Verse Writing Sharpens Skills and Creativity

Whether your child loves to write stories or is a reluctant writer, a great way to bolster writing skills is to make simple poems. Verse writing is short; children easily understand the rhythm, and see quick results of their efforts!

Here are three easy ways to get started:
Colorful crayon poems
Start with the eight basic colors of crayons (red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, brown, and black). Let your child pick one or two colors. Then encourage him to use descriptive words about these colors. Help him write the words if needed. For example:

Bright yellow sun
Means outdoor fun
Yellow mustard on the bun

Green on the grass
Green on the trees
Oh no, now there’s green on my knees!

After he’s created a poem for each color on a separate piece of paper, staple the pages together to create his book of poems. Let him illustrate each colorful verse.

Pick-a-word notebook
Keep a special small notebook for pages of verse. Together, brainstorm some favorite words such as dinosaur, butterfly, ice cream, etc., and have your child build verses around those works.
 
Ice cream in the park
Ice cream after dark
Ice cream at the pool
Ice cream is so cool

Have your child draw pictures about the poems she creates. Help her fill the top of some empty pages with random, interesting words she likes. Then she will have verse “starters,” ready to go, in her notebook.

Create greeting cards
Have plain paper handy. Let your child fold it in half and create greeting card verses for family and friends. The themes could include "get well," "happy birthday," "thank you," "congratulations," and more.

Nana, Nana you’re the best
Hope you get some time to rest
Happy birthday!!!

Family members love these homemade greetings!

Try these verse-atile activities with your child—they can spark a real interest in describing, rhyming, and using creative words. They can also teach writing a clear message with fewer (and more descriptive) words.