If you ask any grown-up today to sing an English rhyme, they will immediately chant ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ or ‘Mary had a little lamb.’ Imagine the impact of the English rhymes on a child if an adult could remember them even after decades of learning them. While listening to a poem, children go to an imaginary world where they play and dance with ‘Jack and Jill’ and ‘Humpty Dumpty.’ We often limit our thinking to the fact that an English poem will only entertain our kids. But, it is not so.

The simple words and fun tunes of the poems get easily stuck in their heads and by repeating them frequently, they take their first step into the world of the English language. These poems for kids are exciting to teach and let us learn pronunciation and spelling along with them in a relaxed and enjoyable way.

Importance of Learning Poems

Children are always curious and they learn things faster when we teach them in an engaging way. For instance, if we try to explain how an elephant looks in mere words, they might try to picturise it in different ways but when we give sounds and emotions in describing an elephant, they will attain a better clarity. Similarly, if we teach them English words plainly, they will have no interest in learning them and even if they did, it won’t stay in their minds for long. This is why we introduce short and easy poems to them from an early age so that they can better grasp the words and build their vocabulary.

But the importance of learning poems for kids does not end there. Let us see how these crisp notes of music and words help in their growth and development.

• Through poems, we will be able to build literacy skills in them as they try to connect different rhymes and sounds.
• Poems will also develop the memory power of children.
• Kids will be able to express themselves more vividly as they associate poems with different emotions.
• Lastly, poems enable children to think creatively.

Popular English Poems

Any child would clap their hands or tap their feet when they listen to poems. Depending on their age, an English poem can be funny, educational, informative or silly. So, we must be careful while choosing poems for kids. We do not want them to feel stressed while singing a poem but instead we must be able to bring them closer to poetry and thus help them realise the beauty of the English language. While ‘Monday’s Child’ will help your kids to learn the days faster with a twist of rhymes, ‘Wee Willie Winkie’ unfolds the mischief of a young boy in a narrative tale. Other popular English poems include ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep,’ ‘Old Macdonald Had a Farm,’ and ‘Johny Johny Yes Papa.’

Teaching Poems to Children

Children have a great grasping capacity but the way we teach them has an even greater effect on their learning. It is best to give a tune to the English poem so that children will keenly listen to them and they will catch on to it pretty quickly. Try to modulate your voice when conversations happen inside the poem between different characters as this will pique their interest. If necessary, you can act out the poem to children or give actions so that they will learn with you. More than anything, remember that children imitate you. If you are enthusiastic about teaching poems, your children will also hold onto that vibe while learning. So, let us make their worlds colourful and beautiful through some amusing English poems.