Autumn Poetry

Time

4 3 2 1 Early Stage

Benefits

Participants

One to One or Group Activity

What you need

A variety of items to inspire their writing:

Autumn leaves
Pinecones
Conkers
Acorns
Twigs
Toffee apples
Corn
Scarves and gloves
Forest or Woodland smelling scent

2. Pencil and paper

Intro

The power and sheer beauty of nature have inspired poets for centuries, from Wordsworth to Tennyson. Autumn is an especially evocative subject to help put pen to paper, thanks to its dramatic drifts of fallen leaves and golden hues.

Let’s have a go at poetry writing, to get people thinking about things outside of their everyday lives. It can spark their interest, and help maintain writing and language skills.

The Activity

Lay all the autumnal items out on the table, so everyone can rummage through and discover things to inspire their writing.
If available, spritz some Forest or Woodland smelling scent into the room.
Encourage each person to think about what theme they would like to write about, using the props for inspiration.
Place that autumnal item in front of them and give them a pencil and paper to begin.
Let them know that the poem can be really short – just 4 or 5 lines even – so they don’t feel overwhelmed. It doesn’t have to necessarily have to rhyme either.
Give the person time and encouragement to let their creative juices flow – there’s no rush.
Once they’ve finished their poem, see if they’d like to read it aloud or allow them to keep it personal, if they prefer.