April is one of our favorite months of the year—National Poetry Month! Poetry offers a unique window into language and expression that can captivate humans from preschool through their high school years. Recently, staff developers Nancy Brennan and Alexandra Roman led a free family and caregiver workshop sharing ideas for reading poetry with children in grades PreK-5, including recommendations of some great new anthologies you’re sure to want to add to your classroom or home collection.
Looking at the World Through a Poet's Eye
What makes poetry so special for young readers? It encourages children to view their surroundings with fresh perspective and deep attention—to see the world with "a poet's eye." This approach to experiencing the world nurtures several valuable skills and perspectives including:
Cultivating curiosity about their everyday environment
Finding wonder in ordinary objects that might otherwise be overlooked
Developing observation skills through all five senses
Appreciating details by studying things up close
Connecting with memories in meaningful ways
Celebrating important people and places in their lives
Recognizing beauty in their surroundings
Deepening their connection with nature
Poetry offers readers permission to slow down and truly notice the world around them—a valuable counterbalance to our fast-paced day-to-day life.
As noted by author Georgia Heard, poetry isn't limited to books on library shelves. Poetry exists all around us, waiting to be discovered. Children can find poetic inspiration:
In the pattern of raindrops on a window
Through the changing colors of seasonal leaves
In the movements of animals at play
From family and caregiver stories and shared experiences
Within the rhythms of their daily routines
Creating time for children to explore the various topics and types of poems and even create their own is one beautiful way to entice exploration of this unique genre.
Recommended Poetry Collections for Young Readers
Here are some outstanding contemporary poetry collections and illustrated poems that align perfectly with developing a "poet's eye" in young readers:
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth This Newbery Medalist-led collection features original poems that pay homage to twenty famous poets throughout history. The vibrant illustrations by Ekua Holmes complement these tribute poems that introduce children to diverse poetic styles while encouraging them to find their own voices. The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems collected by Paul B. Janeczko A playful anthology of instructional poems covering everything from how to bird-watch to how to be a snowflake. These accessible poems by various contemporary poets offer practical and whimsical advice while introducing children to different poetic forms. Poems to Learn by Heart selected by Caroline Kennedy Kennedy pairs classic and contemporary poems with stunning watercolor illustrations by Jon J Muth. Each carefully selected poem connects to childhood experiences and emotions, with helpful tips on memorization techniques that make poetry a lasting gift for young readers. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko This collection features 36 brief poems organized by season, each capturing a moment in time through just a few carefully chosen words. The spectacular mixed-media illustrations by Melissa Sweet make this anthology particularly appealing for younger children with shorter attention spans. A Poem for Every Day of the Year edited by Allie Esiri This comprehensive collection provides exactly what the title promises—365 poems that span centuries and cultures. From Shakespeare to contemporary verse, these selections introduce children to the breadth of poetry while establishing a daily reading ritual that can be shared as a family.
Bringing Poetry to Life in Classrooms and Homes
Poetry needn’t be intimidating. Here are a few small invitations you might weave throughout the month to bring more poetry into your home or classroom:
Create a special "poetry moment" during the day. Take time regularly to share a poem, either through a read aloud or listening to a video or audio recording of the author.
Encourage children to illustrate poems that inspire them.
Invite children to collect words and phrases they find interesting and store them in a notebook for future writing.
Take "poetry walks" outdoors to gather sensory observations, then transform them into poems.
Record children reading their favorite poems to build confidence (as a bonus, rereading poems can be great practice for developing reading fluency).
Children's natural sense of rhythm, love of wordplay, and fresh perspectives make them natural poets. By nurturing these instincts through exposure to wonderful poetry, we help them develop not just literacy skills but also emotional intelligence and creative thinking. Poetry opens doors to self-expression that children might not find elsewhere. As they discover how to look at the world with a poet's eye, they're developing skills that will enrich their lives far beyond the classroom.
What poetry experiences will you share with the young people in your life this month and all year long?