A poem is a type of literature or artistic writing that attempts to stir a readers imagination or emotions by carefully choosing and arranging language for its meaning, sound, and rhythm. Poems can be written using rhythm, rhyme, and repetition, but they dont have to rhyme. People have been writing poetry for over 4,000 years, and poetry appears in many forms and styles. Some poems, such as nursery rhymes, are simple and humorous, while others may try to express some truth about life, tell a story, or honor a person or a god.

Poems are made up of different parts, including the title, theme, and lines. The words of a poem are arranged in lines and groups of lines, called stanzas. Some poems follow strict patterns of meter, sound, and length, while others do not use any set form.

There are many modern childrens poets, including Michael Rosen, Brian Moses, Benjamin Zephaniah, Jackie Kay, Roger McGough, Allan Ahlberg, Roald Dahl, John Agard, Jack Prelutsky, and Shel Silverstein. Poems can be read aloud, performed, or even sung with music.

Some fun activities to introduce kids to poetry include playing "Pass the Poem," where children work together to come up with rhyming words and write a four-line rhyme, and reading poetry books recommended for under 7s.