Poetry is becoming a lost art for most people, but it doesn’t have to be stuffy and incomprehensible.
Parenting on Female First
Poetry can be great fun for all ages and for children in particular. Here we show you just how exciting poetry can be and how to get your kids to love it.
Start with nursery rhymes
The best way to begin is to start with nursery rhymes. These will give your kids an insight into how language can be used harmoniously when spoken aloud as well as being great for your kids’ imaginations. Encourage your kids to start saying nursery rhymes aloud with you.
Choose poetry specifically for children
There are plenty of rhymes and verse available for children as kids respond well to memorable stories said aloud.
Why not give Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes a go? Dahl takes well known fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and rewrites them in a clever and humorous way that will get your children asking for more.
Make sure it’s humorous
You don’t want to give your kids the impression that poetry is dull and boring so be sure to choose rhymes that will get them laughing.
Spike Milligan is a great writer to try. Although his poems are written in a more traditional poetic style they will certainly get your children laughing at his nonsensical verse.
Even more traditional but also very funny is Edward Lear, famous for The Owl and the Pussycat. You could even show your kids the style of the limerick or challenge them to write one themselves.
Introduce them slowly
As with any new things for kids, introducing them to poetry slowly is key. Keep them focused for short bursts of activity, whether for half an hour on a rainy day or for a bedtime story.
Why not also try encouraging your children to play rhyming games? Ask them to come up with as many rhymes as possible for a particular word (or watch them struggle with 'silver'!) to introduce them to how poetry is formed.
It’s also important to remember to be patient! Your kids may not be hooked straightaway but if you make reading poetry a regular part of your child’s routine they’ll soon enjoy it. Let’s get rid of this stigma that poetry is too posh and complicated – it’s actually a lot of fun!
by Julia Molloy
Tagged in Parenting Advice