The average adult may not find poetry to be a significant part of his or her life, but it has proven itself to be a great medium that benefits children greatly. Reading childrens poems is an excellent way to develop certain life skills, such as learning rhythm, recognizing rhymes, and being able to tell apart different pitches. It is also a good way to get children to read, write, and sing.
Nursery rhymes are the earliest known form of children's poetry. Early nursery rhymes were called lullabies, originally intended to help children fall sleep, hence the name. They were first recorded in the 1700's and have been a part of our childrearing process ever since.
Historical references and distinctive melodies came to be a part of nursery rhymes. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" was written in reference to the tax on wool and the slave trade in 18th century Britain. "London Bridge is Falling Down" was written in reference to the conquest of the Vikings. "Ring Around the Rosie" was a dark euphemism for the symptoms of the Bubonic Plague. Their brevity, rhyming lines, and simple melodies made nursery rhymes easy to sing and memorize.
Children learn rapidly though repetition and speech. They also develop language skills by speaking, listening, reading, and even singing. Kids who have a lot of exposure to reading and speaking usually have better language comprehension skills and higher rates of cognitive development by age 3. Many of these life skills can be improved by poetry.
Take the nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosie", for example. There are four lines, all of which rhyme, all with syllables that fit into the rhythm of the song. It is a very simple yet effective way to teach a child a few words, basic rhythm, and singing without completely boring the child. As mentioned above, children who are exposed to poetry and/or nursery rhymes at an early age are thought to show greater aptitude in music, reading, and even spatial reasoning.
The fact that children enjoy this poetry is what makes this system work so well. Children's short attention spans are taken into account, resulting in shorter works. Added humorous pictures also provide much needed visual stimulation. A child would most likely be very bored if asked to sit through the reading of an entire novel, without any form of music, singing, or visual interpretations. Poetry does a great job at keeping children entertained while providing a means to improving cognitive development. The poetry of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein are excellent works that can do such a thing for children. A child would easily find a short poem with pictures and rhymes to be much more entertaining than a novel full of dry prose.
Poems can be viewed as the initial step to a bright future. Once a child develops a love for poetry, books and novels would most likely be the next step, leading to sophisticated vocabulary, excellent conversational skills, and a good writing style. Gaining an interest in reading through poetry is a great way to start off one's childhood.
But academics aside, there are personal benefits to reap from reading poems. It promotes the use of a child's imagination while keeping them entertained. Research shows that creativity and the use of imagination keep children from social and academic delinquency. Not to mention, creativity has use in application in adulthood, helping one invent creative solutions to problems in life.
Reading childrens poems appears to be such a menial task, but it does a surprising amount of good for children. Nursery rhymes and poems are utilized even today to teach children how to read and speak. Perhaps reading poetry before bedtime every night is one of the best things a parent can to for a child.
Nursery rhymes are the earliest known form of children's poetry. Early nursery rhymes were called lullabies, originally intended to help children fall sleep, hence the name. They were first recorded in the 1700's and have been a part of our childrearing process ever since.
Historical references and distinctive melodies came to be a part of nursery rhymes. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" was written in reference to the tax on wool and the slave trade in 18th century Britain. "London Bridge is Falling Down" was written in reference to the conquest of the Vikings. "Ring Around the Rosie" was a dark euphemism for the symptoms of the Bubonic Plague. Their brevity, rhyming lines, and simple melodies made nursery rhymes easy to sing and memorize.
Children learn rapidly though repetition and speech. They also develop language skills by speaking, listening, reading, and even singing. Kids who have a lot of exposure to reading and speaking usually have better language comprehension skills and higher rates of cognitive development by age 3. Many of these life skills can be improved by poetry.
Take the nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosie", for example. There are four lines, all of which rhyme, all with syllables that fit into the rhythm of the song. It is a very simple yet effective way to teach a child a few words, basic rhythm, and singing without completely boring the child. As mentioned above, children who are exposed to poetry and/or nursery rhymes at an early age are thought to show greater aptitude in music, reading, and even spatial reasoning.
The fact that children enjoy this poetry is what makes this system work so well. Children's short attention spans are taken into account, resulting in shorter works. Added humorous pictures also provide much needed visual stimulation. A child would most likely be very bored if asked to sit through the reading of an entire novel, without any form of music, singing, or visual interpretations. Poetry does a great job at keeping children entertained while providing a means to improving cognitive development. The poetry of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein are excellent works that can do such a thing for children. A child would easily find a short poem with pictures and rhymes to be much more entertaining than a novel full of dry prose.
Poems can be viewed as the initial step to a bright future. Once a child develops a love for poetry, books and novels would most likely be the next step, leading to sophisticated vocabulary, excellent conversational skills, and a good writing style. Gaining an interest in reading through poetry is a great way to start off one's childhood.
But academics aside, there are personal benefits to reap from reading poems. It promotes the use of a child's imagination while keeping them entertained. Research shows that creativity and the use of imagination keep children from social and academic delinquency. Not to mention, creativity has use in application in adulthood, helping one invent creative solutions to problems in life.
Reading childrens poems appears to be such a menial task, but it does a surprising amount of good for children. Nursery rhymes and poems are utilized even today to teach children how to read and speak. Perhaps reading poetry before bedtime every night is one of the best things a parent can to for a child.
About the Author:
If you want to see a selection of childrens poems, visit our web pages at www.susannoyesandersonpoems.com today. You can see details here at http://www.susannoyesandersonpoems.com now.
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