Category: News

More than 1,000 Funny Poems!

It’s an exciting time at Poetry4kids.com! I’m thrilled to announce that the website now features more than 1,000 funny poems for children. That’s right—over 1,000 giggle-worthy, grin-inducing, laugh-out-loud poems, all in one place, ready for you to enjoy.

Whether you’re looking for the newest poems I’ve written, the funniest fan favorites, or something a little more specific, there’s so much to explore!

What You’ll Find on Poetry4kids.com

On the Funny Poems page, you can always find the newest dozen poems I’ve added, so you’ll never miss a recent rhyme. You’ll also discover the 100 highest-rated poems on the site, as voted by readers like you.

Want short, simple rhymes for the youngest kids, as well as my playful takes on Mother Goose classics? Head over to the Nursery Rhymes page to read a few dozen original nursery rhymes I’ve written.

On top the more than 1000 poems I’ve written and posted on Poetry4kids, you’ll find nearly 100 of the most well-known classic children’s poems on the Classics page.

If you’re searching for something more specific, the Search button on the menu bar is your best friend. With hundreds more poems waiting to be discovered, you’re sure to find just the right one for every occasion or mood!

In addition to the poems, you’ll also find dozens of poetry-writing lessons, classroom activities, word games for kids, a dictionary of poetic terms for kids, a rhyming dictionary for kids, and nearly four dozen kid-friendly biographies of the most famous children’s poets.

Special Features for Members

For Poetry4kids members, the fun doesn’t stop there. Members can search for poems by subject, reading level, length, and even poetic devices such as alliteration, metaphor, and much more. Whether you’re looking for a short and snappy haiku or a longer story poem, you’ll have all the tools you need to find the perfect match.

This year I’ve also started adding poetry activity worksheets for kids, including Word Search puzzles, Spelling, Rhyming, Creating Writing worksheets, and more. So far, there are more than 100 worksheets available to members, organized by grade level and worksheet type.

Memberships make exploring poetry even easier—and they help me keep creating more poems, lessons, and resources for readers, students, and educators around the world. If you haven’t already become a member, I hope you will join Poetry4kids through my Membership page on BuyMeACoffee.com.

28 Years of Poetry (and Counting!)

It’s hard to believe, but Poetry4kids.com has been making kids laugh and fall in love with poetry for 28 years! Since the very beginning, my goal has been to fill the site with poems that bring joy and spark imaginations. Thanks to your support, I’ve been able to keep adding new content regularly.

In fact, I aim to post a brand-new poem every week. That means the collection is always growing—and with your help, I hope to keep adding poems, lessons, activities, and more for many years to come.

A Heartfelt Thank You

To everyone who has visited, shared, and supported Poetry4kids.com, thank you! Your enthusiasm and encouragement keep me inspired to write, and your support as members helps me keep the website running strong.

If you haven’t already, be sure to explore the site, check out the Funny Poems and Nursery Rhymes pages, and consider becoming a member to unlock even more poetic fun.

Here’s to the next 1,000 poems—and beyond!

Happy reading,

Kenn

(P.S. Don’t forget to check back each week for a new poem!)

Famous and Fun Halloween Poems for Kids

Halloween is a special time of year full of spooky fun, trick-or-treating, and lots of tasty treats. But did you know that Halloween is also one of the best times to enjoy reading, sharing, and even writing poetry?

Halloween poems are full of ghosts, goblins, witches, and other monsters, and they can be just the right mix of fun and fright. They might give you a little shiver, but they also make you laugh out loud. Whether you like silly poems or spooky ones, Halloween poems can make your October even more exciting!

Famous and Fun Halloween Poems for Kids

Why Read Halloween Poetry?

Halloween is the perfect time for reading poetry because it’s a holiday full of imagination. When you read a Halloween poem, it’s easy to picture black cats, jack-o’-lanterns, and haunted houses in your mind. The poems are often filled with words that create vivid images, and they make you feel like you’re right there on a spooky adventure.

Plus, reading poems together with friends or family can make Halloween even more fun. You could read poems around a campfire, by candlelight, or even as part of your Halloween night celebration. It’s all about having a little fun while getting in the spirit of the holiday.

Classic Halloween Poems

There are some classic spooky poems that have been loved for many years. One of the most famous is “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. This eerie poem tells the story of a man visited by a mysterious raven on a dark, lonely night. The raven repeats the word “Nevermore,” and the poem gets spookier as it goes on, making it perfect for Halloween. Here’s how it begins:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more.”

Another classic is “Theme in Yellow” by Carl Sandburg. This poem describes the sights and sounds of Halloween, and it’s perfect for setting a Halloween mood. It talks about autumn scenery and children singing ghost songs, all from the perspective of a jack-o’-lantern.

Jack Prelutsky’s It’s Halloween!

It's Halloween by Jack Prelutsky

If you love fun poems, you’ll want to check out It’s Halloween! by Jack Prelutsky. Jack is a famous children’s poet known for his silly, fun, and sometimes spooky poems. It’s Halloween! is a collection of poems all about Halloween night—full of trick-or-treaters and Halloween games. Each poem is short, funny, and captures something special about Halloween that makes it magical. One of the poems describes children dressed up as witches, pirates, and ghosts, while another talks about a haunted house with groaning doors and creaky floors. The poems are not too scary, but they’re just spooky enough to make Halloween even more fun.

My Spooky and Silly Poems

Believe it or Not My Brother Has a Monster

I also love writing Halloween poems! I even wrote an entire Halloween picture book poem called Believe it or Not, My Brother Has a Monster. And I have written dozens more Halloween poems, including “We Bought a Lot of Candy Bars,” “Incomplete Trick-or-Treat,” and this poem “On Halloween Night” from my book My Dog Likes to Disco:

On Halloween Night

A couple of demons,
on Halloween night,
showed up on my doorstep
to give me a fright.

I smiled when I saw them.
I gave them a wink,
and handed them each
a delicious, cold drink.

You might think it’s weird
but I wasn’t afraid.
When life gives me demons
I make demonade.

More Fun Halloween Collections

There are many other wonderful collections of Halloween poems for kids. One of them is Scary, Scary Halloween by Eve Bunting. It’s a story in poems that follows trick-or-treaters dressed up in costumes on Halloween night. The story is slightly spooky—just enough to be fun without being too frightening.

Halloween Night by Charles Ghigna

Halloween Night by Charles Ghigna is another delightful collection with poems such as “The Haunted House.” It’s full of short, fun poems that capture the magic and excitement of Halloween, from trick-or-treating to spooky surprises. The poems are filled with playful rhymes and colorful imagery that make them perfect for young readers to enjoy during the Halloween season.

One more wonderfully fun Halloween poetry book is Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex. It’s a hilarious collection of poems all about different monsters and the funny problems they have. For example, Frankenstein just wants to make himself a sandwich, but he keeps running into all sorts of ridiculous difficulties. There’s also a poem about Dracula having spinach stuck in his teeth. These poems are perfect if you like to laugh while reading about monsters.

 Writing Your Own Halloween Poems

Halloween isn’t just a great time to read poetry—it’s also the perfect time to write your own poems! You can use your imagination to come up with all sorts of funny or spooky ideas. You could write a poem about your favorite costume, a haunted house, or a group of monsters having a Halloween party. Maybe you’ll write about a mischievous ghost who loves to play tricks on people. The fun part of writing Halloween poems is that anything can happen—there are no rules, and your poem can be as wild or silly as you want.

One way to start writing a Halloween poem is to think about something spooky or silly and imagine what could happen next. Here’s a tip: try starting with a question like, “What if a vampire loved hot chocolate instead of blood?” or “What would happen if a ghost got lost in a candy store?” Asking funny questions can help you come up with creative ideas for your poem.

Sharing Halloween Poems

After you write your Halloween poem, don’t forget to share it! You can read it to your friends or family, or even perform it as part of a Halloween party. You could also write it on a Halloween card to give to someone special. Sharing poems is a great way to spread Halloween cheer and make people laugh (or give them a little friendly scare!).

You could even have a Halloween poetry reading with your friends. Gather around, light some candles, and take turns reading your favorite Halloween poems. You can read funny poems, spooky poems, or even poems you wrote yourself. You could also dress up in costumes and act out the poems as you read them. It’s a fun way to make Halloween night even more magical and full of surprises.

Get Ready for a Spooky, Poetic Halloween!

This Halloween, why not add some poetry to your celebrations? Whether you’re reading Jack Prelutsky’s It’s Halloween!, laughing at my funny monster poems, or writing your own spooky verses, there’s no better time to get creative. Poetry can make Halloween even more special by adding a little magic, a little laughter, and maybe even a tiny shiver up your spine. So grab a book of Halloween poems, gather your friends, and get ready for some spooktacular fun!

Kenn Nesbitt
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Rhyme and Move: Combining Poetry and Physical Education for Dynamic Learning

Today we’re going to jump into an exciting topic that might surprise you: how to blend poetry with physical education. That’s right, we’re going to explore how verses and movement can work together to create a dynamic learning experience for elementary students. So, put on your sneakers and grab your favorite poem – it’s time to get physical with poetry!

Rhyme and Move

The Power of Kinesthetic Learning

We all know that kids have energy to burn. Combining physical activity with learning not only helps them stay focused but also enhances memory and cognitive function. When we add poetry to the mix, we’re creating a multi-sensory experience that can boost both physical skills and literacy. It’s a win-win situation!

Poetry in Motion: Activity Ideas

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing by Marilyn Singer

Here are several ways you can combine movement and poetry on the playground, in the gym, or maybe even in the classroom.

  1. Skipping Rope Rhymes: Remember those classic jump rope chants? They’re a perfect example of how rhythm and movement naturally go together. Try using poems with strong rhythms for skipping rope activities. Take a look at Joanna Cole’s book Anna Banana: 101 Jump Rope Rhymes for a huge selection of suitable poems.
  2. Yoga Poems: Combine simple yoga poses with nature poems. As students hold poses, recite poems about trees, animals, or the sky. The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry edited by former Children’s Poet Laureate  J. Patrick Lewis has some perfect selections for this.
  3. Dance-Along Poems: Create simple choreography to go with narrative poems. Students can act out the story as they recite. Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae is a fun picture book that works well for this.
  4. Hoop Poems: Use hula hoops as props while reciting circular poems or poems about cycles. Around the World on Eighty Legs by Amy Gibson has poems about animals from different continents that could work well here.
  5. Running Rhymes: For track activities, use poems with a strong running rhythm. A Stick Is an Excellent Thing by Marilyn Singer has several poems about outdoor play that work well for this.
  6. Ball Bounce Poems: Have students bounce a ball in rhythm with the poem’s meter. This is great for teaching stress and rhythm in poetry. Loris Lesynski’s Crazy About Basketball and Brian Bilston’s 50 Ways to Score a Goal are a couple of excellent collections all about playing ball.

Real-Life Examples

Speaking of ball games and poetry, I once visited a school that had a group known as the “Basketball Poets.” These creative students had found a way to combine their love of basketball with poetry. They would recite poems in time with dribbling, passing, and shooting basketballs. It was an incredible sight – and sound! – to behold. The rhythm of the basketballs perfectly complemented the rhythm of the verses, creating a unique and engaging performance.

This innovative approach not only made poetry more appealing to sports-loving students but also helped the young poets improve their timing, coordination, and teamwork skills. It’s a brilliant example of how poetry and physical education can come together in unexpected and exciting ways.

Similarly, my own son once attended a school where his classroom had a number of red rubber balls for bouncing and hopper balls, those large rubber balls with a handle on top for sitting and bouncing. Students would recite poems while hopping or while bouncing balls off of a wall. These activities combined literary education with “getting their wiggles out.”

Benefits of Combining Poetry and Physical Education

Incorporating movement with poetry (or poetry with movement) offers a number of benefits for young learners, including:

  • Improved Memory: The combination of physical movement and recitation can enhance memory retention.
  • Enhanced Rhythm and Timing: Many physical activities require a sense of rhythm, which poetry can help develop.
  • Increased Engagement: This multi-sensory approach can capture the interest of students who might not typically enjoy either poetry or PE.
  • Stress Relief: Both physical activity and poetry can be great stress relievers. Combining them amplifies this effect.
  • Creativity Boost: Encouraging students to create their own movement-poetry combinations fosters creativity.
  • Inclusive Learning: This approach can be adapted for students of various physical abilities, making learning more inclusive.

Tips for Success

  1. Start Simple: Begin with short, rhythmic poems, chants, or nursery rhymes, and simple movements.
  2. Be Flexible: Allow students to suggest their own movements or poems to match activities.
  3. Cross-Curricular Connections: Use poems that relate to other subjects the students are studying.
  4. Safety First: Always ensure that recitation doesn’t interfere with safe movement.
  5. Record and Reflect: Video record some sessions (with appropriate permissions) for students to watch and discuss.

Recommended Poetry Collections for Physical Activities

You will find lots of excellent poetry collections in your school library. Here are few you might look for:

Why Not Give it a Try?

Combining poetry with physical education offers a unique and exciting way to engage students in both literacy and physical activity. It taps into the natural connection between rhythm, words, and movement, creating a holistic learning experience that can appeal to a wide range of students.

So, why not give it a try? You might be surprised at how naturally poetry and physical education fit together. Who knows? You might even inspire your own group of “Basketball Poets”!

Remember, learning doesn’t have to be sedentary, and physical education doesn’t have to be separate from academic subjects. By bringing poetry into the gym (or taking the gym to poetry), we’re creating dynamic, engaging lessons that students will remember long after the class is over.

Giggle Your Way to Better Reading: The Power of Funny Poetry

Today I’d like to share some insights about how humorous poetry can supercharge kids’ literacy skills. So, get ready to discover why giggles and grins are secret weapons in the battle for better reading and how you can create more literary laughter in the classroom!

Giggle Your Way to Better Reading

The Power of Humor in Learning

We all know that learning is easier when it’s fun, right? Well, humor takes that idea and kicks it up a notch! When kids laugh, their brains release chemicals that make them feel good. This good feeling makes them want to keep reading, even if reading is usually tough for them. It’s like their brain is saying, “Hey, this is awesome! Let’s do more!”

Why Funny Poems Rock for Literacy

Jokes are like the candy of the literary world—they are small, sweet, and hard to resist. But they also don’t do a lot to improve reading skills. Humorous poems, on the other hand, in addition to being slightly addictive, are excellent at boosting kids’ literacy. Here’s why:

  • Short and Sweet: Most funny poems are pretty short. This means students can finish one quickly and feel proud of themselves. It’s like leveling up in a video game—that one wasn’t so hard! Let’s keep going and see what’s next!
  • Word Play Galore: Humorous poems often use puns, rhymes, and silly words. This introduces students to new vocabulary in a fun, memorable way.
  • Repetition without Boredom: Many funny poems use repetitive structures. This repetition helps reinforce reading skills, but because each repetition comes with a new joke, it never gets boring.
  • Engagement Booster: When students are laughing, they’re engaged. And when they’re engaged, they’re more likely to keep reading and to remember what they’ve read.
  • Confidence Builder: When kids find reading enjoyable, they’re more likely to see themselves as “good readers” and to seek out more reading experiences.

How Humor Helps with Specific Literacy Skills

Funny poetry doesn’t just make reading fun—it targets specific literacy skills:

  1. Motivation: Students are more likely to pick up a book if they know it’s going to make them laugh. More reading practice means better reading skills!
  2. Comprehension: To get a joke, you need to understand it. This encourages students to read carefully and think about the meaning of what they’re reading.
  3. Vocabulary: Humor often relies on knowing the meanings of words. This naturally expands vocabulary in a way that’s much more fun than memorizing a list of words.
  4. Fluency: Reading poetry out loud (which kids often want to do with funny poems) helps improve reading fluency and expression.
  5. Critical Thinking: Many jokes require making connections or seeing things from a different perspective. This kind of thinking is crucial for advanced literacy skills.
  6. Memorization: We remember things better when they’re associated with strong emotions, like laughter. This means the vocabulary and language structures in funny poems are more likely to stick in a student’s memory.
  7. Stress Reduction: Reading can sometimes feel stressful for kids who struggle with it. Humor helps reduce that stress, making the whole experience more positive.

Tips for Using Humorous Poetry in School

Here are  a few ways you can incorporate hilarious verses into your classroom:

  1. Daily Dose of Laughter: Start or end each day with a funny poem. It’s a great way to build a reading habit. There are nearly 1,000 funny poems on this website and you are welcome to use them in your classroom or library however you like.
  2. Poetry Performance: Encourage students to read funny poems out loud, maybe even acting them out. This builds fluency and confidence.
  3. Poetry Writing Workshop: After reading lots of funny poems, challenge students to write their own. This reinforces language skills and boosts creativity.
  4. Cross-Curricular Connections: Use funny poems as a springboard for other activities. For example, if you read a poem about a silly sandwich or an unusual automobile, have students write a recipe for their own wacky sandwich creation or crazy car.
  5. Laughter Circle: Share funny poems as a class. Laughter is contagious, and so is a love of reading!

Recommended Funny Poetry Books

Need some book ideas? Here are some a number of books you can probably find in the poetry section of your school library:

Remember… humorous poetry isn’t just fun—it’s a powerful tool for improving literacy. These bite-sized literary treats keep students coming back for more, building their reading skills while they’re busy giggling.

Every chuckle, every guffaw, every belly laugh sparked by a poem is another step on the path to literacy. So go ahead, bring some funny poems into your classroom and watch your students’ reading skills (and smiles) grow!

So, to all the teachers, librarians, reading specialists, and other educators out there… Keep laughing, keep teaching, and keep inspiring! You’re making a world of difference, one giggle at a time!

Kenn Nesbitt
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Painting with Words: Using Imagery to Make Your Writing Pop

Today we’re going to talk about something super cool that can make your writing pop off the page: using “imagery.” Don’t worry if imagery is a new word to you—it just means using words that help your readers imagine what’s happening in your poem or story. It’s like painting a picture with words!

Even though “imagery” may sound like the word “images” (meaning pictures, or things that you see), it’s more than just that. It’s about things you take in with any of your five senses.

Paint with Words: Using Imagery to Make Your Writing Pop

The Five Senses

To understand imagery, we first need to talk about our five senses. These are the ways we experience the world around us:

  1. Visual (Sight): What we see with our eyes. This one is easy to remember because your visual sense is your sense of vision. See how they sound alike?
  2. Auditory (Sound): What we hear with our ears. This one is a little trickier, but if you remember that “audio” means sound, you’ll be able to remember that your “auditory” sense is your sense of hearing.
  3. Olfactory (Smell): What we smell with our nose. This one is a funny word, but I remember it by thinking of some place that “smells like an old factory.
  4. Gustatory (Taste): What we taste with our tongue. This one is my favorite. The “gust” in gustatory comes from a Latin word meaning “to taste.” It’s also the same “gust” that is in the word “disgusting.” So, in a way, “disgusting” means “un-tasting,” or throwing up. If you can remember that, you can remember that the gustatory sense is the sense of taste.
  5. Tactile (Touch): What we feel with our skin. This one I remember with the phrase, “Touching tacky tiles.” If you can imagine what it feels like to touch tacky (sticky) tiles, you can remember that the tactile sense is the sense of touch.

So, why am I telling you all of this? Basically, it’s because using words that make your readers think about these senses can really bring your writing to life!
Making Your Writing Stronger with Imagery

Let’s start with a boring sentence:

“She walked through the forest.”

This sentence tells us what’s happening, but it doesn’t really help us imagine the scene. We don’t know if it’s day or night, sunny or raining, if she’s going for a stroll in a meadow or sneaking through a dark and scary place, and so on.

Let’s see how we can make it better using a little imagery for each of the five senses. Here are some simple ways I tried changing a word or adding a word or a phrase.

Visual (Sight):

“She crept through the dark forest.”

Now we can picture how she’s moving and what the forest looks like! She is creeping along carefully, and it’s either nighttime or the forest is so dense with trees that very little light is getting through. Here’s another:

Auditory (Sound):

“She crashed through the howling forest.”

Can you hear the noise she’s making and the sound of the wind (or are they wolves)?

Olfactory (Smell):

“She strolled through the pine-scented forest.”

Now we can almost smell the trees as her feet crush the dry leaves and pine cones!

Gustatory (Taste):

“She jogged through the forest, the taste of salty sweat on her lips.”

This helps us understand how she might be feeling—tired and sweaty.

Tactile (Touch):

“She stumbled through the prickly forest.”

We can almost feel those branches scratching our skin!

See how adding just changing a word, or adding a sensory word (or a few) can make a big difference? This is what teachers often mean when they talk about “word choice.” It’s probably the easiest way to make your writing much, much better!

More Examples

Let’s try a few more examples to show how imagery can make your writing stronger and give it more emotional impact.

Boring: “The dog barked.”
Better: “The huge dog growled, its deep bark echoing through the night.” (This uses visual and auditory imagery to make the scene scarier.)

Boring: “She ate the apple.”
Better: “She bit into the crisp apple, its sweet juice running down her chin.” (This uses gustatory and tactile imagery to make us almost taste the apple ourselves!)

Boring: “The boy was happy.”
Better: “The boy’s eyes sparkled as a wide grin spread across his face.” (This visual imagery helps us see his happiness instead of just being told about it.)

Boring: “It was hot outside.”
Better: “The scorching sun beat down, making sweat trickle down her back.” (This uses visual and tactile imagery to really make us feel the heat.)

Tips for Using Imagery

Use strong verbs (action words): Instead of “walked,” try “stomped,” “tiptoed,” or “wandered.”

Add descriptive adjectives: Turn “the dog” into “the shaggy, brown dog.”

Include sensory details: Don’t just say it was “noisy.” Was it “ear-splitting,” “thunderous,” or maybe “a soft whisper”?

Show, don’t tell: Instead of saying “She was scared,” describe how her heart raced and her hands shook.

Use similes and metaphors: These are comparisons that can create vivid images. For example, “Her voice was as smooth as honey.”

Practice Makes Perfect

The best way to get better at using imagery is to practice! Try these exercises:

  1. Describe your bedroom using all five senses.
  2. Write about your favorite food, focusing on taste and smell.
  3. Describe a thunderstorm, concentrating on sight and sound.

Remember, you don’t need to use all five senses in every sentence or even every paragraph. Just sprinkle these sensory details throughout your writing to bring it to life.

Using imagery is like having a superpower in your writing toolkit. It helps your readers step into the world you’re creating and experience it alongside your characters. By choosing words that appeal to the five senses, you can transform boring sentences into exciting, vivid descriptions that will keep your readers hooked.

So, the next time you’re writing a poem, a story, or even a school essay, remember to engage your readers’ senses. Paint a picture with your words, let them hear the sounds, smell the scents, taste the flavors, and feel the textures of your world. Your writing will be so much stronger and more fun to read!

Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be a master of imagery. Happy writing!

Kenn Nesbitt
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Kick Off the School Year with an Unforgettable Author Visit for Your Students!

Online School Visit

As the new school year begins, you’re likely looking for creative ways to inspire your students and ignite their passion for reading and writing. What better way to do that than by bringing an award-winning children’s author directly into your classroom—virtually, of course!

Each year, I visit hundreds of schools around the world through live, interactive online sessions. My virtual author visits are more than just a reading event; they’re high-energy, funny, and educational experiences designed to leave your students excited about picking up a pen and writing their own stories and poems.

What to Expect from an Online Author Visit

During my virtual visits, your students won’t just sit back and listen; they’ll be active participants! My 45-minute sessions are designed to engage students at every grade level with:

  • 15 minutes of presentation where I share stories, poems, and loads of silliness that makes kids laugh out loud
  • 20 minutes of interactive writing where I lead your students through fun, creative exercises designed to get their imaginations flowing and we create a brand-new poem from their ideas
  • 10 minutes of Q&A where students can ask me anything they’d like—about my books, writing tips, or even the life of a children’s author

Whether your students are in kindergarten or middle school, I tailor each session to match the grade level, ensuring everyone has a blast and learns something new.

Why Choose a Virtual Author Visit?

In today’s world, bringing an author to your school no longer means complicated travel arrangements or budgeting for costly in-person visits. With an online author visit, we connect via Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or whichever platform works best for you. The benefits of a virtual visit are countless, but here are a few of the big ones:

  • Affordability: Virtual author visits are much more budget-friendly than traditional in-person assemblies, with no travel expenses involved. You can book a single session for just $335, or multiple sessions for $285 each, making it easier to reach more students across various classrooms or grade levels.
  • Flexibility: Scheduling is simple and stress-free. You don’t have to book months in advance or fit everything into a single day. Spread the sessions across multiple days if needed!
  • Global Accessibility: Since these visits are virtual, I can connect with your students no matter where you’re located in the world. I regularly visit schools in Australia, Asia, and Europe as well as the US and Canada.
  • Ease of Setup: All you need is a computer or tablet, a projector, speakers, and an internet connection—no fancy videoconferencing hardware required!

Get Students Excited About Reading and Writing!

One of the best things about these online visits is the fun! My presentations are filled with humor and designed to keep students laughing and engaged. But beyond the laughter, students walk away inspired to start writing their own stories and poems. Many teachers tell me that my sessions spark a newfound interest in reading and writing among even the most reluctant students.

Imagine your classroom filled with the buzz of excited students, pencils flying across their notebooks as they create their own funny stories—just moments after our session ends!

How to Book Your Visit

Booking a virtual author visit with me is easy! Simply check my availability and then click here to schedule the visit. Not sure if a date works? Feel free to reach out to me and we’ll find the perfect time to connect.

I offer sessions for a variety of grade levels, so no matter who you teach, I have a program that fits. Don’t wait—schedule your session today and bring the excitement of a live author visit directly into your classroom!

Don’t Just Take My Word for It—See What Schools Are Saying!

Still wondering if a virtual author visit is right for your students? Don’t just take my word for it—hear what other teachers and administrators have to say! Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with schools worldwide, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. From sparking creativity to getting reluctant writers excited about putting pencil to paper, these sessions leave a lasting impact on students and educators alike. Here are just a few recent testimonials from those who have experienced my programs firsthand in just the past few months:

Our 4th grade students and teachers so enjoyed our Zoom call last week! Teachers felt as if the content was both engaging and perfectly aligned with their current pacing. Students will complete a poetry writing performance task in the next couple of weeks, so your Zoom call helped to instill confidence in students as well as make poetry seem accessible. We are so grateful for the time you spent with our scholars!

Students are banging down the media center doors to get their hands on your books. We have already placed several holds!
—Fort Daniel Elementary School, Dacula, GA

Thank you again Kenn for being such a great partner to St. Francis teachers and students all these years. You make this very easy and we appreciate you very much!
—St. Francis of Assisi School, West Des Moines, IL

The lesson was great! We spent some time before class to familiarize ourselves with many of your poems. I think your lesson was the perfect jumping off point for our creative poetry writing month.
—Covenant Christian School, Mishawaka, IN

Thanks for everything. It has been such an amazing session to approach our students to poetry. Children say that now they feel fearless to write poems, that writing poetry is not as hard as they thought before using all the resources you provide on your website.
—Escola Betània-Patmos, Barcelona, Spain

I am spreading the word here in GA to our very large county (80 Elementary schools) that you did an amazing presentation!  All of our 4th grade students do the same poetry unit at the beginning of the year so I hope some of them will reach out too! My 4th grade teachers would love to have you back for presentations again next year.
—Duncan Creek Elementary School, Houschton, GA

Have Questions?

If you have any questions about my online author visit programs, feel free to contact me so together we can your students writing!

Seasonal Poetry: Using Verses to Celebrate the Seasons

Seasonal Poetry

I’ve always been fascinated by how the changing seasons inspire creativity and wonder in young minds. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how seasonal poetry can transform a classroom, turning abstract concepts of time and change into tangible, enjoyable learning experiences. Today, I’d like to share some thoughts on how we can use seasonal verses to enhance learning and create memorable moments throughout the school year.

The Power of Seasonal Poetry

Seasons provide a natural rhythm to our lives, and poetry offers a beautiful way to capture and celebrate these changes. When we introduce seasonal poetry in the classroom, we’re doing more than just teaching literature – we’re helping children connect with the world around them in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Think about Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” While it might seem complex at first glance, its vivid imagery of nature’s cycle can spark rich discussions even with younger students. It’s a perfect springboard for talking about change, impermanence, and the beauty of fleeting moments—all through the lens of seasonal transformation.

Or take a look at Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Bed in Summer” about the frustration of having to go to bed before it gets dark on long summer days.

Creating a Poetic Calendar

One of my favorite classroom activities is creating a “Poetic Calendar.” This involves selecting or writing a poem for each month of the school year. As you progress through the year, you can use these poems as touchstones, connecting them to what’s happening both inside and outside the classroom.

For September, you might use a back-to-school themed poem. My own “The Summer’s Nearly Over” often gets giggles and nods of recognition from kids just settling into the new school year. As you move into October, Halloween-themed verses like “Halloween Checkist” can tie into both the season and holiday celebrations.

Winter months are perfect for snowy poems. Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” paints a serene winter scene that children often find mesmerizing. For younger kids, humorous verses about snowmen or sledding can capture the joy of winter play.

As spring arrives, poems about growth and renewal can complement science lessons about plant life cycles. And summer-themed poetry, even if read before the school year ends, can build excitement for the vacation ahead while reflecting on the year that’s passed.

And my poem “Whenever It’s December” describes each of the seasons and how the end of the year is a wonderful time to celebrate them all as we look forward to experiencing them anew in the coming year.

Seasonal Poetry as a Teaching Tool

Beyond just marking time, seasonal poetry can be a versatile teaching tool across various subjects:

  • Language Arts: Use seasonal poems to teach literary devices like metaphor, simile, and personification. The changing seasons provide rich material for these concepts.
  • Science: Pair poems about natural phenomena with related science lessons. A poem about falling leaves can lead into a discussion about why leaves change color.
  • Social Studies: Explore how different cultures celebrate seasonal changes through poetry. This can be a great way to introduce diverse perspectives and traditions.
  • Art: Encourage students to create illustrations inspired by seasonal poems, or vice versa—write poems inspired by seasonal artwork.
  • Math: Use seasonal themes to make math problems more engaging. Counting petals in a spring poem or apples in an autumn verse can make number concepts more concrete for younger learners.

Writing Seasonal Poetry

While reading seasonal poetry is valuable, encouraging students to write their own seasonal verses can be even more rewarding. Here are a few ideas to get started:

  1. Seasonal Haiku: The brief, nature-focused structure of haiku is perfect for capturing seasonal moments. Challenge students to write haiku about what they observe outside their window.
  2. Acrostic Poems: Use season names or seasonal objects (like S-N-O-W or L-E-A-V-E-S) as starting points for acrostic poems.
  3. Rhyming Couplets: For a quick, fun exercise, have students create rhyming couplets about their favorite seasonal activities.
  4. Five Senses Poems: Ask students to describe a season using all five senses. This not only practices sensory language but also encourages mindful observation of their environment.

Celebrating with Poetry

Seasonal poetry can also play a big role in classroom celebrations. For major holidays, you can find countless themed poems (like “A Visit from St. Nicholas” or “Over the River and Through the Wood” for winter holidays or various Mother’s Day poems for spring). But don’t forget the smaller, whimsical celebrations too!

For example, did you know April is National Poetry Month? It’s a perfect time to dive deep into all kinds of poetry. Or consider St. Patrick’s Day in March—there are some delightfully silly St. Patrick’s Day poems out there that kids absolutely love.

These poetic celebrations create shared experiences that students will remember long after the school year ends. They’re the kind of moments that can spark a lifelong love of poetry.

The Lasting Impact of Seasonal Verse

As you guide your students through the school year, seasonal poetry offers us a unique tool to mark time, celebrate change, and create lasting memories. It allows them to tap into the natural curiosity and wonder that children have about the world around them, using language as a bridge between their inner thoughts and outer experiences.

From the crisp excitement of fall to the lazy warmth of summer, each season brings its own poetic possibilities. By weaving these verses into your teaching, you’re not just educating—you’re creating a rich, vibrant tapestry of words and experiences that your students can carry with them always.

So as you plan your lessons for the coming year, consider how you might incorporate more seasonal poetry. You might just find that it adds a special kind of magic to your classroom—the kind that turns ordinary school days into extraordinary memories.

Remember, every season has a story to tell, and every child has the potential to be its poet. Let’s give them the words, the inspiration, and the opportunity to sing the songs of the seasons in their own unique voices.

Kenn Nesbitt
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Building Emotional Intelligence with Poetry: Helping Kids Express Feelings

Building Emotional Intelligence illustration with Poetry

As a children’s poet, I’ve seen firsthand how poetry can transform the way kids understand and express their emotions. Over my years of writing for children and visiting schools, I’ve witnessed countless young faces light up as they discover the power of poetic expression. Today, I want to share some insights on how poetry can be a fantastic tool for building emotional intelligence in children.

The Magic of Poetic Language

There’s something special about the way poetry speaks to kids. Unlike regular stories or conversations, poems use vivid imagery, rhythmic patterns, and clever wordplay to convey feelings. This unique approach often makes it easier for children to tackle emotions that might otherwise feel too big or scary to talk about.

When I visit schools, kids will often give me poems that they have written. While some are just silly rhymes, many times their poems are a way of expressing the emotions they are experiencing in their lives, from the joy of getting a new pet to the sadness of losing a grandparent. Like drawing a picture, writing a poem gives them an outlet for emotional expression that is simple, short, and easier than going into great detail, but still conveys what they are feeling.

Reading Poems to Recognize Emotions

Reading poetry aloud is a great way to introduce kids to a wide range of emotions. It’s amazing to see children’s faces as they recognize their own experiences in the words of a poem.

For instance, my poem “Sick Day” often gets knowing nods from kids who’ve tried to convince their parents they’re too ill for school. It’s a lighthearted way to talk about the mix of guilt and hope that comes with a little fibbing. By contrast, my poem “Good Morning, Dear Students” shares the excitement of what looks to be the best day ever at school, and the subsequent letdown when the students find out the Principal is playing a prank on them. By discussing these poetic portrayals of emotions, children learn to identify and name their own feelings more accurately and in a way that feels safe and non-threatening.

Writing Poems to Express Feelings

While reading poetry is valuable, I believe the real magic happens when kids start writing their own poems. There’s something about putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) that helps children sort through their emotions.

I always encourage young writers to play with words and have fun with their poems. Sometimes, the silliest rhymes can lead to the most profound emotional insights. I’ve seen kids who struggle to talk about their feelings light up when given the chance to write a haiku about a bad day or an acrostic poem about their biggest fears.

Poetry Activities for Emotional Learning

Here are some of my favorite activities to help kids explore emotions through poetry:

  1. Emotion Color Poems: Ask kids to associate colors with different feelings and write a short poem for each. You might be surprised by the depth of their observations!
  2. Metaphor Mania: Challenge children to compare their emotions to objects or animals. “My excitement is a bouncy ball” or “My anger is a grumpy bear” can lead to some fantastic discussions.
  3. Poetry Journals: Encourage kids to create a poetry journal, writing a short poem each day about how they’re feeling. Over time, this can help them track their emotional patterns.
  4. Group Poems: Work together as a class or family to create a poem about a shared experience. This helps kids realize that many emotions are universal.

The Power of Rhythm and Rhyme

As someone who loves a good rhyme, I can’t overlook the impact of rhythm and rhyme in emotional expression. There’s something about a catchy rhyme that makes feelings stick in our minds. Just think about Dr. Seuss and how his rhythmic stories often carried deep emotional messages.

I often use rhyming couplets (I like to call them super-short poems) as a quick exercise for kids to express their feelings. It’s amazing how much emotion can be packed into just two rhyming lines!

Poetry as a Safe Space

One of the things I love most about poetry is how it provides a safe space for kids to explore tough emotions. Writing about sadness, anger, or fear in a poem can feel less scary than talking about these feelings directly.

When working with kids to write poems, I always try to create a supportive environment where they feel comfortable sharing their poems if they want to. It’s important to respect their privacy and offer support if any concerning issues come up in their writing.

Wrapping Up

As a children’s poet, nothing makes me happier than seeing kids discover the joy of poetry. But beyond just having fun with words, I truly believe that poetry is a powerful tool for developing emotional intelligence.

By reading, writing, and sharing poems, children can build a richer emotional vocabulary, improve their ability to express their feelings, and develop greater empathy for others. So the next time your child or student is struggling with big emotions, why not suggest writing a poem? You might be amazed at the insights that emerge through the power of poetic expression.

Remember, every child has a poet inside them, just waiting for the right words to come out. Let’s give them the tools to express themselves and watch their emotional intelligence bloom!

Kenn Nesbitt
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The Big Three: Exploring the Main Types of Poetry

Today, we’re going to explore the three main categories of poems: Narrative, Lyric, and Descriptive poetry. Think of these as the three flavors of ice cream in the poetry shop. Each one is delicious in its own way, and knowing about them can help you enjoy poetry even more!

Narrative, Lyric, and Descriptive Poetry

Before we dive in, it’s important to understand that these big categories we’re going to explore are different from specific poetic “forms” you might have heard of, like limericks, sonnets, or diamantes.

Think of it this way: if poetry were music, the categories we’re discussing (Narrative, Lyric, and Descriptive) would be like genres of music—hip hop, rock, or classical. The specific forms, on the other hand, are more like the instruments—guitar, piano, or drums. Just as you can play rock music on a guitar or a piano, you can write a narrative poem as a sonnet or a limerick. These categories describe what the poem does, while forms describe how the poem is structured. Make sense? Now, let’s explore these categories!

Narrative Poetry: Telling a Story in Verse

Imagine you’re sitting around a campfire, and someone is telling a story. But instead of speaking normally, the storyteller starts rhyming and using poetic language. That’s kind of what narrative poetry is like! These poems tell a story from beginning to end, just like a short story or novel, but they do it with all the cool tools that poetry offers.

Some things you might find in narrative poems include:

  • A series of events that happen
  • Characters who do things and say things
  • A plot with a beginning, middle, and end
  • Descriptions of settings and events
  • Dialogue (people talking to each other)

Famous examples of narrative poetry include “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer and “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” (AKA “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”) by Clement Clarke Moore. Even many of my own poems, like “I Made a Meme this Morning,” fall into this category.

Why it’s cool: Narrative poems are like getting a story and a poem in one package. They’re great for people who love adventures and tales but also enjoy the rhythm and rhyme of poetry.

Lyric Poetry: Expressing Feelings and Thoughts

Now, let’s say instead of telling a story, you want to share how you feel about something. Maybe it’s how much you love pizza, or how sad you feel when it rains on the weekend. That’s what lyric poetry does—it expresses emotions, thoughts, and personal experiences.

Lyric poems often:

  • Focus on feelings and ideas rather than events
  • Use lots of descriptive language
  • Might rhyme, but don’t have to
  • Can be short or long

Some famous lyric poems are “The Swing” by Robert Louis Stevenson and “Eletelephony” by Laura E. Richards.

Why it’s cool: Lyric poetry lets you dive deep into feelings and experiences. It’s like putting your heart on paper!

Dramatic Poetry: A Special Type of Lyric Poetry

There’s a special kind of lyric poetry called dramatic poetry. In these poems, the poet writes from the point of view of a specific character or persona. It’s like the poet is putting on a costume and pretending to be someone else! Dramatic poems are meant to be read aloud to an audience, as if one is in a play, sharing their feelings with the world.

Dramatic poems often:

  • Have a single character speaking
  • Reveal the character’s thoughts and feelings
  • Might be written as a monologue (one person talking)

Famous examples of dramatic poetry include “Homework! Oh, Homework!” by Jack Prelutsky and “Sick” by Shel Silverstein.

Why it’s cool: Dramatic poetry lets you step into someone else’s shoes and see the world from their perspective. It’s like acting, but in poem form!

Descriptive Poetry: Painting Pictures with Words

Last but not least, we have descriptive poetry. This is where poets become word painters, using language to create vivid images in the reader’s mind. Instead of telling a story or expressing feelings, these poems focus on describing something in detail.

Descriptive poems often:

  • Use lots of adjectives and sensory details (also known as “imagery“)
  • Might describe a person, place, object, or event
  • Try to make you feel like you’re really there, seeing what the poet sees

“The Tyger” by William Blake is a famous descriptive poem, painting a picture of a fierce tiger with words.

Why it’s cool: Descriptive poetry challenges you to really observe the world around you and find interesting ways to describe what you see. It’s like taking a picture with words instead of a camera!

Mixing It Up

Now, here’s a secret: many poems don’t fit neatly into just one of these categories. Poets love to mix things up! You might find a narrative poem that’s also very descriptive, or a lyric poem that tells a bit of a story. That’s the fun of poetry—there are no strict rules, and you can blend different styles to create something unique.

Why Understanding These Types Matters

Knowing about these different types of poetry can help you in a few ways:

  • It can make reading poetry more fun because you understand what the poet is trying to do.
  • It can help you write your own poems by giving you different approaches to try.
  • It can deepen your appreciation for the skill and creativity of poets.

In my own writing, I love playing with all these types of poetry. Sometimes I’ll tell a funny story in a narrative poem. Other times I’ll describe a pet, a family member or a piece of technology in great detail in a descriptive poem. And sometimes I’ll express how it feels to be a kid dealing with homework or chores in a lyric or dramatic poem. Each type of poem lets me connect with readers in a different way.

So there you have it—the three main flavors in the ice cream shop of poetry: Narrative, Lyric (including its cousin, Dramatic), and Descriptive. Each one offers a different way to play with words and share ideas.

Remember, these categories are just tools to help us understand and talk about poetry. The most important thing is to read lots of poems, enjoy them, and if you feel inspired, write your own! Don’t worry too much about what category your poem fits into—just have fun with words and express yourself.

Keep reading, keep writing, and keep loving poetry!

Kenn Nesbitt
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Nature Poetry: Connecting Kids with the Environment Through Verses

Today, let’s dive into how nature-themed poems can help connect kids with the environment, boost their observation skills, and foster a lifelong appreciation for the wonders of our planet.

Nature Poetry

The Magic of Nature Poetry

There’s something truly special about nature poetry. It has the power to capture the beauty, mystery, and complexity of the natural world in a way that resonates deeply with readers of all ages. For children, nature poetry can be a gateway to discovering the marvels of the environment around them, encouraging them to look closer, listen more carefully, and engage more fully with nature.

Benefits of Introducing Kids to Nature Poetry

  1. Enhanced Observation Skills: Nature poems often focus on specific details of animals, plants, seasons, etc., encouraging children to pay closer attention to the world around them.
  2. Increased Environmental Awareness: Through poetry, kids can learn about different ecosystems, animals, and natural phenomena in an engaging way.
  3. Emotional Connection to Nature: Poems can evoke feelings of wonder, respect, and care for the environment, fostering a personal connection to nature.
  4. Vocabulary Expansion: Nature poetry introduces children to new words related to flora, fauna, and natural processes.
  5. Interdisciplinary Learning: Nature poems can tie into science lessons, creating cross-curricular connections.
  6. Creativity Boost: Reading and writing nature poetry can inspire children’s imagination and creative expression.
  7. Mindfulness Practice: Nature poems often encourage a moment of quiet reflection, helping kids develop mindfulness skills.

Fantastic Nature Poets for Kids

There are so many wonderful poets who write about nature for children. Here are just a few that I highly recommend:

These poets, among many others, have a knack for capturing nature’s essence in ways that resonate with young readers.

Bringing Nature Poetry into Daily Life

Now, you might be wondering, “How can I use nature poetry to help kids connect with the environment?” Here are some ideas:

  1. Poetry Nature Walks: Take kids on a walk and encourage them to jot down observations. Later, help them turn these notes into poems.
  2. Seasonal Poetry Reading: Choose poems that relate to the current season, helping children notice seasonal changes.
  3. Animal of the Week: Feature a different animal each week, reading poems about it and encouraging kids to write their own.
  4. Plant a Poetry Garden: Create a garden and label plants with short poems about them.
  5. Nature Journal: Encourage kids to keep a journal where they can write poems about their nature observations.
  6. Poetry Field Guide: Have children create their own field guide to local plants or animals, including both factual information and original poems.
  7. Nature Poetry Performances: Organize events where children can recite nature poems, perhaps in an outdoor setting.

Writing Nature Poetry with Kids

Encouraging children to write their own nature poems can be a powerful way to deepen their connection with the environment. Here are some tips:

  1. Start with Observation: Encourage kids to use all their senses when observing nature.
  2. Use Concrete Images: Guide children to describe specific details rather than general impressions.
  3. Incorporate Movement: Have kids act out the natural elements they’re writing about.
  4. Play with Perspective: Suggest writing from the point of view of an animal or plant.
  5. Experiment with Forms: Try different poetic forms like haiku, cinquain, or acrostic poems.

The Bigger Picture

By introducing children to nature poetry, we’re doing more than just teaching them about literature or science. We’re helping them develop a personal, emotional connection to the natural world. This connection is crucial in fostering environmental stewardship and raising a generation that cares deeply about protecting our planet.

Moreover, the skills developed through engaging with nature poetry—keen observation, descriptive language use, and appreciation for detail—are valuable across all areas of learning and life.

Nature poetry offers a unique and powerful way to connect kids with the environment. It encourages them to slow down, observe closely, and express their experiences with the natural world. Whether reading the work of established poets or creating their own verses, children can develop a deeper appreciation for nature through poetry.

So, I encourage parents, teachers, and caregivers to bring more nature poetry into children’s lives. Take a poem on your next nature walk. Start your science lessons with a relevant verse. Encourage kids to write about the birds at the feeder or the changes in the seasons.

Remember, every poem about nature is a small act of preservation—capturing a moment, an observation, a wonder. By fostering a love for nature poetry in children, we’re not just raising good readers or writers—we’re nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards, one verse at a time.

Here’s to the power of poetry in connecting kids with the magnificent, mysterious, and endlessly inspiring world of nature!

Kenn Nesbitt
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