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.
Over the years, nursery rhymes developed more distinct melodic lines as well as references to historical events. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" was a reference to the slave trade and the wool tax in Britain in 1744. "London Bridge is Falling Down" was a reference to the Vikings' conquest. And "Ring Around the Rosie" was a dreadful euphemism for the Bubonic Plague of 1790. Little nursery rhymes such as these were easy to memorize and sing because they were short, rhymed, and had simple melodies.
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.
Reading poems provide not only academic, but personal benefits too. It encourages the use of one's imagination while keeping them mentally stimulated. Failing grades and juvenile delinquency can potentially be avoided with such methods. Not only that, creativity is a great quality to have as an adult.
Reading childrens poems is such an innocent and unassuming act that one might be surprised by how much good it does for the child. But there are reasons why poetry and nursery rhymes from the 1700's are still around today. Reading simple poetry every night may almost be the best thing one can do for a child's future.
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.
Over the years, nursery rhymes developed more distinct melodic lines as well as references to historical events. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" was a reference to the slave trade and the wool tax in Britain in 1744. "London Bridge is Falling Down" was a reference to the Vikings' conquest. And "Ring Around the Rosie" was a dreadful euphemism for the Bubonic Plague of 1790. Little nursery rhymes such as these were easy to memorize and sing because they were short, rhymed, and had simple melodies.
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.
Reading poems provide not only academic, but personal benefits too. It encourages the use of one's imagination while keeping them mentally stimulated. Failing grades and juvenile delinquency can potentially be avoided with such methods. Not only that, creativity is a great quality to have as an adult.
Reading childrens poems is such an innocent and unassuming act that one might be surprised by how much good it does for the child. But there are reasons why poetry and nursery rhymes from the 1700's are still around today. Reading simple poetry every night may almost be the best thing one can do for a child's future.
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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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