In honor of National Poetry Month, I’m sharing two of our recent poetry projects at Simple Kids today. Here’s a sneak peek:

From rhyming lines to haiku to free verse, I love sharing poetry with my daughters. We think of poems as paintings made with words, and they are a wonderful way for kids to use their boundless imaginations.

While we love reading poetry, writing our own poems is one of our favorite ways to play and create with words. We try all different kinds of poetry forms, and for the most part, I take dictation at the computer while they compose their poetic masterpieces.

Head over to Simple Kids to continue reading and check out our simple and fun poem projects.

Happy writing!

Nearly every gift-giving occasion in our family includes specially-chosen books for our two voracious readers.

With a change of season in the air, here are a few gift book ideas for celebrating spring or tucking into an Easter basket:

Barnyard Dance! by Sandra Boynton

Age: Babies and up

You really can’t go wrong with Sandra Boyton’s books, filled with catchy rhymes and adorable animals. Barnyard Dance was one of my girls’ favorites when they were babies – I think I can still recite it from memory!

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

Ages: Toddlers and up

What do you do when your kite gets stuck in a tree? Throw your shoe up to knock it out, of course! But, what if your shoe gets stuck? Will Floyd ever get his kite out of the tree? Laugh your way to the end to find out!

And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano

Ages: Early Preschool and up

This is a sweet story, perfect for reading as winter blooms into spring. My favorite line of the book is, “and it is still brown, but a hopeful, very possible sort of brown…”

The story is perfectly paired with charming illustrations by Erin E. Stead (winner of the 2011 Caldecott for A Sick Day for Amos McGee).

Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies

Ages: Early Preschool and up

This book is a celebration of nature and the seasons through poetry, facts, activities, and illustrations – this would be a treasure for young nature-lovers.

Chicken Big by Keith Graves

Age: Preschool and up

This story is sure to bring giggles as it turns the tale of Chicken Little on its head. I love the illustrations and comical speech bubbles throughout the story. This will be one the kids want to read again and again!

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

Age: Preschool and up

This is a charming, beautifully-illustrated book about caring for our environment and the difference one person can make. My girls especially like the full-spread garden illustrations and searching for the boy, Liam, on each page.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

Age: 8 and up

I can’t give The Penderwicks a high enough endorsement. We love this book! You will quickly be drawn into the story of four very different sisters and their adventures. This has become one of my favorite children’s books and my nine-year-old has read it many times – highly recommended!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Age: 8 and up

This book caught my eye at the book store. It’s a sequel to Ian Fleming’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, this time with a camper van leading the around-the-world adventure. Looks like a fun read for the whole family!

What book is getting rave reviews in your house right now?

We have been playing with a really fun kid’s journal from the Gadanke handmade journal shop. I have always written in some sort of journal or notebook, not to mention all the notes I have jotted down about things the girls say or special memories.

My girls are also showing an interest in journaling and memory-keeping, which makes me so happy! There is nothing more precious than memories and thoughts, shared in their own writing and drawing.

Katie, founder/owner of Gadanke, is passionate about helping people write their stories. Her shop is filled with handcrafted journals, containing creative writing prompts and inspiration. They’re made with 100% recycled papers, too.

I love the Gadanke motto – Celebrate your story!

We had the pleasure of reviewing the Jump Up! Kid’s Journal:

“This book is a story; it’s the story of an awesome kid.

This über exciting journal is cleverly disguised as a time capsule just for kids. (Don’t tell!)”

As soon as I pulled it out of the package, my girls ran off with it to check it out. There are lots of silly writing prompts that had them giggling!

Things we love about the Gadanke Jump Up! Journal:

- It’s flexible – we can add photos and other memorabilia, move pages around, and even add more pages that we create.

- There is a varied combination of drawing prompts, lists, and reflections that definitely appeal to a child’s imagination.

- The journal comes with fun add-ons, like a name tag, tickets, graph paper page, and playing card. Natalie wants to write all her nicknames on the name tag – love it!

Photo from Gadanke

As my older daughter approaches 10 (yikes!), I find myself wanting to capture and record every detail about her before the preteen years take over. What better way than to have her document this moment in time herself, in her own words and drawings?

Here are a few finished pages from our journal:

These journals would be a fun gift to tuck in an Easter basket, bring on a road trip, or have on hand for hot summer afternoons.

Good news! Here’s a special offer for Let’s Explore Readers: 10% off your purchase with code EXPLORE10. Expires at midnight March 28, 2012.

Thank you, Katie, for sharing a journal with our family!

Visit the Gadanke website to read more about the Jump Up! Kid’s Journal, as well as food & recipe journals, prayer journals, doodle journals, and more! (I love the engraved pencils, too!)

Shop | Gadanke

10% Discount Code: EXPLORE10 (expires at midnight, 3/28/12)

Twitter | @makingthishome

Facebook | Gadanke (For fans, Katie offers Facebook-only specials once a month.)

Katie’s Blog | Making This Home

Do you keep a journal for yourself or your kids? Do your kids draw or write in a journal or diary?

I was provided with a journal to review from Gadanke. The opinions in this post are all ours!