Blackout poetry is such a fun and creative activity to try with kids, especially around National Poetry Day which is coming up on October 2nd. Unlike starting from a blank page, this form of poetry begins with an old book, newspaper articles, or any piece of text you have lying around.
Then, you read through the words and look for ones that pop out to you. Maybe they remind you of a feeling, a memory, or something funny. Once you have a few words or phrases that you like, you “black out” the rest of the words around them using a marker, colored pencil, or your own artistic doodles.
The idea is simple: take the existing text and black out the words you don’t want, leaving behind single words or short phrases that create a brand new poem.
It’s a great way for kids to experiment with word choice, self expression, and creativity without the pressure of having to write an original poem from scratch.
What’s left becomes your very own poem.
What Is Blackout Poetry?
Blackout poetry, sometimes called erasure poetry or redacted poetry, is a form of found poetry. The source text might be a page of a book, newspaper blackout pages, or even informational text from random books. The first step is to scan the entire page for interesting words. Then, circle or highlight the key words that fit the theme of your poem. Finally, take a thick black marker, like a black Sharpie, and block out everything else. What’s left behind is your final poem, made from fragments of the original text but given a completely new meaning.
Blackout poetry is part art and part writing. You don’t need to rhyme or follow rules – just your imagination! It helps you look at words in a new way, like you’re on a treasure hunt. And when you’re done, you’ve created something completely unique that is a mix of poetry and artwork that’s all yours.
Here’s a very basic example:
Let’s say you start with this sentence:
“The cat jumped over the fence and ran into the tall grass, chasing a butterfly that flew in the wind.”
You could turn it into a poem like this:
“Jumped over tall grass, chasing a butterfly.”
Then blackout the rest of the words and decorate your page with tall grass and butterflies.
Or this:
“The cat ran, chasing the wind.”
This shows how you can use the same text in different ways. So many possibilities from just one sentence – now think how much variety you can get from a whole page?
Whether you love words, drawing, or just want to try something new, blackout poetry is a fun way to get creative. So grab a marker and get ready to make some poetry magic!
What Age is Blackout Poetry Good For?
The best part about blackout poetry is that it can be done by almost any age. Younger kids can focus on circling nice things or quick thoughts that stand out to them, while teens and older children can get more intentional with their word choice and the theme of their poem.
Even adults and professional writers enjoy making blackout poetry pages as a powerful way of sparking new ideas.
The resulting poems often surprise you, turning unused words from the original text into something fresh and unique.
This activity works well in classrooms, as a creative writing warm-up, or at home as a fun project for National Poetry Day. It’s a good choice for kids who sometimes feel intimidated by a blank piece of paper, since the words are already there waiting to be found.
How to Make Your Own Blackout Poems
Here are the simple steps to get started with your own poems using the blackout poetry method
How to Write Blackout Poetry
Get ready to turn ordinary pages into extraordinary poems! Blackout poetry is a super cool and creative way to make your own poems by blacking out words on a page and leaving behind only the ones you want to keep. It’s like finding secret messages hidden in a story!
Materials
- Old book or newspaper, or printed source text
- Thick black marker
Tools
- Imagination
Instructions
- Choose a Source Text: Pick an old book, a random book you don’t mind marking, or newspaper articles. A single piece of text is all you need.
- Scan for Words: Look over the entire page and make a list of words or short phrases that grab your attention. Think about the given theme of your poem or just follow the words that feel right.
- Select Your Poem: From your list of words, arrange them into a rough order that makes sense. The right words might form a new poem, a story, or even just a string of quick thoughts.
- Black It Out: Use a thick black marker or any writing utensil to block out the words you don’t need, leaving white space around your chosen text. Some people fill the rest of the page with doodles or designs, turning the final poem into a piece of art.
- Share or Keep: The resulting poems can be shared on social media, added into a creative writing notebook, or just kept as a personal piece of art.
Printable Blackout Poetry Worksheets
To make it even easier to dive into blackout poetry, we’ve created a free printable pack of blackout poem worksheets with 6 different starting texts you can use to create your own poems. Each page gives you a unique source text from classic literature to current news articles, ready for you to emphasise your chosen words and black out the rest.
Whether you’re using them at home, in the classroom, or just for fun, this pack is a great way to get started. This is published in a new blog post here so you can download and print your own copy.
Why We Love Blackout Poetry
Blackout poetry is a derivative work in the best sense. It takes something familiar (a page of a book or newspaper) and turns it into something entirely new. Even though you start with text as your source material, it’s possible to get a final poem that is truly in your own voice.
It’s a new way to engage with language, a quick and powerful way to spark creativity, and a great way to encourage kids to see words differently, using old texts to create new narratives.
From classrooms to family tables at home, this art form continues to inspire new poems, new words, and new things.
If you try blackout poetry with your kids, you might be surprised by the original poem that emerges from an existing text. Whether you’re a teacher looking for a literature project, a parent celebrating National Poetry Day, or just someone who loves playing with words, blackout poetry is a wonderful activity to try.
More Poetry Activities and Resource for Kids
More Poetry Activities and Resources for Kids
If your kids enjoyed blackout poetry, there’s so much more creative fun to explore! From playful poetry prompts to hands-on writing games and printable poetry worksheets, these activities are perfect for helping children build confidence with words and express their thoughts in unique ways. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or homeschooler, you’ll find something to spark their imagination and keep the creativity flowing.
- Rainbow Poem for Kids (Free Printable Worksheet)
- Acrostic Poems For Mother’s Day (Free Printable Templates)
- 20 Best Short English Poems for Kids to Recite
- Introducing Children to the Poems of Robert Louis Stevenson
- From a Railway Carriage PDF Printable with Activities
- Short Earth Day Poems for Kids to Inspire a Love of Nature
- Leaf-Decorated Autumn Poem
- Summer Rhyming Words Printable Learning Activity
- Fun Roll a Story Printable (Camping Theme)
- Fun Story Writing Worksheets for Kids – With a Pack of Picture Prompts!
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Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
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