National Limerick Day (May 12)
National Limerick Day is on May 12, and it’s one of those odd little holidays that’s actually easy to use.
I didn’t really think much about limericks until we tried writing a few at home, and it turns out they’re just structured enough to work, but silly enough that no one overthinks them.
If you’re already going through weird holidays in May, this one’s a nice change from the more “fact-heavy” ones.
When is the Holiday?
It’s celebrated every year on May 12th, Edward Lear’s birthday.
Who Invented It?
The holiday wasn’t started by a particular person or group.
It evolved from Lear’s fans and poetry lovers who wanted a day to celebrate his fun and nonsensical verse style.
The History of the Holiday
Though limericks likely predate Lear, his 1846 “Book of Nonsense” brought the form to popular attention.
Lear’s playful take on language, paired with charming illustrations, helped establish the limerick as a beloved poetic form.
Over time, fans began observing May 12 as a tribute to his work, eventually turning it into the holiday we know today.
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Top 5 Facts About the Holiday
- Edward Lear didn’t just write a few limericks—he wrote a lot. Over 100 in his Book of Nonsense, which feels slightly excessive until you try writing them yourself.
- No one fully agrees where the name comes from. Ireland is the usual guess, but it’s not exactly confirmed.
- The AABBA rhyme pattern sounds more complicated than it is. Most kids pick it up after one or two tries.
- They used to show up in newspapers as filler content, which honestly makes sense.
- Some of them don’t even make much sense, and that’s kind of the point.
Coloring Page
Before jumping into writing, this coloring page works well as something to ease into the day.
It gives kids something to focus on first, and I’ve found they’re much more willing to try writing a limerick after they’ve already been thinking about it for a few minutes without pressure.
Activities to Celebrate
We usually start this one pretty casually by just writing a limerick together out loud. It normally starts off sensible and then goes completely off track by the third line, which is kind of the whole point.
Once everyone gets the idea, it’s easy to leave paper out and let people come back to it throughout the day. It turns into a bit of an ongoing thing rather than a “sit down and do this now” activity.
If you’ve got a group, reading them out loud is where it actually gets funny. Even the ones that don’t quite work somehow end up being the best ones.
Another simple option is pulling everything together into a small booklet at the end. It’s not anything fancy, but it gives kids something to keep, and they usually put more effort into the drawings than the poems.
Links to Resources
If you want something a bit more structured alongside the fun:
- L is for Limerick Worksheet – A kid-friendly printable that combines early literacy skills with a poetry prompt. Perfect for Pre-K and K levels.
- Edward Lear’s “A Book of Nonsense” – A must-have for anyone wanting to explore the roots of modern limericks.
- Limerick Generator Tool – For older kids or adults, this online tool lets users plug in words and generate quick limericks for fun.
Related Holidays
If you enjoy the humor and creativity of this holiday, these other celebrations also embrace storytelling, wordplay, and literary fun:
- World Storytelling Day (March 20) – Celebrate the power of oral storytelling with tales that spark imagination, just like a well-crafted limerick.
- National Book Lovers Day (August 9) – A perfect day to cozy up with a poetry collection or dive into the works of Edward Lear.
- National Read a Book Day (September 6) – Share a favorite limerick aloud or introduce someone new to the joy of nonsense verse.
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