6 Ways to Inspire a Love of Poetry in Your Kids

Poetry is one of the most powerful forms of literature and yet also one of the most neglected. But it doesn’t have to be! Reading poetry is a wonderful way to express emotion and explore culture together with your children. Here are some great ways to help your child become more familiar with poetry and cultivate a special appreciation for it.

1. Provide variety. Some of the most popular children’s books are rhyming poetry. Because of this, American kids grow up with a strong connection to this type of poetry. But what about others? Try to connect your kid to other diverse types of poetry, too— contemporary or ancient poems, curious and mystifying poems, classics and even unknowns. Discovering new types of poetry can lead to great conversations.
2. Haikus. Older children love to make up haikus, and it’s a great challenge to get their brains in gear. A haiku is a three-line poem that has a certain number of syllables in each line — five, seven and five
3. Songs as poetry. Choose some of your kid’s favorite songs and then go through the words together. Songs are poetry too! Help your child make this connection to deepen their understanding and appreciation. Memorization. Do they have a favorite book or author? In our last blog post we referred to Shel Silverstein — his works would be especially fun to memorize and recite together.
4. Make up your own rhymes. Liven up a walk around the block by taking turns rhyming words together. This is a special way to introduce even the smallest child to the foundations of poetry.
5. Tap youtube.com — Need a break from a mundane day? Check out this link for an author reading a fun piece of children’s poetry. The music alone will have your kids dancing.