poems

Daily Poetry Activities for Kids

For National Poetry Month or any time of the year, read poetry daily to your kids. It doesn’t have to be poetry specifically written for kids either. Unfortunately, my kids weren’t excited about the whole poem a day idea of mine. At all. So first, I found poems they would like and second, found poems they […]

Unlocking Poetry for Kids with Art

Introducing poetry to my kids didn’t go exactly like I planned. My kids weren’t loving the poems or even understanding what they were reading. So I needed a way to unlock poetry for my kids — and I found it through art. Poetry can seem so strange. What in the world are these poets talking […]

Hidden Message Poetry

Poetry is amazing, isn’t it? There are so many forms and it’s so accessible to all age groups. Kids love it because it’s so familiar. They’ve been hearing it all their lives. Remember all those nursery rhymes? To encourage my reluctant writer, we turned our poetry into artwork. We made it even more special by […]

Memorize a Poem for Poetry Month

Since it’s National Poetry Month, memorize a poem — and have your kids memorize one, too. It’s so rich to have amazing words, powerful thoughts, and metaphorical ideas hanging around our brains. The Academy of American Poets created National Poetry Month in 1996 to celebrate and promote the achievement of American poets. We can participate by memorizing […]

Riddle Poems

Kids love reading and writing riddle poems. Riddles often give wonderful sensory details and describe something a child knows about. Plus, they encourage critical thinking and engagement in poetry. Riddle Poems Riddles are usually written in poem form. Consider this riddle poem: It can be cracked, It can be made, It can be told, it […]

Fun Poetry Prompt: Onomatopoeia

Get your kids jazzed about poetry during Poetry Month. A great way is write about something edible — like popcorn – and work on one or more poetic elements. I like to teach repetition, onomatopoeia, and use of white space with popcorn. Prep your kids with example poems that include repetition, onomatopoeia words, and creative use […]

Why I Read Poetry to My Toddler

by Robin Merrill, a freelance writer who can usually be found blogging at uBaby, a site dedicated to helping every woman have a healthy pregnancy. My son just turned two. Every time he sees something that he considers beautiful, he exclaims, “flower!” I can’t even articulate why this brings me so much joy, but somehow, it […]

How to Write a List Poem

Kids can easily write a list poem using their powers of observation. This is a GREAT way to start kids on writing poems. Especially if children are intimidated by poetry. First, have them look around and write a list of words down the side of their paper. How to Write a List Poem 1. Write a […]