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Welcome to the KidsROCK Academy blog. This is a place of encouragement and inspiration. I am not an expert in all things, so I am eager to hear from those with different perspectives. Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comment lines.

Monday, February 21, 2011

World Poetry Day

Man!  How wonderful is this?  Poetry can be so much fun—or so intimidating!  If you have been hesitant to explore the world of poetry with your kids, let today’s celebration be the perfect opportunity to jump on in!

Explore some traditional African story telling styles, where they repeat words and phrases for emphasis.  It becomes melodic and is quite poetic.  Play with nursery rhymes by adding verses or researching their origins. 

Acrostics are easy-to-compose poems that even the youngest can enjoy.  Let them pick a word—like their own names—and come up with descriptive words or phrases beginning with each letter of their names.  Here is my own acrostic!  If I can do it…

h-heart

o-overjoyed

m-mommy time

e-everywhere

s-school

c-children

h-home

o-open minds

0-often laughing

l-love

You can study Haiku—a poem that focuses less on rhyme, more on the rhythm of the syllables and the seasonal imagery.  You can study the Psalms—what better place to go to explore emotion, honesty and self-expression?  Don’t forget Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein.  These poets show humor and imagination—and even made-up words—are all in good standing with poetry.

Most of all, have fun!

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