Hink Pinks

This past week our school work included the Easter Hink Pinks packet, free from Barbara Evans at Teachers Pay Teachers. I LOVE Hink Pinks and the challenge they pose!

A Hink Pink is a rhyming riddle whose answer is 2 one-syllable words that mean the same thing as the clue. Here are some examples:

ill hatchling = sick chick

superior bird home = best nest

purchase egg coloring = buy dye

Once you get the hang of Hink Pinks, it's time to move on to Hinky Pinkies, where the answers are 2 two-syllable words.

ridiculous Easter flower = silly lilly

chocolate bunnies by the ocean = sandy candy

Then there are Hinkety Pinketies which are the same thing with 2 three-syllable answers.

evil preacher = sinister minister

What I love about Hink Pinks is that they develop and/or improve skills in multiple areas in a brain-challenge that is fun. Vocabulary is tested and grown through establishing word meanings and synonyms and the answer has to be the right number of syllables and it has to rhyme. Brilliant! 

Here are more hink pinks at Thinkable Puzzles.

If you find these rhyming riddles to be something your family enjoys as much as mine does (or needs for skill building) and you really want to get serious about the challenge, check out "Rhyme Time" by Jock Mackenzie in Canadian Teacher Magazine. Jock takes it to a whole new level, one after another, with Hinkhinkety Pinkpinketies, Hink Pink Swinks, Hink Pink Swink Thinks, and more.