St. Paddy's Days is coming up quick, and at the Put Me In The Story offices, we're already feeling the excitement! We wanted to catch some luck for ourselves—our very own leprechaun—so we decided to build a leprechaun trap! What do you think...Can You Catch a Leprechaun?
(Artwork from Marianne Richmond's Hooray for You!)
Whether you're Irish or not, writing limericks (or any form of poetry, really) is fun! A limerick is a short, funny riddle or poem that rhymes in a well-defined form. Limericks are only five lines long and because they're so short and rhythmic, they're quite easy to memorize and tons of fun to read aloud.
Since it's almost St. Patrick's Day, we thought it would be fun for you to sit down with your kids and do a little creative writing exercise to celebrate the Irish. It's very easy!
• The form consists of a stanza of just five lines.
• Lines 1, 2, and 5 share the same rhyme and are considered the longer lines.
• Lines 3 and 4 should rhyme with each other and are usually shorter.
• They have a fun storytelling rhythm that's great for reading aloud.
• They're usually silly—so be sure to encourage your child to find a good punch line!
• A limerick's rhyme scheme is AABBA. The "A's" in the rhyme scheme represent lines 1, 2, and 5, which are the lines that rhyme with one another. The "B's" in the rhyme scheme represent lines 3 and 4, which rhyme with each other.
• The number of syllables in each line vary, but lines 1, 2, and 5 have around 8 syllables with 3 that are accented and lines 3 and 4 have around 5 syllables with 2 that are accented. This forms the beat (or the fun rhythm!).
• Think of Mother Goose's old nursery rhyme as a guide for rhythm and beat:
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock;
The clock struck one
And down he run,
Hickory, dickory, dock
• Brainstorm a general subject, topic, or character for your limerick.
• Make a list of fun words that rhyme and relate to your limerick's topic.
• If you don't know where to start, start with the line: "There once was…" and go on to find five more syllables. For Example, There once was a girl from Nantucket
• Encourage your child to include a simile in their limerick! A simile is a comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as."
• A pen, pencil, crayon—any sort of writing utensil will do!
• A piece of paper (preferably a green one, cut in the shape of a shamrock)
• An imagination!
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There once was a girl named Isabella Whose hair was as purple as that Barney fellah Her imagination would roar Her dreams would soar And it was all because she'd say "My name is not Isabella" |
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There once was a boy named Alexander Whose mind decided to take a gander He imagined he was Thomas Edison And then Jackie Robinson All because he thought: "My name is not Alexander" |
