The ultimate guide to teaching poetry to kids in the classroom. This poetry for kids guide includes poetry resources for teachers and FREE resources.
The Ultimate Guide to Teaching Poetry to Kids
Teaching poetry to kids in the classroom is a wonderful way to build a child’s reading and writing skills. Poetry activities are one of our favorite things to do together as a class.
We enjoy learning to read new poems, practicing each day, and writing our own poems in April during Poetry Month. We learn a new poem each week and never get bored!
Wonder how poetry can encourage creative thought, inspire writing, and build a love of reading? Read the 5 Reasons to Teach Poetry in the Classroom.
Below you’ll find creative resources and tools to inspire young poets. These helpful tips and ideas will help you enjoy teaching poetry to children.
Poetry Tutorials & Tips
The poem of the week and poetry writing tutorials below include tips for teaching, step-by-step instructions, anchor chart ideas, and free templates you can print and use today.
Poetry Resources for Teachers
Ready to give poetry a spot in your classroom schedule? The following resources are full of kid & teacher-friendly tools, poems, and activities to make learning poems and writing poetry FUN!
Watch the video to see the Poem of the Week resource in action!
Free Poetry Activities to Try Today
Want to try a few free activities in your classroom tomorrow? Simply click the images below to download and enjoy a copy of the following poetry resources to use in your classroom.
Grab these FREE Poems Along with Fun Activities
This FREE Poem of the Week resource includes 2 original poems and 1 nursery rhyme to add to your collection of poems. There are 6 differentiated activities included, as well as sentence strips and a bulletin board banners. Your students will be reading and writing poetry all week long!
Download this FREE Empathy Poem and Activities Too!
Teaching SEL this year? Add in some creative poetry to inspire and engage. The poem on empathy and the related activities provided inside this FREE resource will help you do both! Click the image below to download it right now!
Free Teaching Poetry Email Course
Ready to learn more? Sign up for the poetry email series filled with tips to get you started teaching poetry to kids, strategies for success, and tons of FREE poems and poetry writing tutorials you can access right away.
Children’s Poetry Books
From my own childhood experiences and collection of poetry, I have compiled a list of favorite poetry books for kids. Choose a few to include on your bookshelf and share a poem or two with kids when the mood strikes. They will love the rhyme, rhythm, and repetition that the poems serve, as well as the funny topics.
It is important to find great examples of poems to share with children. Jack Prelutsky, Dennis Lee (a Canadian poet fav), Dr. Seuss, and Shel Silverstein are a few amazing authors who have written a variety of poetry and books for children. I guarantee if you share any of the selections below you will build a love of poetry that will last a lifetime!
PIN for Later