Why kids need poetry in their lives, and how to spark their interest in it

Expressive arts, including poetry, are important for a child’s social-emotional development, according to clinical psychologist Dianne Jandrasits. Adults can create a secure attachment with kids by actively reading with them, especially between the ages of 0 and 5, and the sound of poetry can make the process fun. Poetry, Jandrasits says, can help a child learn to take a perspective and to understand someone else’s feelings. For a young child, she says, “it all starts with someone understanding your feelings. And that’s where parents and caregivers come in.”

“Poetry is that place where language is pleasure and not just communication. It’s not just a hammer; it’s a hammer that we also love to look at and we love to use.”…

By Jason Basa Nemec, The Washington Post