A rhythm is a regular, repeating pattern of sound or movement. When you listen to music, the rhythm is the beat that makes you want to tap your foot or clap your hands. In a song, the drums often keep the rhythm steady while other instruments play the melody.

Your heart has a rhythm: it beats in a regular pattern, roughly once per second when you're resting. Dancers move to the rhythm of music, timing their steps to match the beat. Poetry can have rhythm too, when the syllables create a pleasing pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds.

Think about how a basketball bounces: thump, thump, thump. That steady pattern is rhythm. Or imagine ocean waves rolling onto shore, one after another, with predictable timing.

People sometimes talk about getting into a rhythm when working, meaning they've found a steady, productive pattern. A basketball team might find its rhythm in the second half, playing smoothly together after a rough start. When something disrupts your normal pattern, it throws off your rhythm, like when an unexpected fire drill interrupts your morning routine at school.