Mega List of Poetry Resources ..And Free Poetry Copywork
Did you know that April is National Poetry Month? I’ll admit that, as much as I love reading and literature, I’m not very knowledgable when it comes to poetry. There is some poetry I love, but there is also some I just don’t understand. I know this comes from not being exposed to all kinds of poetry when I was in school, so I’m trying to remedy that in my own kids. And I’m developing more of a love for and understanding of poetry as we go along.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to introduce poetry in your homeschool or if you just aren’t sure what to do about poetry and where to start, this post is for you. It’s a mega list of poetry resources that you can use to introduce your kids to poetry and expend their- and your- understanding of it. Most of these resources are free. A few are paid resources. I’ve tried to note which is which to help you as you select resources that fit your homeschool. You can also pick up a packet of free poetry copywork with quotes from some of my favorite poets and poems.
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Poetry Books
Poetry for Kids: Emily Dickinson– Emily Dickinson is one of my all-time favorite poets. This beautiful picture book introduces kids to her poetry. Poetry for Kids is a series with books for other well-known poets.
Poetry for Young People: Robert Frost- Robert Frost is a good poet to introduce to younger kids because his poetry seems more straightforward and easy to understand. Poetry for Young People is a series with books for various well-known poets.
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children– This book is an excellent collection of poems from classic poets and newer ones as well. There are 572 poems- some humorous, some inspiring, some thoughtful. And the book has beautiful illustrations by Arnold Lobel (the author of the Frog and Toad series).
The 20th Century Children’s Poetry Treasury– Jack Prelutsky- a leading children’s poet in the country- selected over 200 poems from modern children’s poets in this collection.
Poems to Learn by Heart- This collection of more than 100 poems includes deep and meaningful poems as well as light and happy poems. It’s broken down into categories, each with an introduction by author Caroline Kennedy.
Read Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young– Want to introduce even your youngest children to poetry? These rhymes, collected by Jack Prelutsky, are a great way to start. They are simple and often silly and will get young kids interested in poetry.
A Child’s Garden of Verses– Robert Louis Stevenson has some beautiful poetry that evokes scenes from childhood. I remember owning and reading this book as a kid myself. And the simple poetry, easy to understand and full of scenes I could picture really drew me in.
Favorite Poems Old and New– This is a collection of over 700 poems from classic poets, selected specifically for kids. This would be a great resource for studying a particular classic poet and reading selections of their poetry.
Read Aloud Poems for Young People– The poems collected here- over 300- are from classic and more modern poets. They are arranged into categories and are illustrated beautifully.
Where the Sidewalk Ends- No collection of poetry books is complete without the works of Shel Silverstein. He has several collections of poetry and some short stories. His poems range from silly and funny to heart-warming and touching. He also illustrates the books with great black and white drawings.
Poetry Websites
Poets.org presents a poem a day to expand your reading of poems and poets. You can also browse for specific poets or poems on the site, so it’s a good way to dig deeper into the poetry of a specific poet you’re learning about. There’s also a special section of poetry for kids. You can also find specific information about National Poetry Month here. (Free)
Ken Nesbitt is a former children’s Poet Laureate. On his site you can find funny poems, play games, and help kids write their own poetry. (free)
DLTK has a great poetry resource page. You can find poems about seasons, holidays, and various other themes, as well as look for poems from specific poets. (free)
The Library of Congress has a Poetry 180 page designed to give you a poem to read with kids each day of school. The poems are geared toward high school students. (free)
IEW has a great resource that we used a few years ago that guides kids through memorizing poetry as a means of language development and writing skills. The student book is here, and the teacher’s manual is here. (paid)
Want to use poetry copywork throughout National Poetry Month- or any time? Pick up this packet. It has ten copywork selections of poems from well-known poets and a blank copywork page that you can print as needed for the kids to copy from the poems you’re reading.
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