Honoring National Poetry Month for Communicators of All Ages
April is National Poetry Month—a time to celebrate rhythm, rhyme, and the beauty of language! Whether you’re a toddler babbling your first words, a school-aged student exploring new vocabulary, or an adult strengthening communication skills, poetry offers something magical for everyone.
Poetry isn’t just about fancy words or complicated verses—it’s about expression. It’s about playing with sounds, patterns, feelings, and ideas. And for developing language skills, poetry is a powerhouse!
🌟 How Poetry Supports Language Development
From nursery rhymes to spoken word, poetry builds the core of communication. Here’s how:
- Sound Play: Rhyming helps children notice patterns in speech, supporting early literacy.
- Vocabulary Growth: Poems introduce rich, descriptive words in bite-sized, memorable ways.
- Syntax & Structure: Reading or writing poems helps learners practice grammar and sentence flow.
- Expression & Emotion: Poetry gives a voice to feelings and thoughts—perfect for those learning to communicate or expanding their skills.
- Memory & Repetition: The rhythm and repetition in poems make them easier to remember and recite.
✏️ Poetry Activities for Every Age
For Toddlers & Preschoolers
- Recite nursery rhymes together with actions and props.
- Create silly rhymes using familiar objects (“cat, hat, bat, mat!”).
- Clap along to the rhythm of short verses.
For School-Age Children
- Write a short “acrostic poem” using their name or a favorite thing.
- Play with onomatopoeia: What sounds do spring things make? (buzz, pop, splash!)
- Read poems aloud to build fluency and confidence.
For Teens & Adults
- Try blackout poetry using a newspaper or magazine.
- Explore poetry from different cultures or time periods.
- Write a haiku about your day, the weather, or a feeling.
- Use poetry as a journaling tool or mindfulness practice.
For AAC Users or Emerging Communicators
- Create visual poems with symbols or photos.
- Use a simple poem template with core words like “I see,” “I like,” “It is.”
- Record spoken poems with a speech device or have a caregiver read them aloud together.
💬 Let’s Celebrate Every Voice
No matter how you communicate—spoken, signed, typed, or drawn—poetry welcomes everyone to join in. It doesn’t have to rhyme. It doesn’t have to follow rules. It just has to be you.
This National Poetry Month, let’s celebrate the joy of language in all its forms—and the powerful ways it helps us connect, create, and grow.
🌷Poetry is a garden of words—plant a few seeds this April, and watch your language bloom.