Kids are curious. They listen, they observe, and every single day their brains are full of new questions. You already know this. You answer all kinds of big conversations, sometimes without any warning.
And here is another topic they may bring up this Christmas season.
Not about Santa this time… but about the song they keep hearing everywhere.
“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”
Most parents have heard the song hundreds of times. But very few parents know this little fact:
This famous Christmas carol began as a poem titled “Christmas Bells.”
So when your child listens to the song, it actually becomes the perfect chance to introduce them to poetry without forcing it or making it feel like homework.
Talk to Them
Children understand things more when we connect them with something they already recognize. Before you jump into “this is a poem,” just talk. Ask them if they know the song, where they heard it, or what they think the song means.
A small conversation like this builds the bridge toward poetry, without making it complicated.
Once your child shows interest, you can tell them, “This song was written as a poem by a real dad named Henry Longfellow. He wrote it during a very difficult time in America.”
This makes history feel real, not ancient.
Tell Them Why This Matters
Poetry sometimes feels complicated to kids because they think it’s something adults invented to make school harder. But when they learn a famous Christmas song is actually a poem, it immediately becomes something they feel comfortable with.
You are guiding them to see poetry as something normal… something they’ve already met before.
Compare Together
One of the smartest ways to take this one step ahead is to listen to the carol first, and then read the poem out loud.
Ask your child what sounds different.
Ask them what sounds the same.
In this easy activity, you have taught your child something valuable without any stress.
Christmas brings us music, memories, and meaning. It also gives you a natural opportunity to show your child that poems are not scary or confusing — they are just words that sometimes turn into songs.
And now you can say you introduced your child to poetry in a way that felt simple, warm, and full of Christmas spirit.Another way to introduce this poem-turned-song into your kids’ daily reading is by buying a copy of John William Babin’s I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day: How a Poem Became a Christmas Carol. It includes colorful illustrations to keep children engaged and help convey the message.