Teaching Poetry to Teens: How to Make It Fun and Engaging at Home
When you ask your teen about poetry, what do they say? I’m willing to bet that they roll their eyes. Maybe you have one of the rare ones whose face lights up. Why is there a gap? What are some students getting that others aren’t? What can we do to change it?
Like many parts of a literature education, students (whether at home or in a more traditional setting) fall out of love with poetry sometime around middle school. Why? Often because we, as parents or teachers, start expecting more than just pure enjoyment and creation from poetry. We change it into something that must be analyzed rather than enjoyed. I’m here to advocate for enjoying poetry while also learning the essential skills of analyzing poetry! The balance between enjoyment and rigor is what so many teens miss.
Poetry, when written and read well, can build up images for us that help to express our souls. The skill of reading poetry is fundamental to writing poetry, so learning how to read poetry is truly an instance of strengthening our “hands” so that we can better express what is in our hearts and minds.
Unfortunately, teaching poetry to teens is tricky to do well. Often, it’s our own high school experiences that influence how we think about poetry. When poetry is taught in a didactic, uninspiring way that only emphasizes straight analysis it can be miserable. On the other hand, when we lean into the flowery, fun, solely emotional experiencing of poetry, as is more appropriate for younger students, we lose the depth of poetry that reels in older students.
Poetry is FUN. It’s like a puzzle or a treasure map. You can analyze one poem for months or years (I have a master’s degree in poetry too–this is totally possible). It just takes some fresh approaches to get there.
5 Fun and Easy Poetry Activities for Homeschool Teens
1. Read Poetry Together (Instead of Assigning It Alone)
Accompany your teens throughout the whole process–don’t give them a poem and leave them alone with it. Have fun together! This will help with the intimidation factor and keep interest high (as long as you are enjoying too).
2. Use Music Lyrics as a Gateway to Poetry
Most teens love music and it can be powerful for them to see their favorite lyrics treated as serious poetry. Study line breaks, repeated phrases, and emotional shifts. They’ll see how the techniques of poetry are alive in the music they already care about.
3. Make Poets Real People
Introduce the poet as a real person, not just some random guy who wandered around in nature and wrote poetry (no one actually did that…). Learn about the poet’s real life: what they loved, what they struggled with, and why they chose poetry as their art form.
4. Scaffold with Expert Analysis (Like Poetry Unbound)
Find analysis that isn’t yours to create a bridge for students. My favorite way to do this is through the Poetry Unbound podcast–the analysis is second to none and it is really approachable for teens. If you’d like everything laid out for you, I’ve created mini-units for both homeschoolers and traditional classrooms (links below).
5. Start with Mary Oliver: The Best Entry Point Poet for Teens
Mary Oliver’s work is accessible, soulful, and surprisingly engaging for teens. It’s not the most rigorous poetry, but it’s an excellent entry point that opens the door to deeper study later.
These activities balance fun and rigor, showing teens that poetry can be creative while still teaching the literary analysis skills they’ll need for high school and beyond. Whether you homeschool or teach in a traditional classroom, these ideas will help your students connect with poetry on a deeper level.
Want a Ready-to-Use Homeschool Poetry Unit?
If you want to get started with a completely flexible homeschool poetry unit that does the work of making poetry fun for you and your homeschooler (also perfect for co-ops and microschools), check out the resource here:
Poetry and Podcasts Mini Unit for Homeschoolers | Poetry Unbound Analysis and Project
If you’re a traditional classroom teacher, I have a blog post here about using the mini unit in classrooms:
The Easiest Way to Teach Poetry This Year (That Students Will Actually Love)
And a unit adapted for a traditional classroom here:
Contemporary Poetry and Podcasts Mini Unit | Engaging Project!
And just in case, I have a popular blog post about what students should actually be learning in the age of AI that highlights why this resource provides important skills for students in all learning environments:
What Do High School English Students Actually Need to Learn in the Age of AI?
Frequently Asked Questions about Teaching Poetry at Home
What is the best way to teach poetry to high school students?
The best approach blends fun with rigor—reading poems together, using music as a bridge, and introducing poets as real people makes analysis approachable without losing depth.
How do I make poetry analysis less intimidating for teens?
Scaffold with outside voices (like Poetry Unbound) so students hear expert commentary. This shows them that analysis isn’t just about “right answers.”
Can homeschoolers earn credit with a poetry unit like this?
Yes! The activities in this mini unit can count toward English credit since they cover literary analysis, close reading, and creative expression.
What poems are most engaging for teenagers?
Mary Oliver, Danez Smith, Ocean Vuong, and contemporary poets are excellent entry points. Teens also connect strongly with lyrics from their favorite music when framed as poetry.
Teach Poetry with Confidence
If you’re ready to make poetry one of the most enjoyable parts of your teen’s English education, grab my Poetry and Podcasts Mini Unit for Homeschoolers. It’s flexible, engaging, and designed to bring joy and rigor back to poetry.