Name: Spreading the Feast Gathering
Start: 2025-07-11T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-07-12T23:59:59-05:00
Location: LaGrange, KY

This topic has 8 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 8 months ago by Julie.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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September 23, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Julie
Participant
I wanted to find out what poetry books were good to use with a 4 yp? I know in the early years curriculum guide it says that some poetry books are listed in the read-alouds, how do know which ones they are???
Thanks,
Julie
September 23, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Sonya Shafer
Moderator
Well, you could click on the title to see the description in the CM Bookfinder, but that would take a long time, come to think of it, if you had to click each one! I’ll go add a little “(poetry)” identifier beside the poetry titles. Thanks for mentioning this.
In the meantime, here are the poetry titles from that Early Years Book List:
3-year-old: Little Book of Poems
4-year-old: When We Were Very Young (Milne poetry, Winnie-the-Pooh author)
5-year-old: Now We Are Six (also Milne poetry)
I’m sure others have more ideas for poetry for the early years.
September 23, 2009 at 9:44 pm
nerakr
Participant
A good copy of Mother Goose. (We have the one with the black and white checkerboard cover).
Karen
September 23, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Crystal Wagner
Participant
I would love to hear other suggestions too. We have read through Mother Goose and both AA Milne books. I plan to use A Child’s Garden of Verses next year. I have a 5 year old.
September 23, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Rachel White
Participant
Some other choices are:
Kindergarten Gems (has stories and rhymes)-Agnus Ketchum
Definitely “A Child’s Own Book of Verse-Book One”-Ada Skinner. There are 4 in this series and my dd has enjoyed all of them. The “Reading-Literature Primer’ by Treadwell has tons of poetry/rhymes. Both of those are from Yesterday’s Classics, but I think both are free at Baldwin ONline.
Recommended at Ambleside for Kindergarten age are “Poems and Prayers for the very Young” by Martha Alexander, Illustrated classic poetry such as Poems for Young Children compiled by Caroline Royds
A good collection of classic children’s poetry such as A Child’s Book of Poems by Gyo Fujikawa; The Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry selected by Louis Untermeyer; The Oxford Book of Children’s Verse edited by Peter Opie
“My Shadow” R. L. Stevenson
Keep your eyes open at used book stores, too.
Rachel
September 23, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Bookworm
Participant
I have several titles we have used often. With young children, don’t be afraid to read the poems you find over and over. Just because you’ve “done” a poem or a book, young children like to hear their favorites again.
We like: Favorite Poems of Childhood, ed. Philip Smith, Dover
Poems to Read to the Very Young (a Sonlight choice) ed. Josette Frank,
The Children’s Classic Poetry Collection, ed. Nicola Baxter
are three that we have. I also have simply ranged through large collections like Favorite Poems Old and New, and any of the Poetry for Young People series–some will be attractive to young children, and some might not. I’d just wander through and pick and choose.
Young children love to have some stability and repetition; a good thing is for Mommy to learn a number of poems, and then keep them around. We had poems for saying at bedtime and in the morning and at lunch and when we saw a butterfly and when we found a snake and when it started to rain, etc. 🙂 It’s pretty cute to have an excited 3 or 4yo come running in for the “butterfly poem” because he saw a butterfly.
September 23, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Julie
Participant
Thanks Sonya….I didn’t mean to make extra work for you.!!
Okay….I have A Child’s Garden of Verses!! totally forgot!!!
Thanks everyone for your ideas…..
September 28, 2009 at 6:18 pm
LindseyD
Participant
I know it’s been 4 days and, jpkr, your question has probably already been answered, but I thought I’d throw out this: A Child’s Garden of Verses is great for young kids. Mine are 4 and 5, and have already memorized “The Swing” and “The Cow.” I was so surprised that they were able to do that! Anyway, just thought that might encourage you if you want your 4yo to memorize poetry too!
September 28, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Julie
Participant
Thanks LindseyD. We’re going to shoot for that when dd is 5