What mother doesn’t love a poem from a child they love. I’d take one any day. Don’t get me wrong, pasta necklaces, coupon books, and playdough projects are sweet, but a poem is something to keep forever. There are all sorts of ways to create a Mother’s Day poem.  Below you’ll find prompts for kids of all ages.

Mother’s Day Poetry ~

Before you begin- Mother’s Day can be a hard day for some children. Maybe they’ve lost their mother, have a difficult relationship, or would prefer to write a poem to someone who feels like a mother. Honoring the child’s choice, who they write to and what they write about, is important.

Free Verse Poem-

A free verse poem is pretty much an anything goes poem, but it might be good to share with children some examples of free verse poetry and see what similarities they notice.

While you’re reading poetry together, you might talk about how imagery, stanzas, and a subject or main idea are typically found.

Children might also enjoy crafting their poem in prose first. Then they can decide what words to cut, where to create stanzas, and what needs more description.

Prompts ~ Again, these prompts use the word Mom, but any family member or friend could be substituted.

• • Describe your mom. What does she look like, smell like, spend her days doing?

  • Tell about a time your mom did something you loved or appreciated.

  • What do you want your mother to know?

  • What have you never told your mom before?

Acrostic Poem-

An acrostic poem uses the letters in someone’s name to begin each line or stanza of a poem. A younger child might choose the word MOM or Grammie, whereas an older child might choose a descriptive word or phrase, like My Amazing Mother or Someone I Admire. (Note- Children should get to pick the word/s they like best.)

Acrostic poems are written vertically. Young children might write one word. Older children a phrase, sentence, or stanza.

Magnificent

Old but still young at heart

Makes me clean my room

Concrete Poem- 

Also known as a shape poem, kids can choose an object that represents their mother or something their mother loves. They then use words to create that shape. For younger kids, it could be the same word or just a few repeated. Older kids can challenge themselves to write a poem in their chosen shape.

Limerick-

Often a silly poem, a limerick is fun to write because it follows a rhyme scheme. Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme and lines 3 and 4 rhyme, making the rhyme scheme AABBA.

Haiku-

A haiku is a Japanese verse poem that has three lines with each line having a certain number of syllables- 5,7,5. Tapping or clapping out syllables is helpful (as is knowing what a syllable is). A couple of these poems would be nice or one with an illustration.

Simile Poem-

A simile compares two things, often unlike, using like or as. My mom is like a quilt. My grandmother’s kisses are as sweet as Hersey syrup. A child could write one simile and continue on with their poem or write a couple similes and put them together. This is not really a type of poetry, but smilies are fun (and challenging) to write. Metaphors, alliteration, or other types of figurative language could also be included or substituted.

Illustrations, placing poems on homemade cards, framing a poem, or writing one on decorated paper are additional ways children can create their gift of writing. Let the child choose their words and let their writing be perfectly imperfect. Celebrate writing and mothers this Mother’s Day.