A Guide to Haiku for Kids

Haiku is a traditional style of Japanese poetry especially for kids. As kids enjoy poems and rhymes, so this can be treat for their tiny minds. It is the simplest and most taught form of poetry in schools. It is so easy that anyone can do it. No hard and fast rules. Just go with a thought in your head and flow with it.

How to create Haiku?
A good haiku comes when you mix two or more different thoughts. If you ask a kid to write a haiku, you will get any of these for sure; expression about weather, animals, friends and family, love, games etc. This is because a little mind has only such innocent thoughts and it is common in almost all kids of same age group. Every new day is full of adventure for them and they love to tell about what they see, feel or hear.

Commonly observed pattern of haiku that is practiced in many schools to teach kids is:

I am first with five
Then seven in the middle
Five again to end

Examples:
Haiku is used to ask funny riddles from children. This is a fun activity and also a brain exercise. Kids and teachers get involved and solve riddles. This also sharps their intelligence.

Jumping up and down
fuzzy and cuddly warm
underneath the earth
Who am I?

I like to chase cats,
I bark at them all day long,
I like to play fetch.
Who am I?

Or some haiku also show observations. As I already mentioned that it is a form of poetry and poetry is basically your expression. Kids love to express. Below are some haikus written by some school kids.

Water falls down rocks
its smooth clear ice cold water
Waterfalls are good

A round ball of light
brings happiness all around
beams in the blue sky

Supercars are fast,
Zooming down the street, wahoo!
You never see them.

Puppies are gorgeous,
They are kind and sweet and lick,
They are small indeed.

he has a round nose
he has a funny white face
he has a big bow

White, soft snow glistens,
In the pale morning sunshine.
Magic wonder land.

Spring bursts with flowers
And animals give their young
Spring is beautiful

brown leaves fall and fall
they drop underneath my shoes
autumn is here now

Cars sit, horns beeping,
People rush to work past them,
Glad to be a fish

It's small and so red,
If you toss it in my mouth
I will eat it up.

Sea shells on the shore,
making inprints in the sand,
lots of bright colours.

Beautiful dolphins,
In the deep blue cold ocean,
Amazing creatures

ladybug small
as a quarter lands upon
a happy girl's back.

As calm as the leaves,
flowing water full of joy,
reflecting the sky.

It comes in the night,
so shiny and reflective,
the morning no more

Spring brings great joys
To those who love flowers
And plenty of rain

Fall, the best of all
Turkeys and pumpkins
And the beginning of school

Winter, very merry
Brings joy to all who love snow
And green Christmas trees

Last is summer time
With plenty of fun and sun
Swimming in the pool