K is for Kids

Remi a.k.a the Pug
K is for kids. According to Northrop Frye, literary critic and theorist, “the speech of a child is full of chanting and singing and it is clear that the child understands what many adults do not, that verse is more direct and primitive way of conventionalizing speech then prose is.” This is why children love Mother Goose and Dr. Seuss. 

How do you get kids involved in writing poetry? I remember doing this simple exercise in school. The teacher handed out a list of random words and instructed the class to cut them up and create some sort of poem out of it. Another version of this exercise is to buy a kit containing letters and put them on the fridge and let your kid(s) use them to create poems right on the fridge door.  I found an online version of this exercise called “Poetic Magnetic Poetry Kit,” in which a list of random words is displayed that you can use to create a poem.
Challenge
--Please go to the online version of Poetic Magnetic Poetry Kit by clicking here. Use the words displayed to create a poem. You can click on the “more words” button if you need more words for your poem.  If you have kids have them help you create a poem (I’ll be asking my childish husband to help me).

Resources
--Poetry 4 Kids created by Kenn Nesbitt is excellent website full of games, funny poems, and poems written by kids.
--To learn more about Kenn Nesbitt stop by No Water River to read an interview, while you are there read and watch some of Renee LaTulippe’s fabulous poems.

If you liked this post please let others know. Tomorrow children's writer and poet Catherine Johnson, will be joining us to talk about limericks. I hope you come back for that.

*What do you photograph when you don't have kids? Your pets of course! 

Comments

  1. Oh, this looks like a lot of fun. I find my boys like rhyming words, even when they are made up. Thanks for these fantastic resources, Rena.

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    1. It is fun! I did this exercise in school over a decade ago and still remember it.

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  2. Can I tell you how much fun that magnetic poetry board is?? I think I could play with it all day long! I am going to let my seven year old write a poem with it and post it to my blog. (I am not promising that it will actually make sense...but it should be fun for him!) :)

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    1. I had the same reaction when I first stumbled upon it. I'm looking forward to your kid's poem.

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  3. Remi is adorable. Can't wait to check out the magnetic board with the kiddos. Thanks Rena!

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    1. Thanks. He's doing the head tilt in that picture. i guess he's trying to figure out what I'm saying to him. Hopefully you and your kids will enjoy it. I'm going to get my husband to help me create a poem as I'm afraid Remi won't be much help.

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    1. Thanks. Now all he has to do is live to be 100 (human years).

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  5. Wow, Rena I feel like this is a course we should be paying for, you are awesome! Off to check that poetry fun out now.

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    1. I was thinking the same thing!

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    2. Thanks ladies! I'm learning a lot too! One of my goals this year is to write and study poetry. Since there is no one around to teach me, I decided to teach myself (thank goodness for libraries and the internet).

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    3. Sounds like a great way to learn Rena. Thanks for sharing all you know!

      My son and I had a lot of fun trying out this challenge today. We couldn't fit all the words, but here it is anyway...

      Remember the dark
      There is a boy
      Not fat
      Or never wild
      Like a flowery younger sister
      Exploring a dying tree.

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    4. You didn't have to use all the words.

      Cool. Makes me think of "seeing" monsters in the dark. Can you tell that I read your picture book ms today?

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  6. I've always wanted one of those poetry magnetic kits. Maybe it's about time i get one! thanks for the awesome tips!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com
    Happy A-Zing!

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    1. Thanks. Give the online version a try and if you like it then I believe you can buy it from the same site.

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  7. My daughter loves to rhyme. I think when she gets a little older, she'll love to write poetry. She enjoys it when I read it to her now and she's only 5.

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  8. Remi looks to be saying, "Seriously, you're really gonna go with approximate rhyme, there?' Okay, off to the magnetic board!

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  9. Great ideas! We love Dr. Seuss in this house and are actually having a Seuss themed birthday part on the 21st.

    New follower here. I’m enjoying reading my fellow “A to Z”ers. I look forward to visiting again.

    Sylvia
    http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thanks for the follow. Sounds like a fun party.

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  10. I've been traveling all day...but got my poem done just now. This was really a blast, Rena.
    http://wp.me/p22d5X-eW

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    1. Thanks. I found the online board to pretty fun.

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  11. I'm home for the first time today - 9:30 Central time! My son's friend, who I coached in soccer and basketball, was playing at a local bar tonight so we went out to see him! He was on The Voice this season and was picked by Celo Green but got eliminated. His name is Jamie Lono! Anyway, I need to head over to the magnet site to see what this is all about! Thanks so much, Rena, for the awesome challenges!!

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  12. It is quite interesting. Thanks for sharing :) New Follower Here.

    I am not a A to Z participant, but you can help me support my friend who is a part of it.Will be glad if you swing by her blog :) Here is the address:

    http://www.doodlingwords.blogspot.in/

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