Write your own haiku!
Write your own haiku by counting syllables, observing nature, and revising drafts to capture a clear image in seventeen syllables.
Step-by-step guide to write your own haiku
Step 1
Go outside or sit by a window and quietly look at nature for five minutes.
Step 2
Pick one small clear image you noticed like a leaf a bird or raindrops.
Step 3
Put your paper in front of you and draw three lines or make three blank spaces for your haiku.
Step 4
Write 8 to 12 words or short phrases that describe your chosen image.
Step 5
Write a first draft of the top line using words from your list and aim for five syllables.
Step 6
Write a first draft of the middle line using your words and aim for seven syllables.
Step 7
Write a first draft of the bottom line using your words and aim for five syllables.
Step 8
Say each line slowly and clap or tap once for every syllable to count how many each line has.
Step 9
Change words in any line until the syllable counts are 5 then 7 then 5 and the picture in your poem feels clear.
Step 10
Read your haiku aloud slowly to hear how it sounds and make one quick word change if needed.
Step 11
Share your finished haiku 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!?
If we don't have paper or a pencil, what can we use to draw the three lines and write the 8–12 word list?
Use a notebook page, the back of a cereal box or envelope, sticky notes, or a notes/drawing app on a phone or tablet to draw three lines and type or write your word list.
I'm not sure how many syllables my line has when I clap—what should I do to get the count right?
If clapping or tapping while you 'say each line slowly' doesn't help, try tapping with a pencil on a table, look up tricky words in an online syllable counter or dictionary, or have someone listen and clap with you.
How can I adapt this haiku activity for younger children or make it harder for older kids?
For younger kids, skip the 8–12 word list and pick 3–5 simple picture words and clap each line together, while older kids can add metaphors, revise lines more, experiment with rhythm during the 'say each line slowly' step, and polish before sharing on DIY.org.
What are some ways to extend or personalize the haiku activity after I finish my poem?
Illustrate your chosen image on the same paper, make a small haiku booklet from several outings, record yourself reading the final poem, or create a decorated page to share your finished haiku on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to write your own haiku
Haiku Poems for Kids
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Haiku Poems for Kids
How To Write A Haiku | Haiku Poems For Beginners
Haiku Poems For Kids // Poetry Writing For Kids
Facts about poetry for kids
✍️ The modern term "haiku" was popularized by Masaoka Shiki in the late 1800s when he reformed short Japanese verse.
🍁 A kigo is a seasonal word often included in haiku to anchor the poem in nature and time of year.
🎯 Many modern English haiku focus on a single clear image and may not strictly follow 5-7-5 syllable counts.
🌸 Matsuo Bashō's 17th-century haiku "old pond" is one of the most famous short poems in the world.
🔢 Traditional Japanese haiku use 17 morae in a 5-7-5 pattern—morae aren't the same as English syllables.
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