When they first arrive at their infants’ classroom many children will have had some experience of poetry. They will have heard television jingles and know some of the popular nursery rhymes. At playgroup or in the nursery some will have been introduced to poems with lively rhythms, strong rhymes, choruses and repetition, and been encouraged, as they sit together on the carpet, to take part, often adding actions and mimes.
The teacher will draw on this experience, and those children who have learnt rhymes by heart will delight in performing them. Many will know the popular nursery rhymes - “Humpty Dumpty”, “Jack and Jill”, “Georgie Porgy”,“Simple Simon” and “Little Bo-Peep” - but be unfamiliar with such nursery verse as “Good King Arthur”, “Jack-a-Nory”, “As I Was Going to St Ives” and “They That Wash on Monday”. The teacher might introduce the children to some of these old and unusual rhymes, encouraging them to join in with the chorus (see right).There
Infant teachers might then introduce young children to new and inventive poems full of engaging humour, lively language, catchy rhymes and strong rhythms. Poems such as:
I Wish I Was an Infant
by John Cunliffe in Standing on a Strawberry
Andre Deutsch
Wet Playtime
by Peter Dixon in Big Billy
The Sarsen Press
Bored
by Bernard Young in Doin Mi Ed In, Rap Poems chosen by David Orme and Martin Glynn
Pan Macmillan
Red Boots On
by Kit Wright in Lizard Over Ice, edited by Gervase Phinn
Nelson
Children should be introduced to non-rhyming verse at an early stage and come to appreciate that not all poetry rhymes. There is an enormous range of rich, colourful and appropriate poetry collections available for young children. The following small selection includes poems which are witty, sad, lively, moving, magical, arresting, clever, many of which do not rhyme:
Of Caterpillars, Cats and Cattle
chosen by Anne Harvey
Viking Kestrel
Big World, Little World
compiled by Sue Stewart
Nelson
Word Spells
chosen by Judith Nicholls
Faber amp; Faber
Puddlemuddle Jump In
edited by Beverley Mathias
Methuen Books
Shout, Whisper and Sing, 101 Poems to Read Aloud
compiled by Beverley Mathias
Bodley Head
Is a Caterpillar Ticklish?
by Adrian Rumble
Robert Royce
Near the Window Tree
by Karla Kuskin
Harper and Row
Ask a Silly Question
by Irene Rawnsley
Methuen
