100 Best Short Poems for Children to Memorize

Children are surrounded by poetry every day without ever realizing it, thanks to nursery rhymes, storybooks, singalongs and short poems for children.

Poems for kids may enhance your child’s cognitive development by helping them grasp patterns, expanding their vocabulary, in addition to just making them happy.

These poems for children are simple enough for your youngster to recite along with you while they explore the depths of their imagination.

Check out these poems to keep your kids entertained during the day.

Let’s dig in!

Famous Short Poems for Children

First of all, let us take a look at some famous short poems for kids. These poems have been written by some of the very famous English poets.

1. The Rainbow

by Christina Rossetti

Boats sail on the rivers,
And ships sail on the seas;
But clouds that sail across the sky
Are prettier far than these.

There are bridges on the rivers,
As pretty as you please;
But the bow that bridges heaven,
And overtops the trees,
And builds a road from earth to sky,
Is prettier far than these.

2. Morning Prayer

by Ogden Nash

Now another day is breaking,
Sleep was sweet and so is waking.
Dear Lord, I promised you last night
Never again to sulk or fight.
Such vows are easier to keep
When a child is sound asleep.
Today, O Lord, for your dear sake,
I’ll try to keep them when awake.

3. Snowy Sunday

by Khushi

The world is spinning
round and round
while snowflakes are falling,
bound for the ground.

Children wait for their parents
and show they can obey.
There’s the great Hooray
as they sleigh.

They come back inside,
their faces so red.
Quickly they’ve spied
the hot chocolate ahead.

4. I Love My Brother

by Imogen Kate Hindson

My brother is sweet,
My brother is nice,

When I am upset,
I come for advice.

He teaches me new stuff
Almost all the time,

And I think that
Is really, really kind.

I love my brother,
And he loves me.

Now that’s the way
It’s meant to be.

5. What Is Pink?

by Christina Rossetti

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!

6. Won’t You?

by Shel Silverstein

Barbara’s eyes are blue as azure,
But she is in love with Freddy.
Karen’s sweet, but Harry has her.
Gentle Jane is going steady.
Carol hates me. So does May.
Abigail will not be mine.
Nancy lives too far away…
Won’t you be my Valentine?

7. Peace and Quiet

by Nadya Phillips

Peace is…
When you are outside on a nice warm day
With a cold glass of yellow lemonade.
Slurp, slurp, slurp.
Feeling the warm sun on my back,
Rubbing my hands through the wet green grass,
Listening to the birds singing a distance away.
Quiet…
Now that’s Peace!

8. Splishy, Sploshy Mud

by Ava F. Kent

Playing in the Mud
Splishy, sploshy mud
is the best type of crud!
You can make pies,
you can make mountains,
you can make giant skies,
just with splishy, sploshy mud!

9. Theme in Yellow

by Carl Sandburg

I spot the hills
With yellow balls in autumn.
I light the prairie cornfields
Orange and tawny gold clusters
And I am called pumpkins.
On the last of October
When dusk is fallen
Children join hands
And circle round me
Singing ghost songs
And love to the harvest moon;
I am a jack-o’-lantern
With terrible teeth
And the children know
I am fooling.

10. My Little Nephew

by Estela O. Canama

Whenever I see your sweetest smile,
My pain and sorrow are gone for a while.

Whenever I get mad because you’re so unruly,
You’ll just hug me and say, “I’m sorry!”

You’ve got a lot of questions.
You have some wonderful visions!

My little nephew, let your imagination soar;
Let your spirit travel afar…

Spread your wings of generosity;
Open your heart to the wretched and needy!

And you’ll discover the rainbow
Of hope that’s within you…

11. What Love Is

by Alyshia R. Thomas

True treasure is not found on ships, in chests of silver and gold.
True treasure is not ruby rings or jewels from long ago.
You don’t need a treasure map to find chests beneath the sea.
True treasure is simply the love and joy found in you and me!

12. Mountains

by Riya Shrivastava

Majestic Peaks
Emerges above the land into their peak.
It is the sky they constantly seek.

From the far distance, we won’t notice their height.
A view from the top is a spectacular sight.

Closely positioned to form a range.
Human eyes won’t notice the change.

Not a prisoner to the immediate time,
Challenges many, unforgiving climb.

So much more beyond their beauty.
Sheltering species, that’s their duty.

Mountains are members of the nature we know,
And at the top they often have snow.

13. Spring

by David Feng

Beautiful fresh purple flowers on a hill
Slowly moving water mill
Clumps of wet frost on the ground
Life is all around
Soft grasses pop out
Flowers sprout
Chirping birds in the woods
Weather is good
Melting mountain has begun
Frosty snow quickly runs
Bright, shiny sky is clear
Sweet, fresh, crispy smell fills the air

14. Ode to A Zebra

by Robynne Meulemans

I’m a stunning display of black and white,
Contrasting stripes to captivate sight.

My mane stands up straight and proud.
Every visual detail about me is loud.

Black with white stripes is what they say.
This matters not; I’m beautiful either way.

Never domesticated; no, not me.
I’m a zebra and I need to roam free.

15. I’d Love to Be A Fairy’s Child

by Robert Graves

Children born of fairy stock
Never need for shirt or frock,
Never want for food or fire,
Always get their heart’s desire:
Jingle pockets full of gold,
Marry when they’re seven years old.
Every fairy child may keep
Two strong ponies and ten sheep;
All have houses, each his own,
Built of brick or granite stone;
They live on cherries, they run wild–
I’d love to be a Fairy’s child.

Easy Short Poems for Children

Easy poems for kids assist your youngster comprehend pitch, tone, loudness, and voice while also developing phonemic abilities. Below are some well-known short poems for children.

1. Underface

by Shel Silverstein

Underneath my outside face
There’s a face that none can see.
A little less smiley,
A little less sure,
But a whole lot more like me

2. Listen to the Mustn’ts

by Shel Silverstein

Listen to the Mustn’ts, child,
Listen to the Don’ts
Listen to the Shouldn’ts
The Impossibles, the Wont’s
Listen to the Never Haves
Then listen close to me-
Anything can happen, child,
Anything can be

3. Lord, I Pray Each and Every Day

by Tilly Baley

There is a lot of hurt in our world.
Prayer for A Hurting World
Lord, I pray
Each and every day
For those who suffer from
Grief and pain.

Those who don’t know you
And do wrong things
Those who lie, steal, and kill.
Lord, I pray each and every day.

Lord, I pray
Each and every day
For the homeless and starving,
Those whose parents abuse them
And their skin looks like a carving.

Lord, I pray
Each and every day.
Help all these people.
Cleanse their hearts and
Let them start over with a new start.

4. Light at Night

by Mohammad Malik

I walk around the streets at night.
I look around and see the light,
The light that gives me hope
To find my way back home.

I walk under the moonlight
That shines out of the light.
I was surrounded by the mysterious dark
And couldn’t hear the dogs bark.

I follow the moonlight
That shines bright,
The light that gives me hope
To find my way back home.

5. Let’s Preserve Our Nature

by Arjun

Stopping Pollution
The sun is shining,
The sky is blue,
The birds are flying,
And the breeze is so cool.

Mother Nature is trying her best
To give nothing but beautifulness,
But what do we do?
Make her a mess.

Let’s make her the best
By polluting less and less,
And preserve her green dress
For our kids and the rest.

6. Now We Are Six

by A. A. Milne

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 for ever and ever.

7. Fishing With My Grandpa

by Dawneisha Washington

My Grandpa and I do a lot of things together,
But fishing with my Grandpa is the best ever.
I love going to the lake when the sky is all blue.
I love riding in my Grandpa’s boat, too.
The next trip to the lake I don’t want to miss.
Just being with my Grandpa is better than catching fish.

8. Wind on the Hill

by A. A. Milne

No one can tell me,
Nobody knows,
Where the wind comes from,
Where the wind goes.

It’s flying from somewhere
As fast as it can,
I couldn’t keep up with it,
Not if I ran.

But if I stopped holding
The string of my kite,
It would blow with the wind
For a day and a night.

And then when I found it,
Wherever it blew,
I should know that the wind
Had been going there too.

So then I could tell them
Where the wind goes…
But where the wind comes from
Nobody knows.

9. My Best Friend

by Abby Jenkins

Black and white
Thick and furry
Fast as the wind
Always in a hurry
Couple of spots
Rub my ears
Always comes when his name he hears
Loves his ball; it’s his favorite thing
What’s most fun for him? Everything!
Great big tongue that licks my face
Has a crate, his very own space
Big brown eyes like moon pies
He’s my friend till the very end!

10. Winter

by Olivia Kooker

If winter were a person, she would be a girl with frosty hair.
Winter would wear snow pants, snow boots, gloves, a hat, and scarf.
Winter would smell like hot chocolate and peanut butter and Hershey Kiss cookies baking in the oven.
Winter would spend the day eating cookies and drinking hot cocoa by a lake.
Winter would spend the night by sitting in the snow waiting for morning so children could come out to play.

11. Halfway Down

by A. A. Milne

Halfway down the stairs
Is a stair
Where I sit.
There isn’t any
Other stair
Quite like
It.
I’m not at the bottom,
I’m not at the top;
So this is the stair
Where
I always
Stop.

Halfway up the stairs
Isn’t up
And isn’t down.
It isn’t in the nursery,
It isn’t in the town.
And all sorts of funny thoughts
Run round my head.
It isn’t really
Anywhere!
It’s somewhere else
Instead!

12. Friends

by Abbie Farwell Brown

How good to lie a little while
And look up through the tree!
The Sky is like a kind big smile
Bent sweetly over me.

The Sunshine flickers through the lace
Of leaves above my head,
And kisses me upon the face
Like Mother, before bed.

The Wind comes stealing o’er the grass
To whisper pretty things;
And though I cannot see him pass,
I feel his careful wings.

So many gentle Friends are near
Whom one can scarcely see,
A child should never feel a fear,
Wherever he may be.

13. Bed in Summer

by Robert Louis Stevenson

In Winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle light.
In Summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet
Still going past me in the street.
And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

14. The Swing

by Robert Louis Stevenson

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,
Till I can see so wide,
River and trees and cattle and all
Over the countryside–

Till I look down on the garden green,
Down on the roof so brown–
Up in the air I go flying again,
Up in the air and down!

15. A Lifelong Companion

by Joydip Dutt

Have you ever chased the setting sun,
just to have fun?

Have you ever gazed at moon and stared,
simply to admire?

Have you ever looked at canopy of leaves,
imagining them as sieves?

Have you ever noticed how the rain
glistens the golden grain?

Have you ever sung to a flower,
forgetting the passing hour?

Have you ever searched nature
for a hidden treasure?

Let’s make environment a lifelong companion –
Like a true friend, it will never abandon.

Funny Short Poems for Children

Funny poems are all about thrilling wordplay that will make your youngster laugh. They have no moral teachings and are merely intended to convey enjoyment. Here are some fun short poems for kids.

1. 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.

2. 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!

3. 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.

4. Porcupines

by Marilyn Singer

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

5. 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.

6. 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!

7. 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.

8. Little Boy Blue

by Darren Sardelli

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 candle stick.
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!

9. 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!

10. 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!

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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!”

14. 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.

15. 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!

16. 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!

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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!

20. 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!

Short Poems for Children to Recite

Short poems, which are easy to memorize and pleasant to read, are the ideal literacy boost for your youngster. Here are some simple poems for kids to memorize.

1. A Million Little Diamonds

by Mary Frances Butts

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.

2. Rabbits

by Shannon W.

Nobody knows the rabbit’s nose,
the way it twitches,
the way it goes.
Nobody knows the rabbit’s ears,
the way it listens,
the way it hears.
Nobody knows the rabbit’s toes,
the way they hop the highs,
the way they bounce the lows.
I know the rabbit’s eyes,
the way they look,
the way they despise.

3. Friendly Cow

by Anonymous

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

4. Summer Fun

by Mary E Bone

The children on the block
Are playing with chalk.
Bubbles are flying around,
Popping when they hit the ground.
Giggles and wiggles in the pool,
The kids are taking a break from school,
Staying cool.
Everyone is having fun
In the sun.

5. A Riddle

by Christina Rossetti

There is one that has a head without an eye,
And there’s one that has an eye without a head.
You may find the answer if you try;
And when all is said,
Half the answer hangs upon a thread.

6. Good Dreams

by Olga Matushkina

Knock, knock! Hush, hush.
Good dreams quietly march.
Like the fairies, they bring stories and tales,
And they sing their song: “Bala-boo, bala-bash.”

They dance, they jump,
They play the drum,
But when someone in a house wakes up –
The good dreams end up their fun.

They say, “Good day!” and go away.
But when we sleep, they start again,
Tell their stories, play, and march
And sing their song: “Bala-boo, bala-bash.”

7. Jovani

by Lexie Webster

You’re my nephew, my only man.
I can walk and hold your hand.
When I see you, I see a light.
When I see you, I hold on tight.
I would hold you and hold you all day long.
I miss you, so come back and see me long.

Inspirational Short Poems for Children

Poems for kids provide a platform for teaching children lessons about the world around them as well as ideas that will serve as a basis for them as they grow up. Here are some inspirational poems for children.

1. The Mountain and the Squirrel

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

The mountain and the squirrel
Had a quarrel,
And the former called the latter
“Little prig.”
Bun replied,
“You are doubtless very big;
But all sorts of things and weather
Must be taken in together
To make up a year
And a sphere.
And I think it no disgrace
To occupy my place.
If I’m not so large as you,
You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry:
I’ll not deny you make
A very pretty squirrel track.
Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut.”

2. Aim High to the Sky

by James McDonald

Aim high to the sky,
In all that you do.
Because you just never know,
What it takes to be you.

Be strong and be brave,
But at the same time be kind.
And always be sure,
That you’re using your mind.

3. Don’t Give Up

by Phoebe Cary

If you’ve tried and have not won,
Never stop for crying;
All’s that’s great and good is done
Just by patient trying.

Though young birds, in flying, fall,
Still their wings grow stronger;
And the next time they can keep
Up a little longer.

Though the sturdy oak has known
Many a blast that bowed her,
She has risen again, and grown
Loftier and prouder.

If by easy work you beat,
Who the more will prize you?
Gaining victory from defeat,—
That’s the test that tries you!

4. Us Two

A. A. Milne

Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
“Where are you going to-day?” says Pooh:
“Well, that’s very odd ‘Cos I was too.
Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he.
“Let’s go together,” says Pooh.

“What’s twice eleven?” I said to Pooh.
(“Twice what?” said Pooh to Me.)
“I think it ought to be twenty-two.”
“Just what I think myself,” said Pooh.
“It wasn’t an easy sum to do,
But that’s what it is,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what it is,” said Pooh.

“Let’s look for dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“Yes, let’s,” said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few —
“Yes, those are dragons all right,” said Pooh.
“As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That’s what they are,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what they are,” said Pooh.

“Let’s frighten the dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“That’s right,” said Pooh to Me.
“I’m not afraid,” I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted “Shoo!
Silly old dragons!” — and off they flew.
“I wasn’t afraid,” said Pooh, said he,
“I’m never afraid with you.”

So wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
“What would I do?” I said to Pooh,
“If it wasn’t for you,” and Pooh said: “True,
It isn’t much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he.
“That’s how it is,” says Pooh.

5. If You Can’t Go Over or Under, Go Round

by Joseph Morris

A baby mole got to feeling big,
And wanted to show how he could dig;
So he plowed along in the soft, warm dirt
Till he hit something hard, and it surely hurt!
A dozen stars flew out of his snout;
He sat on his haunches, began to pout;
Then rammed the thing again with his head—
His grandpap picked him up half dead.
“Young man,” he said, “though your pate is bone.
You can’t butt your way through solid stone.
This bit of advice is good, I’ve found:
If you can’t go over or under, go round.”

A traveler came to a stream one day,
And because it presumed to cross his way,
And wouldn’t turn round to suit his whim
And change its course to go with him,
His anger rose far more than it should,
And he vowed he’d cross right where he stood.
A man said there was a bridge below,
But not a step would he budge or go.
The current was swift and the bank was steep,
But he jumped right in with a violent leap.
A fisherman dragged him out half-drowned:
“When you can’t go over or under, go round.”

If you come to a place that you can’t get through,
Or over or under, the thing to do
Is to find a way round the impassable wall,
Not say you’ll go YOUR way or not at all.
You can always get to the place you’re going,
If you’ll set your sails as the wind is blowing.
If the mountains are high, go round the valley;
If the streets are blocked, go up some alley;
If the parlor-car’s filled, don’t scorn a freight;
If the front door’s closed, go in the side gate.
To reach your goal this advice is sound:
If you can’t go over or under, go round!

6. The Littlest Christmas Tree

by Amy Peterson

The littlest Christmas tree
lived in a meadow of green
among a family
of tall evergreens.
He learned how to whisper
the evergreen song
with the slightest of wind
that came gently along.

He watched as the birds
made a home out of twigs
and couldn’t wait till
he, too, was big.
For all of the trees
offered a home,
the maple, the pine, and the oak,
who’s so strong.

“I hate being little,”
the little tree said,
“I can’t even turn colors
like the maple turns red.
I can’t help the animals
like the mighty old oak.
He shelters them all
in his wide mighty cloak.”

The older tree said,
“Why, little tree, you don’t know?
The story of a mighty king
from the land with no snow?”
Little tree questioned,
“A land with no snow?”
“Yes!” said old tree,
“A very old story,
from so long ago.”

“A star appeared,
giving great light
over a manger
on long winter’s night.
A baby was born,
a king of all kings,
and with him comes love
over all things.”

“He lived in a country
all covered in sand,
and laid down his life
to save all of man.”

Little tree thought of the gift
given by him,
then the big tree said with the
happiest grin,
“We’re not just trees,
but a reminder of that day.
There’s a much bigger part
of a role that we play!”

“For on Christmas Eve,
my life I’ll lay down,
in exchange for a happier,
loving ground.
And as I stand dying,
they’ll adorn me in trim.
This all will be done
in memory of him.”

“Among a warm fire,
with family and friends,
in the sweet songs of Christmas,
I’ll find my great end.
Then ever so gently,
He’ll come down to see
and take me to heaven,
Jesus and me.”

“So you see, little tree,
we are not like the oak
who shelters all things
beneath his great cloak.
Nor are we like the maple
in fall,
whose colors leave many
standing in awe.”

“The gift that we give
is ourselves, limb for limb,
the greatest of honor,
in memory of him.”

The little tree bowed
his head down and cried
and thought of the king
who willingly died.
For what kind of gift
can anyone give
than to lay down your life
when you wanted to live?

A swelling of pride
came over the tree.
Can all of this happen
Because of just me?
Can I really bring honor?
By adorning a home?
By reminding mankind
that he’s never alone?

With this thought, little tree
began singing with glee.
Happy and proud
to be a true Christmas tree.

You can still hear them singing
even the smallest in height,
singing of Christmas
and that one holy night.

Popular Short Poems for Children

We’ll look at some of the most popular short poems for kids in this category. These poems are suitable for children of all ages and can assist to foster an interest in literature.

1. Eletelephony

by Laura Elizabeth Richard

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—

2. A Guilty Angel

by Jim-Jam-F

My little sister really winds me up.
She made me smash my mum’s best cup.
And every time she kicks my chair,
I really wish she wasn’t there.
My sister drives me up the wall.
She recons that she’s really cool.
And every night when we have our tea,
she kicks me hard right in the knee.
But when I tell mum, my sister will say,
“I Didn’t Do That; I Was Trying to Play!”

3. The Purple Cow

by Gelett Burgess

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!

4. The Forest

by Annette Wynne

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.

5. Hey Diddle Diddle

by Author Unknown

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.

6. I’m A Little Teapot

by George Harold Sanders

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)

7. There Was an Old Man With A Beard

by Edward Lear

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!”

8. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

by Jane Taylor

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

9. The Days of the Months

by Unknown

Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November;
February has twenty-eight alone.
All the rest have thirty-one,
Excepting leap-year—that’s the time
When February’s days are twenty-nine.

10. Star Light, Star Bright

by Unknown

Star light, start bright,
The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.

11. How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes

by Shel Silverstein

If you have to dry the dishes
(Such an awful, boring chore)
If you have to dry the dishes
(’Stead of going to the store)
If you have to dry the dishes
And you drop one on the floor—
Maybe they won’t let you
Dry the dishes anymore.

12. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

Rudyard Kipling

Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full;
One for the master,
And one for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.

13. The Porcupine

by Ogden Nash

Any hound a porcupine nudges
Can’t be blamed for harboring grudges,
I know one hound that laughed all winter
At a porcupine that sat on a splinter.

14. As Soon as Fred Gets Out of Bed

by Jack Prelutsky

As soon as Fred gets out of bed,
his underwear goes on his head.
His mother laughs, “Don’t put it there,
a head’s no place for underwear!”
But near his ears, above his brains,
is where Fred’s underwear remains.

At night when Fred goes back to bed,
he deftly plucks it off his head.
His mother switches off the light
and softly croons, “Good night! Good night!”
And then, for reasons no one knows,
Fred’s underwear goes on his toes.

15. At the Zoo

by William Makepeace Thackeray

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!

16. Down They Go…

by Roald Dahl

Down they go!
Hail and snow!
Freezes and sneezes and noses will blow!

17. Learning

by Judith Viorst

I’m learning to say thank you.
And I’m learning to say please.
And I’m learning to use Kleenex,
Not my sweater, when I sneeze.
And I’m learning not to dribble.
And I’m learning not to slurp.
And I’m learning (though it sometimes really hurts me)
Not to burp.
And I’m learning to chew softer
When I eat corn on the cob.
And I’m learning that it’s much
Much easier to be a slob.

18. Happy Thoughts

by Robert Louis Stevenson

The world is so full
of a number of things,
I’m sure we should all
be as happy as kings.

19. There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in A Shoe

by Mother Goose

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children she didn’t know what to do;
She gave them some broth without any bread,
Kissed them all soundly and sent them to bed.

Short Poems for Children about School

When you first start sharing poetry with children, short poems are a great place to start. These poems will tickle their creativities and motivate children to recite them.

1. If I Were…

by Eva L. Robinson

If I were a queen,
I’d rule a mighty land.
If I were a princess,
I’d take a prince’s hand.

If I were a soldier,
I’d fight a mighty war.
If I were a hero,
I’d be the best they ever saw.

If I were a dancer,
I’d dance with such grace.
If I were a runner,
I’d win every race!

If I were an actress,
I’d take part in a play,
For I can do anything,
No matter what you say.

2. What If?

by Riya Shrivastava

What if there were purple spots on a pig?
What if there were no burrows to dig?

What if the colours weren’t invented?
What if buildings weren’t cemented?

What if the sun wasn’t yellow?
What if the underground wasn’t below?

What if our body colour was blue?
What if water was as sticky as glue?

Oh, it would be a big mess that day,
So I guess, let it be the same way!

3. Books

by Sanya Tandon

My best friend is a book
that doesn’t give me a weird look.
It is like a golden door
that takes me to the land where I have never been before.
It tells me the tales of a fairy
that take me to the land full of merry.
Some books are boring like history,
which is like a big mystery.
Books are the source of enlightenment
that vanquish darkness and fill our life with brightness.

4. Follow the Moon

by Marie Tully

I followed the moon,
Or did it follow me?
I turned a corner;
It was still there, you see.

I tried to trick it.
In the shadows I hid,
But the moon kept on watching.
That’s what it did.

A cloud passed before it.
Now was my chance,
But the stars in the sky
Never could lie.

I walked on through the night.
The moon followed me home,
Or did I follow the moon?
I don’t quite know.

5. Yellow Senses

by Favor M. Abioye

Yellow is beautiful
And kind.
Yellow tastes sour down my throat.
It feels like the warmth of the sky.
Yellow sounds like kids laughing down the street.
It feels like warmth upon my head.
Yellow looks like a big circle in the sky.
It makes me smile and play.
Yellow is my favorite color.

6. Glow Worm

by Taylor Russell

Oh, I wish I were a glow worm,
for a glow worm’s never glum,
’cause how can you be grumpy
when the sun shines out your bum?

7. Sunbeam

by Pheilm G. Martin

I’m just a little sunbeam.
Along the floor I crawl.
I climb up walls.
I creep down halls.
I offer warmth
to one and all.
Reborn every morning,
I ignite the morning bird’s call.
I die each and every night
with the coming of nightfall.

8. A Daydream

by Lolo T. Frenchie

A daydream
A world of extreme
A fantasy place
Or even outer space
A place for you
Where you can pass through
When you’re feeling blue and alone
A place of your own
Where anything goes
And there’s no shadows
A place where smiles gleam
And everyone is a team
This is my daydream
My place of joy and hope

9. Granddad’s Got Hair

by Graham Craven

Granddad’s got hair on his fingers,
Hair on his toes,
Hair in his ears,
Hair up his nose.
His chest has got more hair than a coarse front door mat.
His back has got more hair than next door’s tom cat.

Granddad’s head is silky and smooth,
Not a solitary bristle.
Smooth as a baby’s bum,
Clean as a whistle.
Some say a snooker ball has got more hair,
But his beard hides a smile that says, “I just don’t care.”

10. The Centipede

by May Fenn

I’m glad I’m not a real boy
With proper feet like you.
Imagine if I had to put
A foot in every shoe.
For when I’d got each foot inside
And every lace tied tight,
I’d have to take them off again
To go to bed at night.

Rhyming Short Poems for Children

Rhyming poetry are simpler to recall because they feature a rhythmic structure, similar sounding words, and repetition. Rhyming also makes it easier for children to learn new words. Here are some rhyming poems for children.

1. Rhyme

by Elizabeth Coatsworth

I like to see a thunderstorm,
A dunder storm,
A blunder storm,
I like to see it, black and slow,
Come stumbling down the hill.

I like to hear a thunderstorm,
A plunder storm,
A wonder storm,
Roar loudly at our little house
And shake the window sills!

2. Donkey, Donkey, Old and Gray

by Anonymous

Donkey, Donkey,
Old and gray;
Open your mouth
And gently bray.
Lift your ears,
And blow your horn;
To wake up the world
This sleepy morn.

3. Little Miss Muffet

by Anonymous

Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider,
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away

Little Miss Muffet,
Sat on a Tuffet,
Eating her Bread and Jam,
Along came a Spider,
While she was Drinking her Cider,
And she ran away and her shoes fell off!

4. Our Kittens

by Evaleen Stein

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?

5. Robin Redbreast

by William Allingham

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.