Category: News

A Milestone Worth Celebrating: 1,000 Poetry4kids Members!

1000 Members on Poetry4kids

Today is a special day here at Poetry4kids—and it’s all thanks to you.

I’m thrilled (and a little stunned) to share that Poetry4kids now has 1,000 active members supporting the site through BuyMeACoffee.com. That’s right—one thousand of you have joined the community to help make sure this whimsical world of poems, lessons, and laughter keeps going strong.

When I started Poetry4kids in 1996, my dream was simple: to make reading fun for children. Over the years, that dream has grown into a mission—to help improve childhood literacy by offering poems, writing lessons, classroom activities, and educational resources that engage kids and support educators around the world.

But I’ve never done it alone.

National Poetry Month: Fun Activities & Challenges for Kids!

April is National Poetry Month! That means it’s time to celebrate the wonderful world of words and rhymes! You probably know that poetry is more than just something you read in class. It’s like a secret code for expressing yourself, playing with language, and discovering new ways to see the world. And guess what? It’s SUPER fun!

Why Poetry Rocks for Kids

Poetry helps you in so many ways! It makes you a better reader because you learn how to understand the rhythm and flow of language. It boosts your imagination, encouraging you to create pictures in your mind with words. Also, writing poetry helps you express your feelings and thoughts in unique and creative ways. Poetry isn’t just about writing long, complicated poems, either. Poems can be short, silly, serious, or anything in between. Think of it like an awesome game you get to play with words.

Celebrate Naomi Shihab Nye

Inspiring Young Poets Through Her Words

Naomi Shihab Nye

Ready for a poetry adventure? Let’s celebrate March 12, the birthday of a truly amazing poet, Naomi Shihab Nye! She’s written tons of wonderful poems and stories, especially for young readers like you. Think of her as a super-powered word-wizard, weaving magic with every line.

She’s not just any poet; she’s held the special title of Young People’s Poet Laureate from 2018 to 2021! That’s like being the official poetry champion for kids, sharing her love of poetry and encouraging kids to find their own voices through writing. It was like having a poet-superhero dedicated to helping young people express themselves!

Why Naomi Shihab Nye is So Special

Mastering Mood: How to Write Poems That Evoke Powerful Emotions

Poetry can be like a magic trick. With just a few words, a poem can make you laugh until your sides hurt, or maybe even feel a little bit scared! That’s the power of mood. Mood is the feeling a poem gives you—the atmosphere it creates. Think of it like the background music in a movie. It sets the stage for everything else.

But how do poets create these moods? It’s all about the words they choose and how they put them together. Let’s explore how you can write poems that evoke different emotions, from happy giggles to spooky goosebumps.

The Building Blocks of Feeling

One of the most important tools for creating mood is word choice. Each word has its own special feeling. “Sunshine” and “rainbow” sound much happier than “storm” and “shadow,” right? When you’re trying to create a certain mood, think carefully about which words will best capture that feeling.