What kinds of poetry do children prefer? Children like poetry that rhymes, poems that are simple and to the point and poems that convey emotion. You'll want to seek out funny poems, narrative poems that tell a story of something that has happened to the child and simple poems that are easy to construct, such as haiku poetry.
If you're looking for poetry children will appreciate, you don't have to look far to find some fun examples. Shel Silverstein, a master poet who both loved and understood children, has written some of the best poems for kids. If you pick up a couple of his books, you'll have fodder for endless poetry classes with your children.
Simple Rhyming Poems
It's best to begin with simple poems that rhyme and follow a predictable cadence when first introducing poetry to children. You'll want to find a poem that is interesting to children and is easy to follow. Shel Silverstein's "Batty" is a great rhyming poem to teach. Kids will laugh at this simple rhyming poem; it seems ridiculous to children, who may indeed be afraid of the dark, that a bat would be afraid of the light. Point out the mechanics of the poem, how the last word in the second and fourth lines rhyme. Explain the cadence of the poem, showing how the poem flows. Then challenge the kids to write a short, four-line rhyming poem just like Shel Silverstein's. You can choose a funny topic like foods you don't like to eat or a personal topic like things that scare you.
Haiku
Haiku poetry is prefect for kids. In three short lines, a haiku poem can depict sorrow, peace, laughter or sarcasm. Kids like haiku because of the predictable structure and the brevity of the prose. It's very easy for them to understand, appreciate and write.
When writing haiku, you must stress the counting of syllables, a practice that will help children as they practice proper spelling and reading. Haiku poems always consist of three lines, with the syllable count as follows:
An example haiku poem might go as follows:
Boxes of Kleenex
Bowl of chicken noodle soup
Winter has arrived
To make this form of poetry fun, suggest silly topics. Ask the kids to write about a favorite toy, a fun pastime or a silly thought they might have had. Another good haiku topic is emotion. You might suggest that your child writes about an experience that brought out a strong emotion, using haiku structure.
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