Enthusing Kids with Poetry

[popeye]

Hello all, only just happened on this thread and found it most interesting, I have three adult children and one grandson. I've noticed that if a bit of verse or doggerel is put over in a confident enthusiastic manner it's more likely to be accepted by the youngsters than if it's mumbled quickly ( speaking from experience here, lol ) , kids now days are used to getting word perfect scenarios from TV, Movies, etc and if whatever one has to say isn't perceived to be cool then it's a no go, I love word games and am always getting collective 'not again' groans at the dinner table, but sometimes there's the reward of a sparkle in an eye or two, or a repeat of the dreadful pun, limerick, etc to one of their friends. 'Tis hard work trying to compete with the electronic media, wishing you all success in your endeavours, cheers.

[Erthona]

I did a verse version of the "Wee, Wee Mannie, and the Big, Big Coo" that I read to her 1st grade class. It is out of a group of stories called repetitious stories, because it repeats what has already happened each new verse. Like the Old Woman and the pig story. Children like these kind of stories because it helps them to remember. For adults they tend to be monotonous. My youngest is in 4th grade but still like to be read a bedtime story. I found that when they are younger, how you read the different voices is very important. Like the three Billy Goats Gruff, or the Three Bears. They'll roll on the floor laughing if you do baby bear really high, and Papa Bear really low. You don't have to do it well, just the fact that you are talking like that at all cracks them up.

Dale

[Leanne]

Yep, kids just want to know you're interested, and in fact if you're rather bad at doing voices I'm sure that makes it funnier for them, because they can feel a little bit superior

Confidence is one of the keys, and enthusiasm is the other.

[billy]

i tried with my grandkids but it's a no no. they smile at the silly old man who likes to tell them things but i can see in their eyes that they're being kind. they like it much better when i tell them stories of granddads escapades as a young man.