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Even though February isn’t Poetry Month, I think it is the perfect month to teach kids to write poems for Valentine’s Day. Kids can write poems on pretty paper, put in cards, or frame them for sweet gifts. You can do a complete unit on poetry or one style of poetry. Kids often have a lot of fun with it. So, here are 5 Valentine’s Day Poetry Activities to do with kids.

I have five different poetry activities, but some may work better with older kids. However, I have some that will be perfect for the younger kiddos you work with. So, take a look at the different Valentine poetry activities and see what will work best for your kids.

5 Super Fun Valentine Poetry Activities for Kids

Valentine Poetry Activity #1- Cinquain

When I taught fourth grade, my class did cinquains. The kids loved them. Cinquains aren’t complicated, so kids can learn them quickly and write poetry. However, they are even great for teens and adults to write!

What is a cinquain?

There are two ways I’ve learned to do cinquain poetry.

You count the syllables. The pattern is like this.

• First Line: 2 syllables
• Second line: 4 syllables
• Third line: 6 syllables
• Fourth line: 8 syllables
• Fifth line: 2 syllables (synonyms of the first line)

                                              Flowers  (2)
                                            Smell so pretty  (4)                                      
                                          Silky velvet petals  (6)
                                    Make people smile when they get them  (8)                                                                                  Roses (2)             

 If you want to learn more about this type of cinquain, you can check out Poetry4Kids.com. Also on this site, you can find LOTS of poetry resources.

In the next cinquain poem, instead of syllables, you count words. Basically, it is this:

• Line 1- one noun (which is the title)
• Line 2- two adjectives
• Line 3- three verbs ending in -ing
• Line 4- four feeling words or a phrase
• Line 5- a synonym for the noun in line 1

This tends to be easier for kids, and this is how I usually teach it.

Here’s an example:

                                     Flowers
                                  Gorgeous, soft
                            Growing, blooming, opening                        
                            Brings a smile to my face
                                     Red rose

You’ll notice no matter how you do the poem, it makes a sort of diamond shape when you write it.

The easiest way to help kids write this type of poem is to brainstorm nouns and adjectives on a topic. So, if they are doing Valentine’s Day poems, it can be about something to do with Valentine’s Day, like cards, flowers, chocolates, etc. Kids could also write poems about someone special and brainstorm things about that person or things they love about them.

Valentine’s Day Poetry Activity #2- Haiku

Many people have heard of haikus. However, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I need to look them up every time because I can’t remember the syllable pattern.

If you aren’t familiar with haiku poetry, it originated in Japan. When writing haikus, you have three lines:

• 5 syllables on line 1
• 7 syllables on line 2
• 5 syllables on line 3.

So, in the end, you have a 17-syllable poem that doesn’t need to rhyme.

         I love you so much,
         You are the very best mom,
         You are so special.

My daughter loves haikus and is very good at whipping them out. Some kids may really take to these. However, some may struggle a little. Play it by ear.

It might help to brainstorm ideas ahead of time too. It might also help to have kids come up with synonyms for words they choose, so they have a bunch of words of different syllables to pick from.

Valentine’s Day Activity #3- Acrostic Poem

Out of all the Valentine’s Day poetry activities, this is one of the easiest. Even young kids can usually write these.

An acrostic poem is simple. Kids write a word down the side of the page, with each letter getting one line. On each line, they think of a word, phrase, or sentence that relates to the topic. The first word starts with the letter at the beginning of the line.

Father

Friendly to everyone
Amazing at listening   
Teaches me to fish     
Helps me when I need it
Exceptional dad 
Really loving

For Valentine’s acrostic poems, they can write one for a friend, sibling, parent, or something about Valentine’s Day. This Valentine’s Day poetry activity would look cute framed for someone.

Valentine’s Day Poetry Activity #4- 5 Senses

A 5 Senses Poem is where you pick a topic and use your senses to write the poem. I found this idea at School Time Snippets, where you’ll find some examples and a brainstorm worksheet to help. This poetry activity is excellent for young kids. Plus, you can see some suggestions for adapting this to older kids.

                Valentine's Chocolates

I see ovals, squares, circles, and rectangle candies.  
I smell sugary chocolate.    
I taste sweet chocolate, caramel, cherry, and other yummy flavors. 
I hear the squeak of the lid as it slides open.                                                                       
I feel soft, melted chocolate on my fingers.                                               

Valentine’s Day Poetry Activity #5-Traditional Valentine’s Poem

What do you think of right off when someone says Valentine’s Day Poem? I know the first thing that comes to mind is:

    Roses are red,         
    Violets are blue,      
    Sugar is sweet
    and so are you.

It is a straightforward poem that kids can recognize right off. Without even realizing the rhyme scheme, kids can probably figure it out for themselves.

This poem is fun to write and great to put in cards. Plus, kids can tailor them to the person they are for. They change the flowers, colors, or just the ending.

Example:

Roses are red,                                                                                  
Violets are blue,                                    
You are so great,            
that's why I love you.

If you want to teach the rhyme scheme to kids, it is ABCB. The first and third lines don’t rhyme, but the second and third lines do.

Having Fun with Valentine’s Day Poetry Activities

Valentine’s Day is such a great time to teach poetry. After all, kids will have plenty of examples in Valentine’s cards on display in the stores. Poetry is often fun for kids, and these 5 Valentine’s poetry activities are simple enough that kids will enjoy them.

To help you remember the rules for each poem, I created a printable worksheet for you. Print it out and use it as a reference sheet.

{You might also like: Valentine’s Day BINGO, Valentine’s Day Books to Share with Your Kids (with activities)}

Happy Homeschooling!