Short poems for kids are one of the easiest ways to build early reading skills. A few rhyming lines carry rhythm, repetition, and vivid pictures, which is exactly what young children latch onto first.
Below are 30 short poems, grouped by mood and occasion, from funny and silly verses to gentle rhymes for Mother’s Day, Christmas, and Easter. Each one is short enough to memorize and fun to read out loud.
Pick one for bedtime, a car ride, or a classroom warm-up, and your child gets the sound and play of language without it ever feeling like a lesson.
[key-takeaways icon=”b-check-circle” title=”Key Takeaways”]- Boosts memory: Short poems for kids use steady rhythm and repetition, which makes the lines easy to memorize and recite.
- Builds early reading: Rhyming verses teach phonemic awareness, one of the first building blocks of reading fluency.
- Strengthens bonding: Reading a poem aloud together turns a few minutes into shared laughter and connection.
- Sparks imagination: Concrete, playful images help children picture the story and stretch their creativity.
Funny Poems for Kids
Funny poems are the easiest way to get a reluctant child hooked on poetry. Silly wordplay, a surprise ending, or plain nonsense gives them a reason to listen, and the laugh at the end is what makes them ask for the poem again. Read each one two or three times so your child can chime in on the funny lines.
Eletelephony
Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant, No! No! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone, (Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I’ve got it right.)
Howe’er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee, (I fear I’d better drop the song
Of elephop and telephong!)— Laura Elizabeth Richards
At the Zoo
First I saw the white bear, then I saw the black;
Then I saw the camel with a hump upon his back;
Then I saw the grey wolf, with mutton in his maw;
Then I saw the wombat waddle in the straw;
Then I saw the elephant a-waving of his trunk;
Then I saw the monkeys – mercy, how unpleasantly they smelt!— William Makepeace Thackeray
The Purple Cow
I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I’d rather see than be one!— Gelett Burgess
Our Kittens
Our kittens have the softest fur,
And the sweetest little purr,
And such little velvet paws
With such cunning little claws,
And blue eyes, just like the sky!
(Must they turn green, by and by?)Two are striped like tigers, three
Are as black as black can be,
And they run so fast and play
With their tails, and are so gay,
Is it not a pity that
Each must grow into a cat?— Evaleen Stein
The Picture-Book Giant
Once there was a fierce, defiant,
Greedy, grumpy, grizzly giant
In the pages of a picture-book, and he
Sometimes screamed, in sudden rages,
“I must jump out from these pages,
For this life’s a much too humdrum one for me!
Fiddle-dee!
Yes, this life’s a quite too quiet one for me!”So one rainy day he did it,
Took the picture-book and hid it,
Stamped his foot, and shouting loudly,
“Now I’m free!”
Boldly started out, forgetting
That he could not stand a wetting!
He was just a paper giant, don’t you see?
Dearie me!
Just a gaudy, picture giant, don’t you see?— Evaleen Stein
Rebecca
Who Slammed Doors For Fun And Perished Miserably
A trick that everyone abhors
In little girls is slamming doors.
A wealthy banker’s little daughter
Who lived in Palace Green, Bayswater
(By name Rebecca Offendort),
Was given to this furious sport.She would deliberately go
And slam the door like billy-o!
To make her uncle Jacob start.
She was not really bad at heart,
But only rather rude and wild;
She was an aggravating child…— Hilaire Belloc
Rhyming Poems for Kids
Rhyming poetry helps children hear how words are built from sounds. When the rhyme lets them guess the next word, they get a small hit of confidence that keeps them going.
Most nursery rhymes are simple rhyming poems, but the verses below reach a little further, from classic nature rhymes to quiet seasonal ones.
A Million Little Diamonds
A million little diamonds
Twinkled on the trees;
And all the little children cried,
“A jewel, if you please!”But while they held their hands outstretched
To catch the diamonds gay,
A million little sunbeams came
And stole them all away.— Mary Frances Butts
Room For One More
There is always room for one more
I see by his coat he must be a stray,
The untidy look gives him away.
He’s lost his will and is so thin,
Hasn’t eaten since God knows when.
I know as I coax him through the door,
There’s always room for just one more.— Author Unknown
The Forest
The forest is the town of trees
Where they live quite at their ease,
With their neighbors at their side
Just as we in cities wide.— Annette Wynne
Robin Redbreast
Goodbye, goodbye to Summer!
For Summer’s nearly done;
The garden smiling faintly,
Cool breezes in the sun;Our Thrushes now are silent,
Our Swallows flown away –
But Robin’s here, in coat of brown,
With ruddy breast-knot gay.Robin, Robin Redbreast,
O Robin dear!
Robin singing sweetly
In the falling of the year.— William Allingham
The Cow
The friendly cow, all red and white,
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with all her might,
To eat with apple tart.She wanders lowing here and there,
And yet she cannot stray,
All in the pleasant open air,
The pleasant light of day;And blown by all the winds that pass
And wet with all the showers,
She walks among the meadow grass
And eats the meadow flowers.— Robert Louis Stevenson
What is Pink?
What is pink? A rose is pink
By the fountain’s brink.
What is red? A poppy’s red
In its barley bed.What is blue? The sky is blue
Where the clouds float through.
What is white? A swan is white
Sailing in the light.What is yellow? Pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow.
What is green? The grass is green,
With small flowers between.What is violet? Clouds are violet
In the summer twilight.
What is orange? Why, an orange,
Just an orange!— Christina Rossetti
Ladybird Ladybird
Lady-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home
The field mouse is gone to her nest
The daisies have shut up their sleepy red eyes
And the birds and the bees are at restLady-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home
The glow worm is lighting her lamp
The dew’s falling fast, and your fine speckled wings
Will flag with the close clinging dampLady-bird, Lady-bird, fly away home
The fairy bells tinkle afar
Make haste or they’ll catch you and harness you fast
With a cobweb to Oberon’s star.— Author Unknown
Famous Short Poems for Kids
Classic children’s poetry is the kind you can share exactly as it was shared with you. Copyright still protects newer favorites from writers like Roald Dahl and Shel Silverstein, so the poems below are older, public-domain classics.
These famous short poems are a gentle first taste of well-known verse, from A.A. Milne to Robert Louis Stevenson.
When I Was One
When I was one,
I had just begun.
When I was two,
I was nearly new.
When I was three,
I was hardly me.
When I was four,
I was not much more.
When I was five,
I was just alive.
But now I am six,
I’m as clever as clever.
So I think I’ll be six
Now and forever.— A.A. Milne
My Shadow
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.The funniest things about him is the way he likes to grow-
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.— Robert Louis Stevenson
Old Mother Hubbard
Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone;
When she came there
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.— Author Unknown
As I Was Going To St. Ives
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives
Every wife had seven sacks
Every sack had seven cats
Every cat had seven kits
Kits, cats, sacks, wives
How many were going to St. Ives?— Author Unknown
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey diddle diddle,
The Cat and the fiddle,
The Cow jumped over the moon,
The little Dog laughed to see such sport,
And the Dish ran away with the Spoon.— Author Unknown
Silly Poems for Kids
Silly poems get the giggles going while they stretch a child’s imagination.
The first poem below includes action cues, so encourage your child to play along with the movements shown in the brackets as you read.
I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little teapot
Short and stout
Here is my handle (one hand on hip)
Here is my spout (other arm out straight)When I get all steamed up
Hear me shout
“Tip me over
and pour me out!” (lean over toward spout)I’m a clever teapot,
Yes, it’s true
Here let me show you
What I can do
I can change my handle
And my spout (switch arm positions)
Just tip me over and pour me out! (lean over toward spout)— George Harold Sanders
There Once Was A Man With A Beard
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said “It is just how I feared,”
Two Owls and a hen,
For Larks and a wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard— Edward Lear
There Was A Young Lady Whose Eyes
There was a young lady whose eyes,
Were unique as to color and size,
When she opened them wide,
People all turned aside,
And then ran away in surprise.— Edward Lear
Mother’s Day Poems for Kids
Mother’s Day poems for kids are usually short, sweet, and simple to learn by heart.
They are perfect for reciting over breakfast in bed or copying by hand inside a homemade card.
Dear Mother
Dear mother, your love is special,
I cannot help but show.
Like flowers in a garden,
Your love makes me grow.— Author Unknown
I Love My Mommy
I love my mommy, yessiree!
She is very good to me!
She makes me cookies and yummy treats,
That’s my mom and she’s real neat!Oh, oh, oh, who wouldn’t know?
Oh, oh, oh, who wouldn’t know?
I love my mommy and she loves me,
That’s the way it’s supposed to be!— Author Unknown
Dear Mother
You sew the buttons on my clothes
You give me a hankie for my nose
You make good things for me to eat
You buy me candy for a treat
You wash my clothes and mend my socks
Dear Mother, I love you lots and lots!— Author Unknown
Christmas Poems for Kids
A quick search for Christmas poems usually brings up pages of carols and songs.
We dug a little deeper for lesser-known children’s poems for the holidays, including a few interactive rhymes. Remember to perform the actions in the brackets rather than reading them aloud.
Christmas Is Coming
Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat
Please to put a penny in the old man’s hat;
If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’ penny will do,
If you haven’t got a ha’ penny then God bless you!— Author Unknown
When Santa Comes To Our House
When Santa comes to our house (hands point to roof)
I would like to peek (peek through fingers)
But I know he’ll never come (shake head no)
Until I’m fast asleep (tilt and rest head on hands together)Isn’t it the strangest thing
That Santa is so shy
We can never, never catch him
No matter how we try— Author Unknown
Peppermint Stick
I took a lick of my peppermint stick (pretend to lick candy)
And was it ever yummy (lick lips and rub your belly)
It used to be on my Christmas tree (form tree shape with hands)
But now, it’s in my tummy (Point to belly)— Author Unknown
Easter Poems for Kids
Get ready for the season of chocolate eggs and fuzzy chicks with these short verses.
Expect plenty of laughter and bunny hops before the real Easter bunny stops by with the baskets.
Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One ha’ penny, two ha’ penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One ha’ penny,
Two ha’ penny,
Hot Cross Buns!— Author Unknown
Easter Is Here
Easter time at last is here
Bunnies, chickies, let us cheer
(clap and cheer)
Easter Bunny hops with joy
Eggs for every girl and boy
(hop around)
Easter time at last is here
Bunnies, chickies, let us cheer— Author Unknown
I’m An Easter Bunny
Here is a bunny (raise two fingers and bend them)
With ears so funny
And here is a hole in the ground. (make hole with the fingers of the other hand)
At the first sound she hears,
She pricks up her ears (straighten fingers)
And pops right into the ground. (put fingers in hole)I’m an Easter Bunny, watch me hop, (hop around)
Here are my two ears, see how they flop. (hold hands at sides of head and flop them)
Here is my cottontail, here is my nose, (wiggle hips, then point to nose)
I’m all furry from my head to my toes. (point to head, then to toes)— Author Unknown
How To Choose Poems For Kids
If you aren’t sure where to start, use these simple guidelines to match a poem to your child:
- Stick to familiar topics: Choose poems that cover things your child knows and loves, like animals, family, or seasons.
- Focus on rhythm: Avoid abstract, freeform poetry for now. Stick to poems that rhyme and have a simple, distinct beat.
- Encourage wordplay: Look for poems that encourage wordplay. This stimulates your child to see words used in unique ways.
- Use vivid imagery: The best poems allow your child to create a clear mental picture of what is happening.
- Keep it funny: With young children, the sillier the poem, the better the engagement.
- Incorporate action: For toddlers, poems accompanied by physical actions help “paint the picture” and burn off energy.
- Mind the length: Match the poem to your child’s attention span. The verses here are short enough to hold interest to the last line.
Tips for Teaching Your Kids Poetry
You don’t need a degree in literature to enjoy poetry with your kids. Here are our top tips for making it fun.
- Keep it casual: Don’t sit your child down for a formal “lesson.” Introduce poems during playtime, bath time, or car rides.
- Practice first: If you are reading a new poem aloud, run through it once yourself to ensure you get the rhythm right.
- Be expressive: Use funny voices for characters and exaggerate emotions. Whispering or shouting at the right moments brings the words to life.
- Sing it out: For older kids, ask them to recite the lyrics of their favorite song as a poem. They will realize they already know plenty of poetry!
- Make it visual: Use poems in artwork or crafts. This integrates language into their daily creativity.
- Dress the part: Wear a hat or use a prop related to the poem to increase their interest and immersion.
- Start small: Keep it age-appropriate. For toddlers, stick to poems of just four to six lines, then build up as they grow.
FAQs
The Last, Non-Rhyming, Word
The word “poetry” can sound formal to a grown-up, but to a child it is really just words at play, so it shouldn’t be.
Sharing these poems with your child is a simple way to bond, help their language grow, and get a few laughs along the way.
Start with one or two short poems for kids that match your child’s mood today, then let them pick the next favorite themselves.
