awareness.  To start, get your child paying attention to the sounds in your environment and identifying them.  Recite and sing rhymes together. Read In the Tall Tall Grass by Denise Fleming and call attention to the rhyming words.  Once your child seems to understand what a rhyme is, ask him or her to listen to the text and to tell you if any of the words rhyme.  "In the tall, tall grass...crunch, munch, caterpillars lunch..."

If you're participating in the Get Outside Bookclub, read this book and then go find some tall grass to explore.