• Main
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Press
    • FAQ
  • Magazine
    • Current Digital Issue
    • Past Digital Issues
    • Purchase Print Issue
    • Stockists
  • Shop
  • Blog
  • Advertise
    • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Babiekins Magazine

A Trendsetting Magazine & Online Community For The Trendsetting Child + Parent

Schoolkins // Memorizing Poetry

By Bethany Douglass, Former Contributor 3 Comments

POETRY_bethanydouglass

When the subject of poetry memorization begins, it generally conjures scenes similar to Chardin’s late 18th century painting The Good Education: frilly dresses, bonnets, serious expressions, and an open book in hand. Although I love that painting (and even have a postcard-size copy of it on my bookshelf), poetry memorization looks quite different in our home full of raucous happenstance. Still we do have a process of sorts for this memory work. Here’s a bit of what it looks like for us:

READ A POEM TOGETHER DAILY // Before we begin memorizing a poem, we read it and talk about it together. Sometimes the poem has unfamiliar words or phrasing, so we’ll talk about those a bit, too. I keep a small collection of poetry books on our shelf, and often read a poem during our snack time or our daily language lessons. Everyday, we read a new poem, even if we are not intending to memorize it. Sometimes the poem is funny or small, and other times, it is confusing or too abstract. When the last bit occurs, we might re-read it to see if we understand it better, but mostly we move on. At my children’s ages, I don’t want them to be bogged down in analysis. That will come as they grow older. For now, the purpose of poetry is to experience language in a new way.

POETRY_bethanydouglass-3

BEGIN WITH SMALL, FUN POEMS //  When you are first beginning memorization with your children, choose simple poems they will enjoy reciting. Shorter works will help them feel a sense of mastery and confidence to do it again. My six year old began the year with a two line poem Happy Thought from Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verse. She has since moved on to a bit longer poem by Christina Rossetti–another poet who is a perfect start for young children, as her descriptions tend to be more concrete observations or comparisons with nature.

POETRY_bethanydouglass-2

COPY + ILLUSTRATE THE POEM // If your children are little, this might be more difficult or even unnecessary yet. My children span the grade school years and are all practicing writers, so this works well for us. Copying poetry helps them notice the poetic form itself–capitalization, punctuation, rhyme, and so on–and how it differs from prose. Illustration provides imaginative space for my children to transfer the meaning. Plus, it makes for a beautiful keepsake or reference as they continue memorizing.

CELEBRATE // When our children complete a poem, they recite it for all of us and we applaud them. Sometimes they forget a line or need a helpful nudge, and that’s okay, too. Make note to return to those lines again later. Memory work is difficult, and we love to celebrate their hard work and accomplishment.

POETRY_bethanydouglass-4

COLLECT YOUR FAVORITE POETRY BOOKS //  There are so many wonderful poems, so I love anthologies that give a diverse sampling. Here’s a few of the books on our own shelf:

Poetry for Young People series, various poets

A Child’s Anthology of Poetry, Edited by Elizabeth Hauge Sword

Classic Poetry: An Illustrated Collection selected by Michael Rosen

A Child’s Introduction to Poetry, by Michael Driscoll

A Child’s Garden of Verses, by Robert Louis Stevenson

Filed Under: Fun Tagged With: homeschool, language, poetry Posted By: Bethany Douglass, Former Contributor

Haiku Poetry

By Liz Jacob, Copy Editor Leave a Comment

oana

Artwork by Oana Befort

shop // blog

Haiku poems are a traditional form of Japanse poetry. They are short poems that are typically written about nature. The key to writing a Haiku poem  hides in the syllables. It is made up of 17 total syllables; five in the first and third lines and seven in the middle line. Below are two samples.

Dressed in sweet flowers
she ran through clear open woods
spreading laughter, cheer.

………

Snowflakes dance in air
falling gently from the sky
casting a white glow.

Now it’s your turn to write a Haiku poem. Remember, your poem should be divided into three lines of five, seven, and five syllables. Think of your words as a camera. You want to try and capture a “snapsot” of the small details on the subject you are writing on. Open your eyes. Look around you. Look out your window. What do you see? Write down the details and turn that into a haiku poem.

Submissions can be sent to yellowfinchdesigns@yahoo.com

Happy Writing!
Liz // Yellow Finch

Filed Under: Fun Tagged With: poetry, writing Posted By: Liz Jacob, Copy Editor

STORYKINS :: A Christmas Deer

By Liz Jacob, Copy Editor Leave a Comment

der

Artwork by Ashley Percival

There is a Christmas deer
who carries with him
a sense of cheer.

Through open woods
and seas of snow
he rides with hope
and holiday glow.

………………………..

Now it’s your turn. Quick, run. Gather your paper search for your pencil.

What comes to mind with the words “Holiday” and “Snow”

Write a poem, create a story.

Don’t forget, you can send your submissions to yellowfinchdesigns@yahoo.com
for a chance to be featured here on Babiekins Magazine Blog!

 Liz // Yellow Finch

Filed Under: Fun Tagged With: Art, etsy, poetry, storykins Posted By: Liz Jacob, Copy Editor

Where is Bunny

By Liz Jacob, Copy Editor Leave a Comment


Artwork by Barbara Szepesi Szűcs

“Think think think,” thought the little girl, “Where did my bunny go. She has lost her way and must be so lonely.” For you see, on most days, bunny stays tucked softly under her arm and always sleeps soundly in her bed. But where did bunny go?

“She’s not in my closet,” said the little girl. “Or under my covers. My toy chest is empty and my floor is all covered, but there is no bunny under this mess.”

“Think think think,” thought the little girl, “Where did my bunny go.” As she sat in her room, on top of the messy toys, she thought and she thought.

Suddenly, she jumped to her feet, danced quickly down the stairs and ran to the basement. She stood on her tip toes to pull open the door, and there was her bunny, soft and clean waiting in the washing machine.

…………..
Now it’s your turn.
Create your own silly story.
Fill in the blanks and see where this story will take you.
mad libs final2

Filed Under: Fun Tagged With: Art, poetry, storykins Posted By: Liz Jacob, Copy Editor

Oh dear, she said

By Liz Jacob, Copy Editor Leave a Comment

Deer Boy
Art work by Honey Cup

Oh dear, she said.
I cannot find my way.
The rain has started
day is dark
clouds are puffy
and still in the sky.

Oh no, she said.
The rain is a river
washing my toes
my ankles are wet
my knees are wobbly.

Oh no, she said.
It’s up to my tummy
my cloths are all damp
my mommy will be angry.

Oh dear, she said.
I better swim home
over the mountains
to where it is sunny.

………………..

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.
Use the words below to create a poem or short story.
Add an illustration and your work is complete!
This exercise is for everyone, but we encourage the little ones to participate.

word 3

Want to share your creation? I would love to read it. Perhaps it could even be featured on Storykins.
Email submissions to yellowfinchdesigns@yahoo.com

Liz // Yellow Finch

Filed Under: Fun Tagged With: poetry, storykins, writing Posted By: Liz Jacob, Copy Editor


Start Exploring!

  • DIY
  • Editorials
  • Editors’ Lifestyle
  • Farm + Homesteading
  • Features
  • Food
  • Hey Pretty Mama
  • Homeschooling
  • Interiors
  • Kids’ Parties
  • Street Style
  • Travel


























































Archives

ABOUT

  • Our Story
  • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Contact

ADVERTISE

  • Media Kit

MAGAZINE

  • Current Digital
  • Past Digital
  • Print
  • Stockists

CONTRIBUTE

  • Submit Work

Copyright © 2023 · Babiekins Magazine | A Trendsetting Kids' Fashion Magazine and Online Community for Parents and Children Alike · Since the Southern California birth of Babiekins in 2010, the magazine has grown from into an internationally-recognized print publication with a global circulation and now a thriving online community. We are more than a kids’ fashion magazine. We search everywhere for inspiration, and go beyond trends to bring you fashion, style, decor, design, books, DIY, parties, and playthings. Our readers look to us to keep up with the best and most up-to-date concepts in the children’s market worldwide. We have an eye for quirk. We’re high-fashion, but we value whimsy over tradition. Playful childhood is more important to us than making kids into copycat adults. We believe life is beautiful, life is valuable, and life changes when you see it through the eyes of a child. We seek to transcend skin color, language and zip codes and bring out the real, wild, magical creativity inherent in every child. And behind Babiekins is an optimistic team of mothers-turned-editors, working from home, often with our own little babiekins climbing on, under and around the desks. We want to encourage you, and challenge you to see something different — something special — in yourself and in this world we all share. Welcome to Babiekins!

Privacy | Terms of Use