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.