Benefits Of Reading Childrens Poems

By Allyson Burke


Poetry may not seem very important to an adult today, but it is a type of writing that has many benefits when read to children. Reading childrens poems is a great way to develop very important life skills, such as telling one pitch apart from another, recognizing rhymes, and learning rhythm. It is an excellent way to get a child to gain an interest in writing, reading, or singing.

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.

Nursery rhymes developed distinctive melodic lines over the years, and were also used as historical references. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" referenced the wool tax and the slave trade in mid 18th century Britain. "London Bridge is Falling Down" referenced the sacking and pillaging that the Vikings left behind. "Ring Around the Rosie" was a lighthearted euphemism for the Black Plague. Nursery rhymes like these were easily memorized and sung because they had simple melodies, rhymed, and were short.

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 therefore be seen as a gateway to a great education. A child who loves poems and nursery rhymes would be highly likely to begin reading novels and longer works. Such hobbies could potentially lead to excellent writing, exceptional vocabulary, and good conversational skills.

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 is so unassuming that one might be taken aback by how good it is for the child. Nursery rhymes and poems from the 1700's still exist today for a reason. Reading poetry every night before bedtime is a great thing a parent can do for the future of his or her child.




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