| Writing for children, whether poetry or
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| | and the topic is children (something they
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| prose, requires a different perspective.
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| | have done or said), the writing is geared
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| Generations were raised on nursery rhymes
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| | to a adult's perspective.4. A lesson or
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| and Mother Goose. Now we can add Dr.
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| | moral that may be included should not
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| Seuss to that list of those who appeal to
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| | "preachy." A lesson learned without it
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| children of all ages.Little boy blue,
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| | being shoved down the reader's or
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| come blow your horn.
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| | listener's throat is easier to swallow.
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| The cow's in the meadow. The sheep's in
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| | Every story or poem needs a theme,
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| the corn.
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| | though, even if a lesson or moral doesn't
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| But where is the little boy who looks
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| | naturally occur in the item.5. Anything
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| after the sheep?
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| | written for children should have needed
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| He's under the hay stack, fast asleep.
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| | punctuation, have correct spelling, and
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| ~ Mother GooseLet's discuss what is
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| | be grammatically correct. Like it or not,
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| necessary to make writing uniquely for
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| | children learn from everything they read
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| children.Children have likes and dislikes
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| | and hear read to them. We are "teaching"
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| as varied as there are children. However
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| | when we write. Hopefully we won't teach
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| they do have a few things in common.1.
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| | the wrong things.6. What we write should
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| For poetry, children enjoy rhymes, and
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| | be appropriate for the audience, the age
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| the younger the child, the more he likes
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| | group for whom we are writing. We want
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| simple rhymes. The rhymes, though, should
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| | children to enjoy our poems or stories,
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| not be forced. They should flow smoothly
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| | not be frightened or exposed to ideas too
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| and without twists and turns of lines to
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| | mature for them, nor should they be
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| provide a rhyme. Also unneeded material
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| | expected to read things that are just
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| shouldn't be inserted to provide a rhyme.
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| | stupid. Many children find bodily
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| Hmmmm . . . that is true of all poetry.
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| | functions funny, but that doesn't mean
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| Forced rhymes distract from the poetry,
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| | such functions make good topics for
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| weakens the writing.2. Children should
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| | children's literature.7. Some people
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| not be "spoken down to," nor should the
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| | believe that writings for children can be
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| vocabulary be too far above their
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| | about anything and don't have to be high
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| understanding. New vocabulary can be
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| | quality. If anything, any thing written
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| introduced by giving a meaning in the
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| | for children should be of the highest
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| context of the poetry or story. Sometimes
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| | quality.8. Then we must add a large dose
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| a vocabulary can be added at the end of a
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| | of imagination.The tips I've shared are
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| story or poem, if needed.3. Poetry and
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| | the ones I learn from courses, workshops,
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| stories should be written from a child's
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| | and experience with writing for children.
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| perspective. That doesn't mean that the
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| | We need to remember that children are
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| narrator has to be a child, but that the
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| | people, too, and have likes and dislikes.
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| writing is written from a child's point
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| | Sometimes we have to experiment and test
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| of view and interest level. The piece
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| | our writing on real, live little
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| should be for children, not necessarily
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| | people.Vivian Gilbert Zabel taught
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| about children.Many poems and stories are
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| | English, composition, and creative
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| written about children but for adults to
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| | writing for twenty-five years, honing her
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| enjoy. We need to be careful not to fall
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| | skills as she studied and taught.
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| into that trap. When we write for adults
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|
