"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter," said E. E. Cummings. Children’s author Kenn Nesbitt, creator of the website Poetry4kids, is making sure not a day is wasted. Updating his site daily and expanding "the biggest collection of hilarious poetry for children anywhere on the net," Nesbitt has developed a fun, interactive resource to engage and excite kids with verse. Organized and easy to navigate, Poetry4kids is filled with illustrations of aliens and bespectacled books with tiny feet leading kids to the various links.
In addition to reading, the site encourages kids to write their own poems, offering a rhyming dictionary, games, and contests. Step-by-step lessons help children write humorous poems using rhymes, exaggerations, and surprise endings. There are also useful links to other poetry sites for kids, such as those dedicated to Mother Goose, Lewis Carroll, and Ogden Nash.
Another great site for young readers and writers is Giggle Poetry, created by Meadowbrook Press. The site offers poetry contests and games, along with ideas for poetry teachers, such as breaking into song to help students write rhyming poetry, or using nature hikes, photography, and art to inspire children to write haiku.