Parents who help their children balance school, activities, time with friends, and time at home.
Creative activities • Youth programs
Religious community • Time at home
If you think reading poems is a waste of time, think again! Paul Bunyan comes striding over the mountain, “the moon slung on his back...” A poet makes a song of Canadian Indian place names: Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Athabaska, Iroquois...” A mosquito, out for blood, comes “winging – zooming and zinging – wickedly singing” over a bed. “Jeremy hasn’t a roof on his house – for he likes to look at the stars...” It’s all in ‘Til All the Stars Have Fallen, one of many worthy collections of poetry that deserve a place in your read-aloud rituals.
Ask somebody to give an example of constructive use of time and you’re likely to hear any number of suggestions – from fishing or field hockey to playing guitar or playing cards. You’re not likely to hear “reading poetry,” even though when it comes to turning any child into an able reader, it rates as one of the best things you can do.
When it comes to reading, poetry increases confidence and competence. Lots of white space on a page surrounding poems increases new readers’ willingness to tackle print. And the brief format increases their chances of success. Rhymes and strings of words beginning with the same sound (as in busy buzzing bumblebees or she sells seashells...) are just what children need to develop all-important phonetic awareness. This awareness is the ability to recognize differences in the sounds that make up words. It’s the foundation for understanding print on a page. Moreover, rich poetic language builds vocabulary which leads to skillful reading.
Poems give grown-ups and kids a chance to read expressively. The rhythm and repetition invite chiming in or reading in unison. Humorous poems invite laughter and are fun. Last, but not least, poetry offers mind-expanding ways of looking at the everyday world.