Introduction:
Poetry can be an excellent tool for kids and teens to express themselves, connect with others, and build literacy skills. Teachers and classrooms can also greatly benefit from incorporating poetry into their curriculum. Here are our top picks for the 15 best poetry websites for kids, teens, teachers, and classrooms.
1. PoetryFoundation.org
The Poetry Foundation is a comprehensive resource for children and educators alike. Their children’s poetry section includes age-appropriate poems and accompanying activities to engage young readers.
2. Poets.org
This website from the Academy of American Poets offers a wealth of resources, including a collection of poems for students and lesson plans designed for educators.
3. Giggle Poetry
Focused on entertaining and engaging poems for children, Giggle Poetry features a wide range of funny poetry, games, contest ideas, and instructional resources.
4. Kenn Nesbitt’s Poetry4kids.com
Created by renowned children’s poet Kenn Nesbitt, this site offers a selection of funny poems for kids, as well as poetry-writing lessons and tips for teachers.
5. HelloPoetry.com
Hello Poetry is an inclusive platform where kids and teens can share their original works while gaining feedback from other poets in the community.
6. Power Poetry
Dedicated to helping young people develop their creativity through poetry, Power Poetry offers writing resources and an online space where teens can publish their work.
7. Word Central
Created by Merriam-Webster, Word Central is ideal for building vocabulary through humor, wordplay, and interactivity in its collection of youth-authored poems.
8. Poetry Archive
Designed with educators in mind, the Poetry Archive is an extensive database that features collections of children’s poetry to access free-of-charge.
9. Write Bright Station
Write Bright Station provides interactive eBooks featuring poems written by children, for children. With accompanying lesson plans, this website is perfect for teachers seeking engaging content for the classroom.
10. PoemHunter.com
Containing thousands of poems from classic to contemporary writers, PoemHunter.com is a valuable resource for students researching poetic works and teachers looking to enrich their curriculum.
11. Young Poets Network
Aimed at teenagers, the Young Poets Network contains writing challenges, advice on getting published, and opportunities to interact with other aspiring poets.
12. Poetry Out Loud
As an offshoot of the US National Endowment for the Arts program, Poetry Out Loud provides educational resources and hosts an annual poetry recitation competition open to all high school students across the country.
13. The Favorite Poem Project
Founded by former US poet laureate Robert Pinsky, this project allows people of all ages to share their favorite poems and discover new favorites from others’ submissions.
14. Teen Ink
Teen Ink is a literary magazine for teens that encourages them to submit their original poetry as well as other forms of creative writing, art, and photography.
15. Poetry Zone
The Poetry Zone encourages kids to write and submit their own poems while featuring a diverse range of entertaining and educational writing from published poets.
Conclusion:
These top 15 poetry websites cater to children, teenagers, teachers, and classrooms alike. They provide a vast collection of poems ranging from the classics to modern works while offering engaging resources and opportunities for young poets to share their own creations. By exploring these platforms, kids and teens can develop a lifelong love for poetry while acquiring essential literacy skills. Teachers can also leverage these resources to introduce poetry into the classroom and develop engaging lesson plans that inspire their students’ creativity.
