Have you ever had a poem or quote make you laugh out loud? Or help you find meaning from something difficult? Or cause you to feel seen and understood when you needed it most? With a few words you’re cheered, inspired, touched. Poems and quotes can do these things for kids too.
Whether you're big, or whether you're small,
poems and quotes are good for us all!
They can be entertaining, illuminating, supportive and more. They can shift a moment or stay with us for a lifetime. But kids are a unique audience. Read on to discover how to choose and then share the magic of poems and quotes with kids. And, find some of my favourite books and authors at the end of the post.
How To Choose Poems And Quotes For Kids
Poems and quotes aren't hard to find. The challenge is to find options that are meaningful to kids; with simple ideas that can grow with them. Early on, most kids enjoy humorous poems and quotes, so this is a great place to start. As their brains develop, challenge them with more thought-provoking varieties.
How To Share Poems And Quotes With Kids
Use poems and quotes like stories; to entertain or inspire, but also to teach various ideas or lessons.
Using Poems And Quotes To Entertain Or Inspire:
Anchor each day by reading or rereading a poem or quote. Approach it like your regular story time.
Display a poem or quote along with one or two questions to prompt reflection.
Return to a poem or quote over time to talk about how its meaning may have changed. This is how great poems and quotes grow with us.
Gather poems and quotes from a variety of sources and let kids choose and keep their favourites.
Have kids write their own. They could pick one of the happy habits as a theme; write a poem or quote about the happy habit of being kind.
Create art to illustrate a poem or quote.
I love when a story includes a poem or quote that kids can remember and repeat. This is why we included a poem at the end of each of our books. They take the theme of the story and make it simpler. We also wrote the poems so you can pull quotes out of them. Even simpler, shorter, catchier and easier to remember.
The following poem and quote are from Happy Hunting.
Post the poem after reading the book and remind kids of the story’s positive theme.
Or use one of the quotes along with questions to guide thinking, sharing or writing.
Using Poems And Quotes To Teach:
To introduce kids to an idea and begin to deepen their understanding, try these 6 steps:
Post a new poem or quote each week (at school or home).
Read the poem or quote aloud.
Give kids time to think about what it means to them.
Talk about it; encourage kids to speak from their own perspectives and experiences.
Ask how kids can apply the poem or quote in their own lives.
Explore how a poem or quote relates to different situations out in the world.
To entertain, inspire or teach. Poems and quotes can do it all!
Check Out These Books
There are so many negative messages bombarding kids today. Why not try to make the ones they see in your home, classroom or office uplifting. Here are a few of my favourite books of poems and quotes to get you started:
I’ve Lost My Hippopotamus (Jack Prelutsky)
A great place to begin; short, clever and funny.
I’m No Good at Rhyming and Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown Ups (Chris Harris)
Laugh out loud hilarious and totally unique.
Where the Sidewalk Ends (Shel Silerstein)
A classic! Hug O’ War is one of my favourites.
Forest Has a Song (Amy Ludwig Vanderwater)
A grow-with-you book. Go visit and catch up on the latest “forest news”.
Start With A Word: A Journal for Finding Your Voice (Peter H Reynolds)
This one's a little different - ignite the passion of a potential poet.
Check Out These Authors
Or, find your own favourites. You can't go wrong with any one of these authors:
Ronald Dahl
Douglas Florian
Ann Hoberman
J. Patrick Lewis
A. A. Milne
Kenn Nesbitt
Bob Raczka
Dr. Seuss
Joyce Sidman
Jane Yolen
It takes very little time each day for kids to experience the magic of poems and quotes. For a great belly laugh. Or a new way of thinking about something. Or for encouragement when things are difficult. There are so many reasons to share and benefits to gain.
Choose poems and quotes with care. Think about what’s meaningful to kids. Match them to their developmental stage. Share them in fun and fluid or structured and educational ways. Incorporate them into your regular routines. Or place them around your space for spontaneous conversations and inspiration.
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