A limerick is a funny poem written with a particular structure. It has five lines.

Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme with each other (they all end with the same sound). Lines 3 and 4 also rhyme, this time with a different sound.

A syllable is one of the sounds or beats in a word. For example, the word 'choc-o-late' has three syllables. In a limerick, lines 1, 2, and 5 should have 7 to 10 syllables. Lines 3 and 4 should have 5 to 7 syllables.

Here is an example:

There once was a word with an L,

That not many people could spell.

So they checked it, you see,

In a dictionary,

Which told them the meaning as well.

Can your child write their own limerick? They can use this activity sheet to help them, taking inspiration from

Roald Dahl’s Matilda: http://ow.ly/nQCq50zsIMP