April is National Poetry Month!

It’s the perfect time to introduce children to the wonderful worlds of words.

If you saw the adorable acrostic poems in our Women’s History Month blog, you know how much fun poetry can be for kids. Here are some more ideas from across the web for teaching kids how to experiment with rhythm and rhyme, learn new forms and fall in love with poetry.

For Little Kids

• Create a Montessori-inspired poetry basket. Print out a copy of a poem and read it aloud. Then add toys and objects that children can play with to remind them of the poem.
• Practice rhyming with the classic song “Down By the Bay.” Have kids make up their own verses.

For School-Age Children

• Write a vivid color poem with these instructions from A Measured Mom.
• Introduce Lewis Carroll’s strange and epic poem “Jabberwocky” — with help from the Muppets.
• Try out a traditional Japanese poetry format and celebrate nature with this haiku lesson.

For Everyone

• Listen to the United States’ first National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, read her poem about speaking out against racism, “Talking Gets Us There,” on PBS Kids.
• Expand your child care center or classroom library! Reading Rockets has a list of picture books for a Poetic Spring. BookTrust’s suggestions for a poetry-friendly classroom include collections for elementary-aged readers.