Teaching Poetry To Toddlers and Preschoolers

Young children may not be able to understand complex verses, rhyming schemes or poem formats but that doesn't mean that they can' t benefit from an early exposure to poetry. In fact, you've probably been exposing your child to poetry since the day he was born. Most people first experience poetry through nursery rhymes.

Nursery rhymes such as "Hey Diddle, Diddle" and "Old Mother Hubbard" offer fun rhymes for young kids. There's a reason that Mother Goose has been around for hundreds of years - the rhymes are easy to remember and young tots love to listen to them (over and over again!)

We've all been told that poetry doesn't have to rhyme but that doesn't mean that it can't rhyme! Most young kids find rhyming poetry to be the most fun. Toddlers and preschoolers spend a lot of time experimenting with words and sounds and rhyming can help them do that.