But what about poetry? Reading poetry like nursery rhymes to your children can have benefits all on their own. Here are some great reasons why you should work poetry into your reading time with your child. Language Skills. Poetry often uses devices such as meter and rhyme as an important part of the structure of the piece. This rhythm and rhyme helps the work stick in the minds of those who hear them. It can also be a great way to improve language skills and word association in children.