How to Write a Haiku Poem for Kids
Haiku poems capture a moment in time. Most sound easy-going and light while hinting at an emotion. Seasons or a specific time of year are traditional settings in this Japanese form of poetry. Haiku always contain three lines, usually following a pattern of 5-7-5, where the first and last lines each have five syllables and the middle line has seven. Haiku engage children because they are straightforward, visual and short, similar to a child's unobstructed view of the world.
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Instructions
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Read haiku poems to the kids so they get a feel for the form. There are many variations in theme, so start with traditional Japanese haiku that have nature themes.
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Explain to the kids how many syllables each line of a haiku should have, and clap out the syllables of different words to help them understand. Try "tree," "flow-er" and "ba-na-na."
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3
Ask the children questions about their favorite season, animal or type of weather to choose a subject for the haiku.
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Ask the children to write descriptive phrases, such as "cold rain" or "tickling grass," that they might use in the poem.
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Write a line that introduces a picture of the subject the kids have chosen. This line should have five syllables.
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Create a second line that either continues describing the image from the first line or adds another image to the picture. This line should have seven syllables.
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7
Conclude the poem with a line that completes the picture. This line should have five syllables.
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Tips & Warnings
Haiku poems are straightforward. Don't complicate them with metaphor, simile or any non-direct language.
Resources
- Photo Credit nature image by litinerante from Fotolia.com
