Teaching concrete poems to primary children and how to write and draw

This paper explores the introduction of concrete poetry to primary school children as an engaging approach to fostering creativity, literacy, and visual expression. Concrete poetry, which integrates the visual arrangement of words with poetic meaning, enables children to experiment with language through shapes, forms, and imagery. The paper discusses the educational value of concrete poetry in enhancing vocabulary, imagination, aesthetic awareness, and self-expression while supporting cross-curricular learning in language arts and visual arts. Practical classroom strategies and examples of shape poems are presented to demonstrate how children can create poems based on familiar objects, animals, and themes. The paper further highlights the role of teachers in guiding children through structured yet imaginative activities that encourage experimentation with words and design. By making poetry accessible, playful, and visually stimulating, concrete poetry offers an effective pedagogical tool for cultivating young learners’ interest in language, creative thinking, and meaningful literary engagement.