POETRY IN MOTION

When children act out a good poem, they love its rhyme, rhythm, and the pictures it paints with a few well-chosen words. They grow as readers by connecting emotion with the written word.

What you'll need

Poems that rhyme, tell a story, and are written from a child's point of view

What to do


1. Read a poem slowly to your child, and brings all your dramatic talents to the reading. (In other words, ham it up.)

2. If there is a poem your child is particularly fond of, suggest acting out a favorite line. Be sure to award such efforts with delighted enthusiasm.

3. Then suggest acting out a verse, a stanza, or the entire poem. Ask your child to make a face of the way the character in the poem is feeling. Remember that facial expressions bring emotion into the performer's voice.

4. Again, be an enthusiastic audience for your child. Applause is always nice.

5. If your child is comfortable with the idea, look for a larger setting with an attentive, appreciative audience. Perhaps an after-dinner "recital" for family members would appeal to your child.

6. Mistakes are a fact of life, so ignore them.

Poems are often short with lots of white space on the page. This makes them manageable for new readers and helps to build their confidence.