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A child’s first introduction to poetry is generally listening to the rhythm and rhyme of the nursery rhyme recited by Mum or Dad. This is often a child’s earliest memory and it’s one to be treasured. The repetition of rhymes, riddles and songs nurture early development of language, sound and listening skills. It engages the child’s imagination and teaches the child that poetry can be expressive and fun. Encourage your child to respond and participate in the rhyme, riddle or song. Clap hands, dance, dream, say it together, fast, slow, share it, or keep it all to yourself. When a child starts school the teacher builds on the vocabulary fostered at home. Children are then introduced to a wider range of poetry, i.e. ballads, lyric, humorous etc. Poetry can be described as a form of language, with a concentrated and often sparse choice of words that convey emotions through tone, punctuation and imagery. Poetry can be very powerful. Poems can have several meanings and may need to be read a few times to get the deeper meaning. Reading it aloud can add to the understanding and pleasure. Children can learn a lot about life and people through poetry, poems can challenge their personal views and give them a broader prospective on the world around them. While children sometimes find poetry pedantic, we all know a poem we learned off by heart at school, (even if it’s many years ago). And who doesn’t remember “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and “miles to go before I sleep.” Let’s take a look at some of the different types of poetry available Lyric, the most common type of poetry, is a short poem expressing the poet’s personal thoughts or feelings. Sonnets, elegy and ode are forms of lyric. The Poolbeg Book of Irish Poetry for Children is a wonderful collection which includes some of our wonderful Irish poets, Padraic Pearse, WB Yeats, Seamus Heaney and Patrick Kavanagh Concrete Poetry, where the layout of the poem tells you something about it, i.e. poem about a dog the words are shaped like a dog. Love that Dog is one of my favourite books; it has all the essential elements. It’s a story told in poem, as the story unfolds we find it’s humourous, surprising, sad, engaging and imaginative. Metaphysical original, striking, witty, images from all sources. Narrative tells stories, 2 main types Epics and Ballads. Some good books to get started with Nursery Rhymes 0 - 4 Michael Foreman’s Nursery Rhymes Nursery Rhyme Treasury Hardback Usborne Humourous 4 - 8 Smelly Jelly Smelly Fish by Michael Rosen An Animal Alphabet by Christian Stevens Worms Can’t Fly by Larry and Ashling O’Loughlin (father & daughter) Collections 8 - 12 The Poolbeg Book of Irish Poetry for Children Something beginning with P Irish Poems for Young People Older children 12+ Uncharted Voyage Loretto Secondary School Cloud Busting by Malorie Blackman Tara Book Co., Kilcolgan, Co. Galway, Ireland
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