Poems of Robert Louis Stevenson: Volume 1 {free printable!}

{This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.} 

Our homeschooling journey is just beginning.  I eagerly research teaching and learning styles.  Early education is fun — because playing time is learning time! — but I want to make sure I am making the best decisions for my children when it comes time for Kindergarten and beyond.

I wrote extensively about my new passion for Classical education in a recent post.  Cheryl Swope’s (M.Ed.) book, Simply Classical, has been an inspiration to me and I recommend it to anyone and everyone.  She writes about her journey through teaching in the public school arena, and then bringing her teaching home with her two special-needs children.  Her book is an incredible resource with book lists, suggested schedules, and recommendations by subjects.  I especially love her thoughts and suggestions on teaching and learning music.

Swope has a musical background and taught piano before having children. And I can relate, and as a classically-trained singer {I almost got my Bachelor’s degree in Voice Performance — that’s another story}, I appreciate and love all genres of music.  I have been writing here about my intentions for teaching my already musically-inclined son {I say that humbly!!} through my posts on teaching Bible songs and learning music theory together.

Swope encourages parents to utilize every opportunity to teach children beauty, goodness, and truthfulness.  This can especially happen in the car, she explains.  Long {and short} car rides are excellent times for counting, recitation, and listening to music.

While reading Simply Classical, Swope mentioned Ted Jacobs and his children’s collections of beautiful poetry set to music.  Ted Jacobs, a singer-songwriter from California, combines acoustic folk music with the heartwarming and timeless children’s poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson from “A Child’s Garden of Verses.”

Robert Louis Stevenson, Count Girolamo Pieri Nerli, 1863-1926

Stevenson’s poetry brings alive the childhood experiences of the love for his mother, a ride on a train, playing with blocks, being sick in bed with toy soldiers, and learning about one’s shadow.  I smile when I think that my son will bring the legacy of these words with him through his own life’s journey.

Ted Jacobs explains his musical journey with Robert Louis Stevenson and his poems on his website, House at the Corner:

“A Child’s Garden Of Verses” took hold of my heart and I heard music instantly.  When I finished reading the book, I felt that if I was going to undertake this work, I had a significant responsibility to these words and especially to their author. I chose to adapt the poems exactly as they were written – word for word with nothing repeated or deleted.  This decision yielded three wonderful consequences: it made my task more enjoyable and challenging, accorded me a strict boundary, and honored these classic works of literature. A Child’s Garden Of Songs was the resulting work – a true labor of love.

Jacobs truly makes these Stevenson’s poems come to life.  Some examples of the songs are played on his site, so please visit so that you can hear the beauty of his arrangements!  His variance in singers {including children!} and use of an eclectic array of instruments, such as uilleann pipes, fiddles, mandolin, accordion, Bodran drum, conga, and penny whistles make this album a must-have for every parent and child alike.  It is difficult to classify this album as “children’s” because it is in a league of its own.

As soon as I purchased Jacobs’ work, A Child’s Garden of Songs, I knew that I wanted to create accompanying poster printables for my son to connect glorious music and poetry and art.  A Classical education places a focus on all things Beautiful.  And Impressionist art, mostly from the late 19th century, seemed to be the perfect fit for Stevenson’s poems and Jacobs’ music.

Jacobs’ cd collection has 16 songs, and my accompanying printables are presented in the order that he chose for his first volume of poems by Stevenson, A Child’s Garden of Songs.  We are focusing on one poem per week.  I put all of the poems in sheet protectors in a binder and simply tape the one we are reading daily to the wall.  My son has loved them so far.

Jacobs has two other albums: another based on more poems by Stevenson entitled Back to the Garden, and a collection of music by various American poets called The Days Gone By.  I will have upcoming posts and printables for both of these in the coming months!  I share these with you in hopes that your child will also learn these glorious poems — and train and develop their mind towards beauty in the process!  

{By downloading, you are agreeing to my Terms of Use.}

Here is the free printable! Poems of Robert Louis Stevenson: Volume 1.

CD Giveaway: A Child’s Garden of Songs

I am thrilled that Ted Jacobs has given his approval of my printables!  He is so graciously giving away a copy of A Child’s Garden of Songs to one of my readers!  Please enter below through the Rafflecopter.   The giveaway is open to the U.S. and Canada only and will run 14 days, until Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at 11:59 EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am grateful to all of the wonderful linky party hosting mamas: check out my Link-Up page for where I may link this blog post!

Special thanks to Jacqueline from Deep Roots at Home for her help with the art and for the use of Morning by Frits Thaulow.

If you are interested in receiving new posts, please follow me on Facebook: