Our favourite winter poems

- Edith Sitwell

Winter is officially upon us; a magical time to spend with family and friends, nestled by log fires with mugs of hot chocolate and chestnuts in hand.

Underpinned by Christmas excitement and speculations of snow, it certainly is the season to be jolly.

We have put together a list of our favourite poems to remind you of all the joys of winter time:

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost
Within this poem, the speaker pauses by some woods on a snowy evening. They take in the lovely winter scene in near-silence, and although tempted to bask in the scene for longer, they acknowledge the pull of obligations and the long distance yet to be travelled before they can rest.

Jack Frost by Gabriel Setoun
This enchanting poem describes the winter phenomenon which happens outside of our control - morning frost on the windows. A touch of magic is brought to the event through the character of Jack Frost, who is responsible for creating the beautiful patterns on our window panes whilst we sleep.

'Twas the night before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moor
One of the most treasured Christmas poems, this epic poem depicting Santa Claus' visit to one youngster's house on Christmas Eve can be recited word-for-word by many across the country. The fast rhyme helps to build the excitement, and the vivid description of St. Nick builds a jolly image in our minds. To accompany the poem, why not encourage your child to draw a storyboard of the unfolding events?

Three Little Kittens (Anonymous)
A favourite for young learners; the conversational poem is about three kittens and the trouble they have looking after their mittens. The use of theatrics will make this poem an even more enjoyable read, so why not try a roleplay with your child, taking turns to read aloud the words of the mother cat and her kittens?

Snowflakes by Linda A. Copp
This short, rhyming poem describes the majesty of snowflakes. Having read this poem, you'll forever consider these light crystals as wonders of beauty.

Winter-Time by Robert Louis Stevenson
We can assume Scottish poet Robert Louis Stevenson is speaking from personal experience when describing the frosty winter morning within his poem. The speaker is walking us through their morning routine before heading out into the cold winter's day.

So if you don't quite have the time to lose yourself in a winter read, why not indulge your inner-poet by reading some of our favourite winter poems, and perhaps they may even inspire you to write one of your own!