You look at kids when they hear Mother Goose. It s nonsense but they want you to read it again and again. Also, educational methods have changed. Due to the integration of disciplines, poetry is more often used by teachers in the classroom, from preschool on up to high school. Poetry is no longer at a distance.
Poetry can aid in the development of children s language.
If we adults model enjoyment of poetry, then young kids will appreciate language, too. Poetry should be an everyday part of a child s world. Karen Dunn Alvarez, Julia. Dutton, Penguin Books, 1995. My Wicked Wicked Ways .