Poetry for young kids- please share your faves for National Poetry Month!

[Kerileanne99]

In honor of National Poetry Month I thought I would specifically make it a point to incorporate great poetry for kids into our bedtime reading. We have always made it a point to do work on poetry--in fact, dd4 memorizes poems like crazy! For Christmas she chose T'was the Night Before Christmas and memorized the whole thing just from doing the advent calendar:)

 

However, tonight I broke out the volumes of Shel Silverstein I have ocasionally read a poem or two from. She was in hysterics, giggling and begging for more! She insisted on taking all three books to bed and read them for her night-light time. Usually I turn the light off at half an hour, but she was having so much fun I gave her a whole hour tonight:)

 

So. What are you doing with your young kiddos for poetry? Anything in particular this month? I would love, love , love to have more recommendations for poetry for young kids as I think we shall go child-led focus on it this month. She decided that for 'school' tomorrow she wants to write her own poem so that can be handwriting as well.

 

Books? Sources? Favorites? Poetry was never really my thing, but it should not have suprised me so much that dd loves it as she loves word play, simple literary devices, and even just rhyming. I need ideas:)

[ScoutTN]

Mine are almost done learning Jabberwocky. Andrew Pudewa's recitation of it in the IEW Nurturing Competent Communicators video is hilarious!

 

Next up is R.L. Stevenson's In the Land of Nod, though I may sub in something Easter related and come back to this in May.

We go a bit light on memorizing this time of year, with recitals and a musical coming up.

 

We enjoy Favorite Poems Old and New by Helen Ferris and Caroline Kennedy's A Family of Poems and the Poetry Speaks books. I know some people dislike it, but we enjoy the IEW poetry CDs.

[Kerileanne99]

 

We enjoy Favorite Poems Old and New by Helen Ferris and Caroline Kennedy's A Family of Poems and the Poetry Speaks books. I know some people dislike it, but we enjoy the IEW poetry CDs.

Thanks, I just ordered Favorite Poems Old and New, so hopefully she will enjoy that.

 

I have gone through what I have here at the house, and whilst I have a pretty good collection of must reads, I want to find some more fun and silly poetry to mix in. Anybody have more ideas?

[ScoutTN]

Jack Prelutsky is hilarious and we also like Ogden Nash.

[sunnyday]

I am at my in-laws' where I found a 1925 book called Silver Pennies, edited by Blanche Jennings Thompson. The preface is written to the parent or teacher and is a terrific explanation of how to teach poetry appreciation to little kids. Each poem is introduced briefly to get the child thinking about the poem. Eg. Fog by Carl Sandburg, "This is a very interesting word picture of fog. Read it aloud slowly, thinking the picture in your mind, so that if others shut their eyes they will see the grey fog creeping over the land." I really really love it so far.

[73349]

I have gone through what I have here at the house, and whilst I have a pretty good collection of must reads, I want to find some more fun and silly poetry to mix in. Anybody have more ideas?

 

Edward Lear.

[scrapbabe]

Listening in.

[Tanikit]

I've used the following books:

 

Favourite Poems of Childhood

The Llama who had no pajama

A Child's garden of Verses

A general book of Nursery Rhymes (any of them - there are loads that are good)

Books with stories that rhyme - like Berenstain Bears and some of the Dr Seuss books

Amigo by Byrd Baylor (many of his other books can also count as a form of poetry too)

A.A. Milne - When we were very young and Now we are six

Shel Silverstein - we have Where the Sidewalk Ends, but I have the impression it is for children older than mine (need to look at it again before reading it to my children)

Maureen Melvin (Set of Paws books) - these are more suitable for older children

Love that Dog (this fits better in a school but I enjoy it)

Talking like the Rain

[Eileen Aroon]

The Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry edited by Louis Untermeyer. Illustrated by Joan Walsh Anglund

 

Flog your librarian if this book is not available to you!

 

It has story poems like The Highwayman, La Bell Dame Sans Merci, various Robin Hood ones. Yeats, Keats, Wordsworth, Cummings, Browning.

 

Also a section of funny poems and limericks, seasonal poems, Christmas poems, animal poems.

 

One I like for this time of year:

 

So here we are in April, in showy, blowy April,

In frowsy, blowsy April, the rowdy dowdy time

In soppy, sloppy April, in wheezy breezy April,

In ringing, stinging April, with a singing swinging rhyme.

 

The smiling sun of April on the violets is focal,

The sudden showers of April seek the dandelion out;

The tender airs of April make the local yokel vocal,

And he raises rustic ditties with a most melodious shout.

 

So here we are in April, in tipsy gypsy April,

In showery, flowery April, the twinkly, sprinkly days;

In tingly, jingly April, in highly wily April,

In mighty, flighty April with its highty-tighty ways!

 

The duck is fond of April, and the clucking chickabiddy

And other barnyard creatures have a try at caroling;

There's something in the air to turn a stiddy kiddy giddy,

And even I am forced to raise my croaking voice and sing.

 

Ted Robinson

[helena]

We're memorizing April Rain by Langston Hughes. Short but sweet!

 

We just did a month of limericks. That was a lot of fun! My daughter came to me with a book I asked her to read for it, and said she didn't think it was for kids... Haha! Limericks!! So naughty!!  :lol: Unfortunately my husband was in the room and started in... you know the look someone makes when they're quickly trying to figure out what rhymes with boobie or diarrhea. Limericks are great though because they're entertaining, humorous, and they require a quick wit! 

 

I highly suggest seeking out vintage poetry books. There's a lot of good stuff that gets passed by in newer poetry collections. One of my favorites is Taxis and Toadstools by Rachel Field. http://www.etsy.com/listing/124927417/vintage-1950-taxis-and-toadstools-by

 

I like this website for monthly and seasonal inspiration: http://www.gardendigest.com/monindex.htm 

[helena]

I am at my in-laws' where I found a 1925 book called Silver Pennies, edited by Blanche Jennings Thompson. The preface is written to the parent or teacher and is a terrific explanation of how to teach poetry appreciation to little kids. Each poem is introduced briefly to get the child thinking about the poem. Eg. Fog by Carl Sandburg, "This is a very interesting word picture of fog. Read it aloud slowly, thinking the picture in your mind, so that if others shut their eyes they will see the grey fog creeping over the land." I really really love it so far.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'm going to look for this one. :)

[ChrissySC]

http://www.thelearningtrunk.com/lets-study-poetry/  Most of my references and such ...

 

Honestly, I love Simply Poetry and Jabberwockey.

[Kerileanne99]

Jack Prelutsky is hilarious and we also like Ogden Nash.

Ooh, Jack Prelutsky! Good call. Dd has memorized a couple of Prelutsky poems, including one of her all-time favorites, 'Last Night I Dreamed of Chickens.'

Do you have a favorite volume or book, or just those typically found in anthologies and the like?

[Kerileanne99]

The Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry edited by Louis Untermeyer. Illustrated by Joan Walsh Anglund

 

Flog your librarian if this book is not available to you!

 

It has story poems like The Highwayman, La Bell Dame Sans Merci, various Robin Hood ones. Yeats, Keats, Wordsworth, Cummings, Browning.

 

Also a section of funny poems and limericks, seasonal poems, Christmas poems, animal poems.

 

One I like for this time of year:

 

So here we are in April, in showy, blowy April,

In frowsy, blowsy April, the rowdy dowdy time

In soppy, sloppy April, in wheezy breezy April,

In ringing, stinging April, with a singing swinging rhyme.

 

The smiling sun of April on the violets is focal,

The sudden showers of April seek the dandelion out;

The tender airs of April make the local yokel vocal,

And he raises rustic ditties with a most melodious shout.

 

So here we are in April, in tipsy gypsy April,

In showery, flowery April, the twinkly, sprinkly days;

In tingly, jingly April, in highly wily April,

In mighty, flighty April with its highty-tighty ways!

 

The duck is fond of April, and the clucking chickabiddy

And other barnyard creatures have a try at caroling;

There's something in the air to turn a stiddy kiddy giddy,

And even I am forced to raise my croaking voice and sing.

 

Ted Robinson

Thanks for the recommendation! I was able to order a used copy from Amazon, and all the reviews look great. I think this will make a nice addition to our small but growing collection:)

And thanks for taking the time to type out the poem. I have added it to the list for bedtime reading tonight:)

[Kerileanne99]

I've used the following books:

 

Favourite Poems of Childhood

The Llama who had no pajama

A Child's garden of Verses

A general book of Nursery Rhymes (any of them - there are loads that are good)

Books with stories that rhyme - like Berenstain Bears and some of the Dr Seuss books

Amigo by Byrd Baylor (many of his other books can also count as a form of poetry too)

A.A. Milne - When we were very young and Now we are six

Shel Silverstein - we have Where the Sidewalk Ends, but I have the impression it is for children older than mine (need to look at it again before reading it to my children)

Maureen Melvin (Set of Paws books) - these are more suitable for older children

Love that Dog (this fits better in a school but I enjoy it)

Talking like the Rain

Great list Tanikit! You actually made me remember that I bought The Llama Whi Had No pajama ages ago, and for some reason stuck it up in the top of the library bookshelf?! I just wiped the dust off and am excited to read it with her:)

 

Definitely take a look at Shel Silverstein again...but there are quite a few geared more toward older kids. But I was quite surprised by how hilarious Alex found them...Especially Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Will Not Take The Garbage Out. She has read it another couple of times today and keeps walking around quoting bits of it and the Boa Constrictor...

[Mystie]

My post with our favorites is here:

 

How To Integrate Poetry Into the Day: 5 Simple Ways

[SoCalLynn]

Caroline Kennedy's A Family of Poems My daughter memorized so many of the beautiful poems gathered in this book. And the artwork is fantastic.

Classic Poetry: An Illustrated Collection selected by Michael Rosen, pictures by Paul Howard (part of the Candlewick Illustrated Classics) probably our second favorite

Jack Prelutsky

Jeff Moss Some of his silly poetry has become part of our family's language

Robert Frost

[ElizabethB]

I love this beautifully illustrated book, the whole book is Frost's "Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening."

 

http://www.amazon.com/Stopping-By-Woods-Snowy-Evening/dp/0525467343/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396624556&sr=8-1&keywords=Stopping+by+woods+on

[3andme]

Macavity, the Mystery Cat by Eliot is a favorite of my boys. Stopping by Woods as mentioned above is also high on the list.

[Walking-Iris]

http://www.bravewriter.com/bwl/poetry-teatimes/  Poetry teatimes

 

http://www.bravewriter.com/program/language-arts-programs/arrow-poetry-guide/  We have used this poetry guid ein teh past. There are great tips in it that can be adapted to any poetry study.

 

I also like the book Rose Where Did You Get That Red by Kenneth Koch

 

Some of our favorite poetry collections:

 

Shel Silverstein 

TS Eliot's Practical Cats

Now We Are Six/When We Were Young

 Sing a Song of Popcorn

Poetry For Young People series (my kids especially liked Carl Sandburg)

Edward Lear Nonsense Poems

Treasury of Flower Fairies

Joyful Noise

 

 

 

[dragonflyer]

A couple that have not been mentioned yet:

 

Animals, Animals (illus by Eric Carle)

LOVE Scared Silly (anthology including poems by Nash, Prelutsky etc...)

My 4-year-old is intimidated by the longer collections like A Light In the Attic, but thinks the poems are great if he can finish the whole book in one sitting.

[Kerileanne99]

A couple that have not been mentioned yet:

 

Animals, Animals (illus by Eric Carle)

LOVE Scared Silly (anthology including poems by Nash, Prelutsky etc...)

My 4-year-old is intimidated by the longer collections like A Light In the Attic, but thinks the poems are great if he can finish the whole book in one sitting.

Thanks for the Scared Silly recommendation! I have been looking for a great Prelutsky anthology and I really like the looks of this one:)

[Kerileanne99]

Edward Lear.

Thanks for a bit of enlightenment for my decidedly non-poetry minded brain. The only Lear poem I could think of was of course, The Owl and the Pussycat which was one of the first poems my dd chose to memorize...tonight I googled and read her The Pobble Who Has No Toes, which led to more and more, with more googling of unfamiliar terms. She also insisted I show her where Bristol was located (Daddy is British and she is a dual citizen, so fantastic!). All in all a great success!

[JoJosMom]

Jack Prelutsky.

 

That is all you need know.

 

:001_cool:

[Kerileanne99]

I love this beautifully illustrated book, the whole book is Frost's "Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening."

 

I

 

http://www.amazon.com/Stopping-By-Woods-Snowy-Evening/dp/0525467343/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396624556&sr=8-1&keywords=Stopping+by+woods+on

I love the idea of this! I haven't done any full books based upon a single poem except for themed poems like T'was the Night Before Christmas or Paul Revere's Ride...

But dd just finished memorizing this poem a couple of weeks ago so I think this might be a great way to help her visualize the poems more. I think I will take a while and use this book to help her develop the mental imagery a bit more. Thanks for the suggestion, and I will be on the lookout for similar books for othe poems we work on.

[PeterPan]

bump

[momee]

I'm confused that the Highwayman is recommended.  Not a poem I would say is prime time reading for young kids...

[Lori D.]

books

- Antarctic Antics (Sierra)

- The Dragons Are Singing Tonight (Prelutsky)

- The Disappearing Alphabet; Opposites; The Pig in Spigot (Wilbur)

- Poetry Speaks to Children (Paschen)

 

individual poems

- "Owl and the Pussycat" (Lear)

- "The Jabberwocky"; "The Walrus and the Carpenter"; "Father Williams"; "The Crocodile" (Carroll)

- poems by Ogden Nash

- Beastly Verse series

(board book series with fun illustrations: Oliphaunt by Tolkien; Mouse in the Wainscoat by Serraraillier; Crocodile by Carroll; The Hippopotamus by Nash; Reason for the Pelican by Ciardi; The Caterpillar by Rossetti; )

 

[raptor_dad]

Calef Brown's book "Flamingos on the Roof" is great if you like funny and absurd.

[KrissiK]

The one we memorized a couple years ago, but keeps coming back as a request when we review poetry is "Five Eyes" by Walter de la Mare.

[raptor_dad]

When DS was 5 or 6 he really enjoyed Scott's "Stag Hunt" from The Lady of the Lake... It was highlighted in "Understood Betsy" which we were doing as a read aloud.... Not typical early childhood fare but the imagery and language is so rich it is hard to resist. A couple years later, he still occasionally asks for it or other poems by Scott. 

[happypamama]

We have used the Poetry for Young People. The kids like some of it, dislike some of it, and tolerate some of it. They all liked the Carl Sandburg one and memorized the fog poem.

 

A few years ago, DD and I worked through R is for Rhyme together, and I'm doing it with my fourth grader this year. Each week we read a letter, and every other week, we write our own example of whatever the week's poem is, so one week we wrote an acrostic, another week it was an end rhyme, etc. Not writing one every single week keeps it from becoming drudgerous.

[AMJ]

Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses.  Best kid's poetry book ever, in my opinion.  :001_smile:

[OneStepAtATime]

bumping