Color-Out Poetry

What you need

• Paper, 1 page of old newspaper, magazine or book photocopy
• Crayons or markers, a few bright colors and one dark one
• Pencil, 1

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Pick a page with lots of words, like a newspaper column or a photocopied book page. Choose something you don't mind being marked up. Open a window or work in a ventilated spot because markers can smell strong.

1. Read the whole page slowly, like a word detective.
2. Lightly circle about ten words that stand out to you.
3. Read your circled words in order, from top to bottom.
   Ask: Do these words make a sentence, a picture or a feeling?
4. Swap a word or two to make your poem better.
5. Cover every uncircled word with bright crayon patterns.
6. Draw a picture in the colored space to go with your poem.
7. Read your poem aloud to the family.
   Ask: How does it sound when you read it with a spooky, silly or calm voice?
8. Now trade pages with someone, or find a new page! What poem will you hide next?
   Ask: What other page could hold a secret poem?

Play it again

• Same page swap: two people use copies of the same page and see how different the poems are.
• Mood poem: choose a feeling first, like cozy or stormy, and only pick words that match it.
• Shape poem: leave the uncircled words white and draw a picture around your chosen words.