As a kid, you have a never-ending appetite for stories before going to sleep. You completely forget that your mum and dad are normal humans who have a hard time wracking their brains to make up stories.
This article is for those parents who’ve run out of their creative juice and have no excuses left to make up for it. It’s for those parents who are dead tired from work but still make the effort to spend meaningful time with their child before going to bed. As a tribute to them, instead of long never-ending stories, here are a few haiku that will make your time with the kids more enjoyable!
Haikus are originally Japanese poems, meant to convey a poignant meaning through a few words. They are useful for improving your kids’ vocabulary skills and help introduce them to complex concepts. Since they are short, your child will be able to grasp the meaning of every word and one or two haikus every night will be more than enough to satisfy their curiosity.
EASTER
Easter is coming
The bunny will be hopping
To bring you some treats
Make sure to promise them with a boatload of Easter Bunny chocolates! No false promises though, chocolates are serious business when kids are concerned.
Bunnies can’t lay eggs
But they fill Easter baskets
Just leave them carrots
Help them bust a few myths here and there. Talk to them about conspiracy theories to pique their interests.
BEACH
I am a child
who likes to swim all the time
I like to get wet
No one enjoys the beach more than the kid who is covered in sand from head to toe and about to go in for his fifth dip in the sea. Help your child remember this spirit of complete joy and wild abandonment.
OXYGEN
the trees give us air
air so we can breathe in life
the air – we love it
It is important to be grateful to the environment and mother nature. Your kid needs to realize that it is because of trees that they’re able to have a happy and cheerful life.
THE SUN
The shiniest sun
was up in very blue skies
and happiness grew
Happiness, light and life. All of these angelic emotions can be best understood by a child. Ask your child what makes them happy.
NIGHT AND DAY
The stars are shining
they will shimmer and they’ll glow
until the sun shines
Every star gets the chance to shine, no matter the time. Encourage your child towards their dreams.
LONELINESS
A hummingbird’s wings
soaring beautiful in skies
looking for his mom
Help your child understand what it is to be lonely. Gently let them know that you will always be there for them if it happens.
THE MOUSE
I have seen a mouse
all alone one scary night
it was very sad
Fear can make the world seem scary. Let your child know that being alone doesn’t always mean weakness.
DEER
I see in the snow
a little brown shaking deer
I will try to help
Just like throwing one starfish back into the ocean out of the thousands that float towards the bay, teach your child the importance of trying to be good, despite the feeling of helplessness that comes with trying to do good.
THE BIRD
A little bird sings
a very beautiful song
it is about him
Ask your child to note down important highlights of their day and what they did. It may serve as a wonderful memory for when they grow up.
SPRING
Spring’s once every year
It comes in like a lion, roar
Out like a lamb, baa!
Talk with your child about how they feel about each season, which ones they like the most and why.
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Pale green shoots of grass
Bright hyacinths and tulips
Soon cherry blossoms
Ask them what spring reminds them of. Take them out for a stroll to see the various flowers that bloom during the season.
SOCCER
Kate scored six-teen goals.
The soccer ball hit the pole.
Did she score a goal.
Teach them the importance of focusing on doing their best. Moreover, tell them that doing their best matters more than winning or losing ever could.
NATURE
Nature is beauty
Wildlife is natures beauty
Fields are natures smiles
Discuss the memories you made with your kid while out on trips. Let them be close to nature and see for themselves the beauty of nature this haiku speaks about.
ROSES
The red rose is nice.
The rosebushes are nice too.
Each rose is nice.
Let them know that everyone should be respected for who they are, that everyone has their own pace of doing things and should be appreciated for their efforts.
BEAGLES
Beagles have long ears
long legs, skinny tails, brown spots
God created them!
Let your child muse about God. Without putting your interpretations on them, ask them what they really think about it.
CATS
Cats are very nice
Cats like to eat lots of mice
Cats are my best friends
You can always read this out along with your child’s pet. If not, ask them whether or not they would like one!
BUGS
Bugs are very small.
They eat plants and other food.
Some are colourful.
Introduce them to the bizarre science of entomology. Kindle their interest as to how these tiny insects live and interact in their environments.
CHORES
I don’t do dishes
My room is a garbage dump
Mom is not happy
Let them help you out while doing chores, one step at a time. When they learn this, tell them about the significance of tidiness.
SCHOOL
My homework is late
Dog ate it before breakfast
Very helpful dog
For a change, tell them about the lame excuses you used when you forgot to do your homework. But only after they’re done finishing theirs!
BIRTHDAY
It’s your birthday but
Didn’t get you anything
Kids are always broke
Encourage your child to make a gift rather than buying it for their friends. Let them know that their efforts will mean more to their friends.
LAUNDRY
Where are my clean socks?
These smell worse than rotten fish
Time to do laundry
Let them know that there are consequences to procrastinating. Talk about the times you got scolded as a kid when you did the same.
CHRISTMAS
Santa is coming
He rewards good behaviour
No presents for me
Let them know about reasons to keep up their good behaviour other than old man Claus!
HALLOWEEN
Goblins, witches, ghosts
Loud banging on my front door
I hide the chocolate
Talk to them about the different costumes they would like to try out for Halloween while telling them about the ones you used to wear.
FIREWORKS
Coloured lights bursting
Cherry bombs are my favourite
My dog hates the noise
Teach them to be kind towards animals. Take them to an animal shelter to see how the animals are being kept. Ask them how they feel about animals and noisy firecrackers. Would they rather not light them?
WINTER
Snow is falling now
I am snug in my warm bed
Snow days are the best
Read this to them over a cup of hot chocolate with teeny marshmallows. Ask them if they need an extra set of blankets, just in case.
SUMMER
Sand in my swimsuit
Sunburn on my nose and back
Vacations are hard
Tell them that it isn’t always going to be easy. That there will be times when they would be bored out of their skull with nothing to do. That they would fall over and scratch their knees over and over. But that joy in their lives will be even more worth it because of it.
AUTUMN
Time to rake the leaves
And pick the biggest pumpkin
Carve him a mean face
Get to know what fun things they enjoy to do. Let them immerse themselves into their hobbies.
ANGER
Tonight I’m a bee
Buzzing and darting about
Preparing to sting
Question them as to why a bee would be associated with anger. Help them understand what it means to be angry. Teach them how to give their anger a healthy outlet.
HAPPINESS
I got an A-plus
So Dad bought me an ice cream
My life is perfect
Let them bask in their tiny achievements once in a while. Ask them what they think about it.
HOPE
Little children laugh
Please give up your bombs and wars
We should live in peace
Teach them the history of your ancestors. Ask them why war and peace are thought of so frequently, and how today is different than a few decades ago.
Your kids will definitely be thankful to you for these. After all, they are most in awe of wondrous questions that pique their interests. Apart from that, they’ll be able to sleep with a feeling of warm fuzziness that their parent was generous enough to quiz them about important topics and listen to their opinion about it and know that they are cherished. And of course, this is precisely the feeling you’d want your child to hold on to before getting a good night’s sleep!
FAQs
What is a Haiku?
As explained before, a Haiku is a type of Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world. It focuses on delivering impactful meanings through images.
Can Haiku be useful for kids?
Since a Haiku uses simple words, it can be used to improve the child’s vocabulary. It might also help the child develop a better understanding of the meaning and context of each word and form images. Thus, children can also be encouraged to write their own Haiku with the help of images. It can also help them learn important and complex emotions and concepts.
Can a Haiku be used instead of bedtime stories?
Of course, they can. Since a Haiku is essentially a short three-lined verse, they are easy to make up for kids for the purpose of bedtime stories. Moreover, you can explain the meaning behind each Haiku in your own way, which will take up a similar amount of time compared to making up a story. Your child will also have learned the wonder of using a few words to express complex and beautiful emotions.
Will Haiku help improve my child’s love for language?
It is, in fact, one of the best ways to get someone interested in the language. Exposing children to Haiku will encourage them to look at each and every word as essential and useful. They will have a better understanding of words in terms of the context.
Featured Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Written by Krupa Manerkar
This is a post by Krupa who has been trying to sleep peacefully since eternity. So, she joined a website that gives tips on to the sleep-deprived and the sleep lovers.
Feel free to connect with her on Instagram.