A type of poetry is a set of rules for how a poem looks and sounds: how many lines it has, whether it rhymes, and what pattern its syllables or words follow. Learning the types gives young writers a shape to fill, which makes a blank page much less scary. Below are 15 types of poetry for kids, each with a definition, an example and a short writing task, starting with the easiest.
What are the best types of poetry for children?
Poetry as a form of literature long predates the existence of the written word. Its use of rhyme, rhythm, and literary devices, such as metaphor and simile, helped make possible the memorizing of long verses long before the advent of writing.
Though not as popular today amongst readers, it still endures in popular culture, particularly in hip-hop and rap. Developing an understanding of poetry, how it works, and how to produce it greatly benefits our students not only from the point of view of learning about our literary heritage but also in enriching students’ lives and helping them develop their creativity.
If it achieves anything, poetry offers us new perspectives on things we are already familiar with. It attempts to restore our childlike curiosity about the world by presenting us with familiar things in a new light. There are many types of poetry, and in this article, we will look at 15 poetry forms every teacher should be teaching and how students will benefit from their teaching. Read our complete guide to teaching poetry here
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Types of poetry for kids at a glance
Use this table to choose a poem type, then jump to its section for an example and a task. The list runs from easiest to hardest.
| Type | Lines | Rhymes? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acrostic | One per letter of the topic word | No | First poems |
| List poem | Any | No | Reluctant writers |
| Couplet | 2 | Yes | Learning rhyme |
| Haiku | 3 (5-7-5 syllables) | No | Nature, observation |
| Cinquain | 5 (2-4-6-8-2 syllables) | No | Counting syllables |
| Diamante | 7, diamond shaped | No | Opposites, parts of speech |
| Limerick | 5 (AABBA) | Yes | Humour |
| Kenning | Any | Optional | Riddles, vocabulary |
| Calligram (shape poem) | Any | Optional | Visual learners |
| Sensory poem | 5 or more | No | Description |
| Free verse | Any | No | Freedom of expression |
| Ode | Any | Optional | Praise and celebration |
| Narrative poem | Any | Often | Storytelling |
| Ballad | Four-line stanzas (ABCB) | Yes | Stories and song |
| Sonnet | 14 | Yes | Advanced writers |
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1. Acrostic Poems
Definition:
An acrostic poem spells a word down the left-hand side of the page. Each line starts with the next letter of that word, and every line says something about it.
Form:
- The topic word is written vertically, one letter per line
- Each line begins with its letter, often in bold or capitals
- Lines can be single words, phrases or full sentences
- Does not need to rhyme
Try it:
- Write a word down the page, one letter per line. Names, seasons and animals work well.
- Brainstorm five things about the word.
- Start each line with its letter, using your best ideas.
Benefits:
Acrostics are the gentlest way into poetry. The topic word gives students a ready-made structure, so even the most reluctant writer knows exactly how many lines to write and how each one begins. They also make a quick vocabulary task: students hunt for words that start with a given letter.
2. List Poems
Definition:
A list poem is exactly what it sounds like: a list of things, ideas or feelings, arranged so the last item lands with a surprise or a feeling.
Form:
- A title that names the list
- One item per line, in any order the writer chooses
- Often repeats an opening phrase, such as I remember or In my bag
- Saves the strongest or most surprising item for last
Try it:
- Choose a title such as Things in my bag or Reasons I love Saturdays.
- List eight items.
- Keep the best five and save the most surprising one for last.
Benefits:
List poems take away the fear of the blank page, because every student can make a list. Choosing which items to keep and which to cut is real editing, and ordering them for the best ending teaches that a poem’s structure is a deliberate choice.
3. Couplet
Definition:
A couplet is two lines that rhyme and complete one idea. Many longer poems, including the final lines of a Shakespearean sonnet, are built from couplets.
Form:
- Two lines
- The last words of the two lines rhyme
- The lines are usually a similar length and rhythm
- Together they make one complete thought
Try it:
- Write one line about an animal.
- List words that rhyme with its last word.
- Write a second line that finishes the thought with a twist.
Benefits:
Couplets teach rhyme in the smallest possible space. Because there are only two lines, students can draft, test and redraft several versions in a few minutes, and they quickly learn that the rhyme should serve the meaning rather than the other way around.
4. Haiku Poems
Definition:
Traditionally, a haiku is a prescriptive form of Japanese poetry that follows a tight syllabic structure that juxtaposes two subjects, usually related to a natural or seasonal phenomenon.
Form:
● 3 lines
● 17 syllables in total
● The first line of 5 syllables, the second line of 7 syllables, a final line of 5 syllables
● Does not usually rhyme
● Usually written in the present tense
Benefits:
This is a short form of poetry that requires students to consider closely the sound of each syllable. This reinforces the importance of poetry’s origins as a spoken art form. It can be quite meditative too, as it requires considerable concentration on the student’s part. Often haikus will utilize literary devices such as metaphor or personification, so they can be used as a means of consolidating work in these areas. Students are also afforded an opportunity to be introduced to some elements of Japanese culture.
5. Cinquain
Definition:
A cinquain is a five-line poem with a syllable pattern of 2, 4, 6, 8, 2. It builds up to a long fourth line, then stops short.
Form:
- 5 lines
- Syllables per line: 2, 4, 6, 8, 2 (22 in total)
- Does not usually rhyme
- The short last line often gives a surprise or a single strong image
Try it:
- Pick a weather word or an animal.
- Clap the syllables of each line as you write.
- Make the last two syllables a surprise.
Benefits:
Like the haiku, the cinquain makes students count syllables, which sharpens their ear for the sound of words. The growing line lengths also show how a poem can build tension and then release it.
6. Diamante Poems
Definition:
A diamante is a seven-line poem shaped like a diamond. It moves from one idea to its opposite, changing direction in the middle line.
Form:
- Line 1: a noun
- Line 2: two adjectives describing it
- Line 3: three -ing verbs
- Line 4: four nouns, two for each idea
- Line 5: three -ing verbs for the opposite idea
- Line 6: two adjectives for the opposite idea
- Line 7: the opposite noun
Try it:
- Choose two opposites (summer and winter, city and country).
- Fill in the pattern line by line.
- Centre the lines so the poem makes a diamond.
Benefits:
Diamantes are a painless way to practise parts of speech: every line asks for a particular kind of word. Working from one idea to its opposite also builds vocabulary for contrast.
7. Limerick
Definition:
With origins that stretch back to the early years of the 18th century, the limerick’s popularity endures. Usually humorous, the limerick often veers into vulgar territory, so depending on the age group, be sure to lay some content ground rules!
Form:
● Strict AABBA rhyme scheme
● The first line usually introduces a person and a place
● The place name usually ends the first-line setting up the rhyme for the second and fifth lines
Benefits:
Students will often be familiar with this form and take great delight in producing their own. The rhyme and rhythm of limericks is extremely regular and can be a great way to introduce the idea of metre in poetry. Limericks also offer wonderful opportunities for exercising the funny bone!
8. Kenning Poetry
Definition:
Kennings are derived from the Old Norse verse. They are poetic compounds used in place of a single noun. The compound will relate to the characteristics of the original noun itself. For example, the battle becomes spear-din. We can see examples of Kenning-type coinings frequently appearing in our everyday speech in words such as bookworm, mind-reader, and motormouth.
Features:
● A compound expression usually referring to a noun
● Possesses a metaphorical meaning, e.g., ankle-biter referring to toddler
Benefits:
Setting your students the task of writing a series of kennings based on a particular word is a great way to get them to think deeply about that word. They must deconstruct their understanding of the given noun and build two-word phrases that describe the thing in all its roles. This can be a super task to set as a prewriting exercise before embarking on an essay or other long piece of writing.
Kennings are a form of metaphor. Our guide to the elements of poetry shows how they fit alongside imagery, sound and the other tools poets use.
9. Calligram Poetry
Definition:
A type of poetry where the shape and layout of the letters and words on the paper relate to the poem’s meaning. Calligrams are also commonly called Shape Poems.
Form:
● The shapes made by letters, lines of poetry, or verses expresses or is informed by, the meaning of the poem
Benefits:
Calligrams bridge the gap between literary and visual art forms. They encourage students to weave together their understanding of the written word with their artistic side. Work on producing calligrams can often easily be linked to learning objectives in art and design based subjects. Students are often very inspired by this form of poetry and can surprise with their astonishing creativity. Calligrams also make for great content for a display board that students can take pride in.
10. Sensory (Five Senses) Poems
Definition:
A sensory poem describes one place or moment through the five senses, one line for each.
Form:
- 5 lines or more, one for each sense
- Each line often begins the same way: I see, I hear, I smell, I taste, I feel
- Focuses on a single place, object or moment
- Does not need to rhyme
Try it:
- Choose a place you know well.
- Write one line for each sense, starting with I see, I hear, I smell, I taste, I feel.
- Replace one plain word in each line with a sharper one.
Benefits:
Sensory poems are the bridge between poetry and descriptive writing. Students who learn to notice smells, sounds and textures here carry that detail straight into their stories and descriptions.
11. Free Verse poetry
Definition:
While the word ‘free’ in this form may conjure up images of the wild scribbling of emotional ‘vomit’, there is more to this form. While the structure is extremely loose in comparison to the tyrannical nature of the sonnet described below, it is not mere prose. Check out the features below to get to grips with this often misunderstood form.
Features:
● Characterized by irregular rhythm and rhyme, though both may be used at times
● Irregular line length
● Literary devices often used, for example, alliteration, assonance, metaphor, simile, repetition, internal rhyme
Benefits:
The comparatively unrestricted nature of this form gives students’ imaginations freer rein. This means too that free verse is a superb form to give students opportunities to practice their use of the literary devices mentioned above.
12. Ode
Definition:
An ode is a poem of praise for a person, place or everyday object. It speaks directly to the thing it celebrates.
Form:
- Addresses its subject directly as you
- Praises the subject, often by listing what it does or means
- Any length; may rhyme or not
- The title usually begins Ode to…
Try it:
- Pick an ordinary object you love.
- List three things it has done for you.
- Talk to it directly: start with You.
Benefits:
Writing an ode to something ordinary, like a pair of sneakers or a lunchbox, shows students that poetry can be about anything. Speaking to the subject as you also introduces apostrophe and personification in a natural way.
13. Narrative Poetry
Definition:
As the name suggests, narrative poems essentially tell a story. As poems were easier to commit to memory, narrative poetry has its origins in oral traditions. This form employs literary devices, often regular metre, to tell a story frequently in the voice of a narrator and/or the characters in the tale.
Features:
● Written to be read aloud
● Includes the usual elements of a story: characters, setting, conflict, dialogue, climax, resolution
● Employs literary devices such as simile, metaphor, figurative language etc
● Often rhymes, but not always
Benefits:
Students creating their own narrative poems will avail of an opportunity to reinforce their understanding of the narrative arc. This form also makes fluid links to dramatic performance, as it is usually a straightforward process to adapt a narrative poem for the stage.
Narrative poems use the same story structure as prose. See our narrative writing guide for planning the beginning, problem and resolution.
14. Ballad
Definition:
A ballad tells a story in four-line stanzas, usually with the second and fourth lines rhyming (ABCB). Ballads were first sung, so they have a strong, regular beat.
Form:
- Four-line stanzas (quatrains)
- Rhyme scheme ABCB: lines 2 and 4 rhyme
- A regular, song-like rhythm
- Tells a story with a beginning, a problem and an ending, and may repeat a refrain
Try it:
- Think of a short, surprising event.
- Tell it in three stanzas: beginning, problem, ending.
- Check that lines two and four of each stanza rhyme.
Benefits:
Ballads combine everything students know about narrative writing with rhyme and rhythm. Because they were made to be sung, they are perfect for reading aloud and performing.
15. Sonnet
Definition:
The sonnet is an extremely technical form of writing that stands in stark contrast to the relative anarchy of free verse. Though its origins can be traced to at least 13th century Italy, there are numerous structural variants. Its popularity among poets such as Milton and Donne exposed a wider English-speaking audience to its rigorous structures. Many students are first exposed to this form through Shakespeare’s sonnets and that is the form whose features we examine below.
Features:
● 14 lines of iambic pentameter
● 3 quatrains and a heroic couplet
● Rhyme scheme is: abab, cdcd, efef, gg
● The narrative usually includes the introduction of a problem, building toward a solution by the close of the poem
Benefits:
As mentioned, this is an extremely technical, and therefore demanding, form of poetry. Students will need a lot of illustrations with examples. Luckily, Shakespeare provides us with 154 beautiful ones! This will present students with opportunities to get to grips with complex terms such as iambic pentameter, quatrain, sestet, couplet etc.
The difficulty of the form also provides one of its greatest benefits. It is fun in the same way challenging activities such as sudoku or crosswords are fun. Writing sonnets will test any student’s problem-solving abilities to the max, but the rewards are high!
The Final Stanza
As we have seen, the benefits of poetry in the classroom are extremely varied, as are the forms of poetry itself. Developing a student’s poetic abilities not only has implications for their poetry writing capabilities but will improve their writing skills in general. Literary devices are not the exclusive domain of poetry, we see them everywhere in the written word, from novels and scripts to advertisements and newspapers.
Poetry too teaches creativity and that reflection is required to really see into something. It teaches the importance of prewriting planning, drafting, and redrafting. It shows students that getting artistic with words is not so much about inspiration as it is about craft and that skilled craftsmanship comes only with diligence and perseverance.
Is there a better lesson to teach our young people than that?
