A Poetic Childhood

I read an article by Maria Minksker on poetry, and I thought her main points were worth sharing on the blog. I bought Chloe most of Shel Silverstein’s library during her early toddler years, but this was a great reminder for me to push poetry. It’s both fun and educational.

Four reasons to read poetry to your children:

It rhymes (mostly)

Rhyming language can help struggling kids read more smoothly. Rhymes also show kids that words are made up of syllables, which helps them recognize the same sound in different words. Plus, it can improve spelling- it’s not so far from “cat” to “mat”, once you have “at”.

It develops vocabulary

Poetry incorporates words kids don’t usually encounter, yet the form’s short, approachable nature makes it easier for them to figure out the meaning from the surrounding context. This can prepare them for tackling longer texts later on.

It introduces literary concepts

Even silly nursery rhymes use alliteration, metaphors, and similes. Encountering concepts like these can help kids develop their language knowledge and become better writers.

It’s easy and fun to memorize

Memorization helps kids internalize patterns of sophisticated language. When they recite, they learn how to enunciate as well as to pronounce unfamiliar words, leading not only to more flexibility with reading but better communication overall.

I plan on adding “His Shoes Were Far Too Tight” and “A Treasury of Poems for Almost Every Possibility” to our library list.