Poems and prose are a treasure left to us by our former generations. Poetry was the favorite pastime of the kings and queens as drama was the best form of entertainment. Rhyming words found a way to lyrics used in ballads and plays. Melodrama is heightened with enactment when themes of love, dejection and war is displayed on stage. It is a great gift left to us by our parents and older generations and that we are able to give the same to our progeny in terms of rich literature via poems.
There are values and games taught by way of poems. Kids love drama and facial expressions increase their excitement. The life poems for kids and thank you poems for kids are very expressive. If one is able to pen a few special poems it becomes original. Kids love narration through poems. One need not be blessed with the art of writing poetry to tell poems to kids. Poems can talk about friendship about fruits, plants and animals.
Short stories and poems can be done with the ‘thirsty crow’ or ‘the hare and tortoise’. It is surely an art to rhyme words but kids love music too. Including lyrics and tune is another way to narrate a story to kids. Try ‘Goosey Goosey Gander’ or ‘three little kittens who lost their mittens’. It is also important to keep repeating the poems so that kids are able to decipher the words.
One could also make a story and infuse certain poems to create effect. Bed time stories can be done in the same manner. “ All by myself’ can be done in a story form where kids can learn to become independent. Drawing parallels with routine like ‘ Miss Muffet – spider ‘ can be turned into a poem form. ‘ A hunting we will go’ is another poem which will awaken the interest of kids.
Again it is to remembered that kids have limited interests in repetition. Though repeating is the only way they understand one must introduce more variety. Each week or twice a week the poems can be added afresh. Pre schools have expert teachers who actually make the kids understand by way of dancing, playing and singing the poem. Moral stories can be narrated so as to imbibe virtues.
There are lot of collections in kids poems. Heavy words and great meanings confuse children. Slowly as they graduate in terms of understanding it would be worthwhile to teach them about religion, prayers and the best way is to extol the virtues of God. There is variety in poems categorized as classics, modern and for special days one could pen a few words. The words can be written on a card. The best gift for ‘Teachers day’ would be a ‘Thank you’ poem made by the student.
Kids are keen to learn. It is amazing to see that a child who is yet to learn to speak is eloquent with his eyes and imitates simple hand movements. They understand places, food, familiar faces and games. The most important link between the mother and child is touch and sound. This is reassurance to them. A child is able to learn faster if words are spoken in simple manner and also explained with examples and expressions. The concept of colors and VIBGYOR of a rainbow is easily understood by a two year old.
There are poems about football and also about rain. The cries of animals poems are interesting and parts of the body are important. Feelings is what children are linked with and the poem on ‘I have feelings – you do to’ is easy to teach. Enacting the poems instill in the child the ability to connect. For instance, the poem ‘ Roly Poly’ is spoken in hushed wishes but children are able to understand the same. Try saying, ‘ Twinkle Twinkle’ with actions and your toddler will get into a robust narration.
Enacting means to elaborate and explain. This certainly is a skill but can be acquired. Actually parenthood naturally makes your learn and be vulnerable. This is the best way to communicate to the child about antonyms and small things about manners. ‘Goosey Goosey Gander’ teaches the concept of upstairs and downstairs. This poem can be done while taking the stairs and kids love when you teach them without a school atmosphere.
New methods of intellectual stimulation used in teaching kids is done by way of charts, flash cards and definitely rhymes. There are rhymes that tell about mothers and fathers day. There are languages to be explored while enacting a poem. ‘ Are you sleeping Brother John,’ is a simple poem which is easy to express. ‘ I love you – We are all a family’ can be done at family gatherings and kids love to enact the same.
Try the ‘Boogie Woogie’ poem and watch the fun. It will be natural that the family participation increases the excitement in children. If kids learn to articulate at a young age, then their perception is heightened. They are able to link to things better and this can be converted as a talent. Vocabulary is highly grasped by children and language does not hold a barrier for them.
While enacting make eye contact with children. If they seem disinterested, give them a favourite toy and ask them if they would like to teach the toys about poems. Each child will surely have a favourite poem and this can be drawn in a chart form. ‘ Teddy bear – turn around’ can be done is phase manner with simple crayons. The ending of ‘Acchoo’ is loved by kids. Enacting keeps them interested in the entire process.
‘Xmas tree very pretty ‘does not actually rhyme, but again is the best way to tell the child about Santa, toys and colour of lights. The vegetable song taught in schools like ‘ Come and hear, follow me’ is another modern trend that has t the carrots, peas, beans and corn and also the food guide for eating healthy. The fruity fruit song, ‘ Wash us clean and chop us lean’ is another fruit based song that also talks about cleanliness.
Simple