Share your favorite haiku!
Write a favorite haiku and illustrate it on paper, then share aloud or display it for family or classmates to enjoy and discuss.
Step-by-step guide to share your favorite haiku
Step 1
Gather your materials and sit at a clear table or desk.
Step 2
Think of a favorite moment place or thing you love and choose one to write about.
Step 3
Write 8 short words or simple phrases about your chosen topic on the paper.
Step 4
Write a three-line haiku using the 5-7-5 syllable pattern and count syllables out loud as you write each line.
Step 5
Read each line aloud and change any word that makes a line have the wrong number of syllables.
Step 6
Neatly write your final haiku on a clear spot of the paper.
Step 7
Decide where to draw an illustration and lightly sketch an outline with your pencil.
Step 8
Use your colouring materials to color and finish the illustration.
Step 9
Add a short title or a simple decorative border around your haiku.
Step 10
Either read your haiku aloud to family or classmates or tape it up where they can see it and invite them to talk about it.
Step 11
Share your finished haiku and illustration on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have the coloring materials, a pencil, or a clear table listed in the instructions?
If you don't have crayons, markers, or a clear table, substitute cut‑out colored paper or stickers for coloring, use a pen or charcoal for sketching, and place a clean piece of cardboard or a clipboard on any surface before you write your haiku.
I'm stuck getting each line to match the 5-7-5 syllable pattern—what should I try?
Clap or tap out syllables as you say each word, swap longer words from your 'write 8 short words' step for shorter synonyms, and follow the 'read each line aloud and change any word' step until every line fits 5-7-5.
How can I adapt this haiku activity for different age groups?
For younger kids, use single words or stickers and count syllables together while they sketch and color, and for older kids, encourage imagery-rich vocabulary from their 8-word list and a more detailed illustration or decorative border.
What are some ways to extend or personalize the haiku after finishing the basic steps?
Create a small booklet of several haikus, add a photo or collage background before you neatly write the final haiku and title, then tape it up for family or upload the finished piece to DIY.org to share.
Watch videos on how to share your favorite haiku
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✍️ POEMS for Kids 📚 Characteristics and Elements of Poems
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Facts about poetry for kids
📣 Because they're short and vivid, haiku are great to memorize and share aloud with family or classmates.
🌸 Haiku come from Japan and often include a 'kigo' (seasonal word) like cherry blossoms or snow to set the mood.
🐸 One of Matsuo Bashō's most famous haiku begins: 'An old pond / A frog jumps in — / The sound of the water.'
🪶 Traditional Japanese haiku use 17 sound units called 'on' arranged 5-7-5; English haiku often use syllables or looser forms.
🖼️ When a haiku is paired with a painting it's called a haiga — a classic way to illustrate a poem.
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