Let your lyrics free flow onto a page
Write and shape your own song lyrics or poem on paper, experiment with rhythm and rhyme, then perform or illustrate the finished page.
Step-by-step guide to writing and shaping your own song lyrics or poem
Step 1
Pick a theme or feeling for your song or poem like a place an emotion or a silly idea.
Step 2
Set a timer for five minutes.
Step 3
Write down as many words and short phrases about your theme as you can before the timer goes off.
Step 4
Choose three favorite words or phrases from your list.
Step 5
Make a chorus or a short repeated line using one of your chosen phrases.
Step 6
Write two short verses that either tell a tiny story or paint pictures with words.
Step 7
Read your chorus and verses aloud slowly to hear how the words sound.
Step 8
Tap a steady beat with your hand as you read the lines to find a rhythm that feels right.
Step 9
Edit your lines to improve the rhyme or rhythm by changing or shortening words.
Step 10
Neatly write your final lyrics on a fresh page.
Step 11
Add illustrations decorations or color around your lyrics to match the mood of your song or poem.
Step 12
Practice performing your song or poem out loud three times and then share your finished page 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!?
I don't have colored markers or crayons to decorate my final lyrics—what can I use instead?
Use colored pencils, watercolor paint, stickers, cut-out magazine pictures, or colored paper glued around your final lyrics page to complete the 'Add illustrations, decorations, or color' step.
What if I freeze up during the five-minute word-and-phrase writing step and can't think of anything?
If you get stuck during the 'Set a timer for five minutes' brainstorming, ask simple prompts like who/where/what/how about your theme, read your words aloud while tapping a steady beat, or copy a few rhyming words to jump-start more ideas.
How can I adapt this activity for different age groups?
For preschoolers, shorten the timer to 2–3 minutes and let them draw words and repeat a one-line chorus, while older kids can use 7–10 minutes, write two or three verses, experiment with melody, and record their performance to share on DIY.org.
How can we extend or personalize the song or poem after we neatly write the final lyrics?
After neatly writing the final page, add a simple instrumental beat with a phone or tambourine while practicing three performances, layer a melody or harmony, photograph or record the performance, and embellish the page with a mood-matching collage before uploading to DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to write and shape your own song lyrics or a poem
Making a Song: Creating the Lyrics - Song Writing for Kids!
3 Videos
Making a Song: Creating the Lyrics - Song Writing for Kids!
How to Teach Songwriting to Kids | Music Education Resources
5 Simple Songwriting Exercises to Transform Your Lyrics
Facts about poetry and songwriting for kids
✍️ Poems can be as short as one line (called a monostich) or as long as epic sagas—there’s no fixed length.
🎵 Many hit songs started from a single line of lyrics or a tiny melody idea.
🎨 Pairing drawings with words creates visual poetry and makes a song or poem feel like a little storybook.
🎤 Performing your lyrics out loud often reveals the natural beat and helps you improve tricky lines.
🧠 Rhyme and rhythm help people remember words better, which is why nursery rhymes stick so well.
How do I help my child write and shape their own song lyrics or poem?
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