What children will learn
- Collect vivid describing words using the five senses
- Count syllables and write haiku in a 5-7-5 pattern
- Arrange words visually to create a shape poem
You'll need
- This page printed or a notebook
- A pencil and eraser
- Coloured pencils (optional)
- A blanket to sit on
Safety first
- An adult should supervise in public parks and near water.
- Wear a hat and sunscreen and sit in the shade where you can.
- Look at minibeasts and plants without touching them.
How to do it
- Find a comfortable spot in the backyard or a park. Sit quietly for two minutes and fill in the word collector: what can you see, hear, smell and feel?
- Learn the haiku pattern: three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables, usually about nature or a moment in time. Clap out syllables to count them — 'kook-a-bur-ra' is four claps.
- Write three haiku about different things you noticed, such as a bird, the wind or a shadow.
- Choose one object for a shape poem (a leaf, a gum tree, a cloud). Lightly draw its outline, then write your poem along the outline or inside the shape. Rub out the pencil line when you finish.
- Hold a poetry reading on the blanket. Read slowly and let listeners guess what each haiku describes.
Make it easier
Write a list poem — one sense word per line — and draw a picture to go with it.
Make it harder
Write a haiku sequence that follows the park from morning to evening, or try a tanka (5-7-5-7-7).
Parent tip: Write a haiku yourself. Children love hearing an adult's attempt, and it shows that first drafts don't need to be perfect.
Poetry in the Park Word Collector
Name: ____________________ Date: ____________
| I can see… | I can hear… | I can smell… | I can feel… |
Write at least two words in each column, then use them in your haiku (5 · 7 · 5 syllables).
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Fantastic work! Every little step helps you grow.