Funny Poems for Kids: Get Them Giggling

Funny poems for kids are a wonderful way to introduce children to the world of poetry while keeping them entertained. These poems often feature amusing narratives, playful language, and a rhythm that captivates young minds.

We gathered a collection of hilarious verses perfect for encouraging a love for reading and creativity. These selections serve as an excellent resource for parents and teachers looking to engage children in literature.

Best Funny Poems for Kids

Finding the right words to make your child giggle can be daunting, so we curated a list of 20 short, rib-tickling examples to get you started.

Enjoy the laughter.

Jack

By Jane Yolen

Jack was quite nimble,
Jack was quite quick,
Jack gave the beanstalk
A mighty big kick.

Down came the giant,
GIGANTIC fall,
Bottoms up in a crater,
Thus ending it all.

The Vulture

By Hilaire Belloc

The Vulture eats between his meals,
And that’s the reason why
He very, very, rarely feels
As well as you and I.

His eye is dull, his head is bald,
His neck is growing thinner.
Oh! what a lesson for us all
To only eat at dinner!

Tom Tigercat

By J. Patrick Lewis

Tom Tigercat is noted
for his manners and his wit.
He wouldn’t think of lion,
No, he doesn’t cheetah bit.

Tom never pretended
to be something that he’s not.
I guess that’s why we like him
and why he likes ocelot.

Porcupines

By Marilyn Singer

Hugging you takes some practice.
So I’ll start out with a cactus.

Herbert Hilbert Hubert Snod

By Denise Rodgers

Herbert Hilbert Hubert Snod
was known for eating all things odd.
The thing that bothered me the most
has he spread toothpaste on his toast?

“It’s springtime fresh, so cool and minty.”
His smiling eyes were bright and squinty.
On baked potatoes, he would slather
one half can of shave cream lather.

I don’t know how his tum could cope
as he ingested cubes of soap.
At times his food choice made a scene;
at least he kept his innards clean.

Mosquitoes

By Katherine Hauth

Mosquitoes,
with needle-noses
sucking blood
from elbows, cheeks, and chin

why were you not
designed to thrive
on brine, on swine,
or likewise-spiny
porcupines?

SLAP!
SLAP!
SLAP!

Room with a View

By Stephen Swinburne

I live in a room by the sea,
where the view is great and the food is free.
Some of the tenants come and go.
Some I eat, if they’re too slow.

One end of me is firmly locked.
The other end just gently rocks.
I live in a room by the sea.
It’s perfect for an anemone.

Little Boy Blue

By Darren Sardelli

Little Boy Blue, please cover your nose.
You sneezed on Miss Muffet and ruined her clothes.
You sprayed Mother Hubbard, and now she is sick.
You put out the fire on Jack’s candlestick.

Your sneeze is the reason why Humpty fell down.
You drenched Yankee Doodle when he came to town.
The blind mice are angry! The sheep are upset!
From now on, use a tissue so no one gets wet!

Daddy Fell into the Pond

By Alfred Noyes

Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And then there seemed to be nothing beyond,
Then Daddy fell into the pond!

And everyone’s face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
“Give me the camera, quick, oh quick!
He’s crawling out of the duckweed!” Click!

Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft,
And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.
Oh, there wasn’t a thing that didn’t respond
When Daddy Fell into the pond!

The Crocodile

By Lewis Carroll

How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale.

How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!

My Cat Is Fat

By James McDonald

I’ve a cat named Vesters,
And he eats all day.
He always lays around,
And never wants to play.

Not even with a squeaky toy,
Nor anything that moves.
When I have him exercise,
He always disapproves.

So we’ve put him on a diet,
But now he yells all day.
And even though he’s thinner,
He still won’t come and play.

The Upside-Down World

By Hamish Hendry

I know a place that holds the Sky
A place where little white clouds lie;
The edge is all green as Grass,
The middle is as smooth as Glass;

And there the round sun makes his Bed;
And there a tree stands on its Head;
Sometimes a Bird sits on that Tree;
Sometimes it sings a song to me;

And always in that shining place
I see a little smiling Face;
She nods and smiles; but all the same
The Girl down there won’t tell her name.

The Silliest Teacher in School

By Darren Sardelli

Our teacher gave detention
to the fountains in the hall.
She handed extra homework
to the artwork on the wall.

We saw her point a finger
at a banner and a sign.
She said their bad behavior
was completely out of line.

The principal approached her
and said, “What is all this fuss?
I heard you tried to punish
all the tires on a bus.

“You’ve made the teachers angry
by disrupting all their classes,
so if you want to keep this job,
you have to wear your glasses!”

Snowball

By Shel Silverstein

I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I’d keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first, it wet the bed.

Standing on a Chair

By Steve Hanson

I’m standing on a chair!
I’m standing on a chair!
I don’t know why Mom’s worried
I’m just standing on a chair!

You’d think she’d be freaked out
By the lion in my room
But seeing shoes on fabric
Is what makes her fume.

I bath with toxic jellyfish.
I ride a crocodile.
But if I’m on the sofa then
Her mood becomes hostile.

I often sleep with scorpions
And wrestle with a bear.
I don’t know why Mom’s worried.
I’m just standing on a chair!

Bee

By Denise Rodgers

A bee comes tapping at my screen,
Buzzing, bumping, sounding mean.
Bouncing, pushing, acting wired,
With no thought of getting tired.

¨I could say, “Dear bee, what is it?
Would you like to come and visit?”
But I feel his anger’s keen.
So I’m glad I have a screen!

Help Wanted

By Timothy Toucher

Santa needs new reindeer.
The first bunch has grown old.
Dasher has arthritis;
Comet hates the cold.

Prancer’s sick of staring
at Dancer’s big behind.
Cupid married Blitzen
and Donder lost his mind.

Dancer’s mad at Vixen
for stepping on his toes.
Vixen’s being thrown out;
she laughed at Rudolph’s nose.

If you are a reindeer
we hope you will apply.
There is just one tricky part:
You must know how to fly.

Crabby

By Barbara Vance

I am a crab
Who walks the shore
And pinches toes all day.

If I were you
I’d wear some shoes
And not get in my way.

I Have a Little Frog

By Author Unknown

I have a little frog
His name is Tiny Tim,
I put him in the bathtub,
To see if he could swim,
He drank up all the water,
And gobbled up the soap!
And when he tried to talk
He had a BUBBLE in his throat!

Granny

By Spike Milligan

Through every nook and every cranny
The wind blew in on poor old Granny
Around her knees, into each ear
(And up her nose as well, I fear)

All through the night the wind grew worse
It nearly made the vicar curse
The top had fallen off the steeple
Just missing him (and other people)

It blew on man, it blew on beast
It blew on nun, it blew on priest
It blew the wig off Auntie Fanny;
But most of all, it blew on Granny!

Benefits of Poems for Kids

Poetry benefits children of all ages in a variety of ways. It is more than just entertainment; it is a tool for growth.

Let’s look at some of the highlights of reading funny poems.

Language Development

Phonemic awareness is the ability to focus on specific sounds in spoken words and manipulate them to make different words ⁽¹⁾. The rhymes and rhythms of poetry demonstrate how these sounds function distinctly from regular speech, helping kids grasp language nuances.

Cognitive Development

The repetition found in poetry helps children anticipate and recognize patterns while improving their memory. These skills are crucial not only for language mastery but also for success in other academic subjects like math and science.

Reading Skills

Reading poetry to your child teaches them that text has rhythm and that words at the end of lines often rhyme. With this knowledge, children can predict the final word of a line.

Guessing these words correctly helps a child read words they haven’t previously seen written down. This process boosts a child’s confidence in their reading ability and aids in word recognition.

Creative Expression

Poetry offers freedom from the strict rules of structure and form found in standard prose. Children who struggle to write essays or stories often thrive when given the opportunity to write poetry, as it allows for more abstract expression.

Expand Vocabulary

Poetry is often more expressive than prose. By reading and creating poetry with your child, you expose them to new ways of narrating, describing, and conveying emotions.

This expands a child’s repertoire of words and helps them understand how to assemble language in novel ways.

Poetry Appreciation

Funny poems for children act as an accessible gateway to the world of literature. Rather than focusing on the complex structure, children connect with the humor.

Children who enjoy humorous poetry early on are more likely to be receptive to other, more complex genres of poetry later in life.

Expressive Skills

Silly poems are fantastic for reading aloud. Read them to your child using different voices and exaggerated expressions. You will demonstrate how facial expressions and tone of voice can convey different emotions, helping them develop social-emotional skills.

How Do You Make a Funny Poem?

What if you want to try your hand at writing funny poems yourself? Or perhaps you would like to encourage your child to write their own?

Here are five funny poem writing hacks to get the words flowing.

• Try limericks: Limericks are short poems with a specific five-line structure ⁽²⁾. They are a fantastic starting point for beginners because the rhythm is catchy and easy to mimic.
• Use parody: A parody is an amusing copy of an existing piece of work. Instead of starting from scratch, take a famous poem and rewrite it. Keep the same structure and beat, but add your own hilarious twist.
• Start with one word: Begin by thinking of a single word that makes you laugh. Then, brainstorm words that rhyme with it and build your stanza from there.
• Find rhymes: Using an online rhyming dictionary can prevent writer’s block. It helps you avoid the frustration of getting stuck on a single line.
• Don’t give up: Writing poetry takes practice. Keep playing with words, rhymes, and rhythms in a freeform way. You will discover your inner poet in no time.

FAQs

What Are Funny Poems Called?

Funny poems can take many forms, but the most common specific type is the limerick, known for its five-line structure and witty ending. Another popular category is nonsense verse, made famous by poets like Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll, where the humor comes from made-up words and absurd situations.

Why Is Poetry Good for Kids?

Poetry is excellent for kids because it builds phonemic awareness and boosts memory through rhyme and repetition. It also encourages creative thinking and introduces new vocabulary in a context that is easier to digest than long paragraphs of text.

Who Are Famous Funny Poets for Kids?

Some of the most beloved funny poets for children include Shel Silverstein, known for Where the Sidewalk Ends, and Jack Prelutsky. Classic authors like Dr. Seuss and Roald Dahl are also famous for their humorous rhymes and silly characters.

Poems Can Be Fun

Poetry has the potential to benefit your child in a multitude of ways, and funny poetry is an especially accessible way to reap those benefits.

Whether you are writing them yourself, listening to your child share their creations, or reading them together, funny poems are more than just rhymes. They are a bridge to literacy, laughter, and lasting memories.