Just like with young children, older children have particular interests and needs as readers of poetry. Think about what age range you want to write for. Find poems and collections for that age group and read extensively.


Lewis Carroll's poems are excellent for older child readers. Poems like "Jabberwocky" play with language, use made-up words, and employ puns and other wordplay. For example, the poem begins "'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe." Even though they're made-up words, their grammatical position helps readers imagine what they might mean (and fosters literacy skills in children). Read some of Carroll's poetry for inspiration on the many ways to use language in your poem., The brainstorming techniques in Method 1 will also work for poems geared toward a slightly older audience. The experiences or things you write about may be different depending on the age of the children you're writing for -- for example, older children won't respond to a poem about the first day of school the same way as young children -- but the brainstorming methods will still help you discover things to write about.
 The basic process for writing poems for older children is the same as writing for young children. However, you can get more elaborate and complicated with poetry for older children, as they are better equipped to handle complex and abstract ideas.


Older children may enjoy short but vivid poems such as haiku, a three-line poem of Japanese origin. The first and final lines have five syllables each, while the second line has seven. Often they describe a concrete object or image, such as this one about a cat: "Tired cat sleeps all night. / He needs lots of rest for a / Long day of napping."The very short format requires you to consider your word choices very carefully but can create a lot of impact.Concrete poems may also be enjoyable for older readers. These poems form a shape on the page that has something to do with the subject of the poem; for example, a poem about nighttime might take the shape of a crescent moon, or a poem about bravery might take the form of a lion. These poems often don't rhyme, but the connection between the topic and the shape will interest older children.You can find many examples of these online., Older children have the linguistic sophistication to better understand figures of speech like metaphors and similes. Try looking at an ordinary object, such as a hat or a toy, and thinking of other ways you could describe it using words such as "like": for example, "The hat was like a mountain." Metaphors and similes encourage creative exploration in young readers.


Naomi Shihab Nye's poem "How to Paint a Donkey" explores with metaphor the feelings of a child painting a donkey: "I could clean my paintbrush / but I couldn't get rid of that voice. / While they watched / I crumpled him, / let his blue body / stain my hand.", Pick an object and describe it without using any of the words traditionally associated with that object. For example, try to describe a cat without using the words "fur" or "whiskers." This type of re-envisioning works quite well with older children.Carl Sandburg's poem "Fog" describes a common occurrence with uncommon language: "The fog comes / on little cat feet. / It sits looking / over harbor and city / on silent haunches / and then moves on.", Writers often focus most heavily on sight, but your other senses also provide the type of vivid detail that young readers enjoy. Think about taste, smell, hearing, and touch as well."April Rain Song" by Langston Hughes is a good example. It begins: "Let the rain kiss you / Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops / Let the rain sing you a lullaby.", Poetry that deals with emotions and feelings works very well with slightly older children, who are often curious about how to express themselves. Poetry can help older children explore their own feelings and learn about those of others.Gwendolyn Brooks' "The Tiger Who Wore White Gloves, or What You Are You Are" is a poem that deals with what it's like to be different from others in a funny, accessible way., If you have children, have them read the poem. Ask them questions about what they liked and didn't like. You can also share your poem with friends and family, but since your main audience is children, you'll want to know how they respond to your work.
Consider your audience.
Brainstorm your ideas.
Write your poem.
Explore figures of speech in your poem.
Describe a familiar object in unfamiliar language.
Use all your senses when writing.
Write about feelings.
Share your poem.
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