Mother and May both start with the letter M. The letter M makes the sound mmm. What else starts with the sound mmm?
Sounds like a simple question doesn’t it? While the question may be easy the answer requires a critical skill called phonological awareness. This is the concept that words are made of bits of sounds. For instance, the word may has 2 ‘sound-puzzle’ pieces: mmm and aaa. Once children have developed this awareness they can manipulate words and hear both rhyming sounds and initial sounds. This skill is absolutely critical for learning to read.
Here are some more ideas: do mother and coat start with the same sound? do mother and mitten start the same? how about more and basket?
P.S. You can even disguise a few hints in the questions: do mother and flowers start with the same sound? how about mother and chocolate? do mother and (name of favorite restaurant) start the same? Maybe the family will get the clues! Enjoy your meal out. Make the most of your memories.