Whether you’re singing a nursery rhyme or building reading skills, poetry is a great way to engage students. It’s never too early to introduce them to this wonderfully expressive and versatile form of literature. We’ve put together this collection of sweet kindergarten poems and nursery rhymes for kids to share in your classroom.
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1. All of Me by Greg Smedley-Warren
“My hands are for clapping …”
Themes: Self-awareness, movement
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition
This playful poem encourages younger kids to recognize and appreciate different parts of their body through movement and action. Not only is it great for kinesthetic learning and vocabulary building, but it also reinforces concepts about self-identity and physical awareness.
2. Hot Sun by Kenn Nesbitt
“‘Hot sun!
What fun!
I’ll swim!’
said Tim.”
Themes: Summer fun, heat, consequences
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition
It’s simple, but this engaging poem captures the excitement of a hot, sunny day. It can be used to introduce weather-related discussions, sequencing events, and cause-and-effect relationships in storytelling.
“The cat and the fiddle …”
Themes: Nonsense, imagination, playfulness
Literary devices: Rhyme, personification, alliteration
Many will recognize this classic nursery rhyme, which is excellent for helping children recognize rhyming patterns while fostering creativity and imagination. It also provides an opportunity to discuss how animals and objects can be personified in poetry.
“We see orange, we see brown …”
Themes: Seasons, observation, nature
Literary devices: Repetition, imagery
This simple, descriptive poem encourages young learners to observe and describe changes in nature, particularly in autumn. It’s ideal for lessons on colors, seasons, and descriptive language.
“Climbed up the waterspout.”
Themes: Perseverance, nature
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, personification
This well-known, sing-along nursery rhyme teaches resilience and determination. When performed along with the classic actions, it’s also great for movement-based learning and sequencing activities.
6. No Pencil by Kenn Nesbitt
“No marker.
No paint brush.
No pen.”
Themes: Creativity, imagination
Literary devices: Repetition, contrast
This poem emphasizes that you don’t need tools to be creative—we can use our hands, voices, and ideas to express ourselves. It’s also useful for discussions on different forms of artistic expression and thinking outside the box.
“The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea …”
Themes: Adventure, love, fantasy
Literary devices: Rhyme, narrative structure, imagery
A whimsical poem that tells a fanciful story of an owl and a cat on a journey, it’s ideal for introducing storytelling elements, rhyme schemes, and discussing how poems can create entire worlds through imagery.
“Pop it in the pan.”
Themes: Cooking, daily life, rhythm
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition
This rhythmic, action-oriented poem can be used to introduce sequencing and procedural writing, as well as connect to real-world activities like cooking and following instructions.
“Some are different, some the same.”
Themes: Identity, diversity, inclusivity
Literary devices: Repetition, rhythm
This poem emphasizes that everyone has a name, some unique and some common, making it perfect for lessons on identity, self-esteem, and celebrating diversity in the classroom.
10. Flag by Shel Silverstein
“One star is for Alaska …
One star is for Nebraska …”
Themes: Patriotism, geography, perspective
Literary devices: Rhyme, symbolism
This poem uses humor and clever wordplay to introduce children to the concept of states and national symbols. Use for early social studies lessons and discussing the meaning of flags in different cultures.
“But where are all the bees?”
Themes: Nature, curiosity, counting
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, suspense
This classic fingerplay poem engages kids with a fun buildup to the bees “buzzing out.” Use it to teach counting, sequencing, and early science lessons about bees and their role in nature.
“Hail and snow!”
Themes: Weather, change, action
Literary devices: Rhyme, alliteration, imagery
This lively poem captures the energy of hail and snow falling, making it great for discussing weather patterns, descriptive writing, and onomatopoeia.
“Have you any milk?”
Themes: Animals, farming, question-and-answer format
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, dialogue
This simple, rhythmic poem helps kids explore farm animals and their sounds. It can be useful for interactive reading, reinforcing animal vocabulary, and practicing question-and-answer structures.
14. Apples by Author Unknown
“Apples in the attic …”
Themes: Nature, seasons, food
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, imagery
A descriptive poem about apples and where they might be found, it can be useful for lessons on fall, fruit, and sensory language in poetry.
15. Leaves by Sue Schueller
“Leaves on the pumpkin …”
Themes: Seasons, nature, observation
Literary devices: Imagery, alliteration
This poem captures the beauty of falling leaves and their connection to autumn, making it a solid choice for lessons on seasonal changes, descriptive writing, and visual imagery.
16. Water by Mrs. Parisi
“Water for the flowers …”
Themes: Nature, necessity, sustainability
Literary devices: Repetition, symbolism
This simple poem highlights the importance of water for plants, animals, and people, making it a wonderful tool for discussing the water cycle, conservation, and real-world science connections.
“1 red umbrella, 1 yellow hat …”
Themes: Colors, counting, weather
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, sequencing
This engaging counting poem introduces numbers and colors in a fun, visual way. It’s useful for early math skills, weather discussions, and practicing descriptive vocabulary.
“I saw a saw. I felt some felt.”
Themes: Humor, wordplay, sensory language
Literary devices: Pun, alliteration, homophones
This playful poem mixes up the senses in a fun and silly way, making it great for teaching homophones, wordplay, and the five senses.
19. Ice Cream by Cara Carroll
“Ice cream in a bowl …”
Themes: Food, enjoyment, summer
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, sensory imagery
This fun, relatable poem uses sensory details to describe eating ice cream. This can support lessons on adjectives, descriptive writing, and personal experiences.
“Draw a crazy picture, write a nutty poem …”
Themes: Imagination, creativity, playfulness
Literary devices: Rhyme, metaphor, humor
This poem offers a lesson in creativity and imagination. It teaches kids that it’s OK to be silly sometimes and encourages them to think outside the box.
“I never saw a Purple Cow …”
Themes: Humor, absurdity, perspective
Literary devices: Rhyme, irony, exaggeration
This short, humorous poem playfully imagines an impossible scenario — a purple cow. It’s a fun way to introduce children to nonsense poetry, discussing exaggeration in literature, and humor.
“You have a magic carpet
That can whiz you through the air …”
Themes: Emotions, actions, engagement
Literary devices: Repetition, call-and-response structure
This is a classic action poem/song that helps children express emotions through movement. It’s useful for social-emotional learning, gross motor skills development, and reinforcing positive expressions of feelings.
“Clap your hands …”
Themes: Emotions, self-expression, movement
Literary devices: Repetition, call-and-response, rhythm
This much-loved song encourages children to express emotions through movement. Use the playful structure and cumulative actions to teach social-emotional learning, following directions, and engaging in group participation.
“How I wonder what you are …”
Themes: Wonder, curiosity, nature
Literary devices: Rhyme, personification, simile
This timeless poem’s extended verses emphasize the star’s role in lighting the way for travelers. It’s perfect for teaching rhyme schemes, personification (the star “twinkling” and “peeping”), and similes (comparing the star to a diamond).
25. My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson
“I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me …”
Themes: Observation, curiosity, childhood wonder
Literary devices: Rhyme, personification, imagery
This playful poem personifies the shadow, treating it as a companion that grows, shrinks, and even “sleeps in bed.” It’s excellent for lessons on descriptive language, personification, and scientific discussions about light and shadows.
“Go round and round …”
Themes: Transportation, community, movement
Literary devices: Repetition, onomatopoeia, rhythm
This classic children’s song’s repetitive phrases and actions reinforce early language skills and coordination. The use of onomatopoeia (e.g., “beep, beep, beep” and “swish, swish, swish”) helps kids connect sounds with real-world actions.
27. The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson
“The moon has a face like the clock in the hall …”
Themes: Nighttime, nature, contrast between day and night
Literary devices: Rhyme, personification, simile, imagery
Comparing it to a clock, this gentle poem describes how the moon illuminates the world while daytime creatures rest. The poem is excellent for teaching personification, similes (e.g., “The moon has a face like the clock in the hall”), and contrasts between day and night.
“Have you any wool?”
Themes: Sharing, generosity, historical trade
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, dialogue
This classic nursery rhyme teaches children about sharing and generosity. The repetitive structure helps with early literacy skills, and the simple question-and-answer format encourages participation.
“Once upon a time, there were four little Rabbits …”
Themes: Curiosity, consequences, adventure
Literary devices: Narrative structure, characterization, personification, imagery
This beloved tale teaches important lessons about consequences, decision-making, and responsibility. With its vivid descriptions and engaging plot, it’s perfect for lessons on storytelling elements, personification, character development, and cause-and-effect relationships.
“And on his farm, he had a cow …”
Themes: Animals, sounds, farming, repetition
Literary devices: Repetition, onomatopoeia, call-and-response
The interactive structure of this classic children’s song encourages participation, making it ideal for developing early language skills, phonemic awareness, and memory retention. It can also be used to introduce discussions about farms, animals, and where food comes from.
“The happier we’ll be …”
Themes: Friendship, community, inclusivity
Literary devices: Repetition, rhythm, call-and-response
This uplifting folk song reinforces the joy of friendship and togetherness, making it an excellent tool for teaching social-emotional learning, cooperation, and kindness. The repetitive lyrics and easy-to-sing melody help young learners develop language skills while encouraging participation.
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall …”
Themes: Cautionary tale, consequences
Literary devices: Rhyme, metaphor
This well-known cautionary tale’s rhythmic structure and repetition support early literacy skills. Teachers can use it for creative activities such as retelling the story with alternative endings and exploring different problem-solving strategies.
33. Rain by Robert Louis Stevenson
“The rain is raining all around …”
Themes: Weather, nature, observation
Literary devices: Rhyme, imagery
A simple but beautiful reflection on rain and how it nourishes the world, making it useful for weather lessons, sensory language, and poetry appreciation.
“We’re going on a bear hunt …”
Themes: Adventure, bravery, problem-solving, perseverance
Literary devices: Repetition, onomatopoeia, call-and-response, rhythm
This interactive, rhythmic story’s repeated phrases and sound effects (“swishy swashy,” “squelch squerch”) make it engaging for kids while reinforcing sequencing and storytelling skills. The poem also teaches resilience and teamwork, as the characters face challenges but continue their journey.
35. A Wise Old Owl by Edward Hersey Richards
“Lived in an oak …”
Themes: Wisdom, listening, patience, self-control
Literary devices: Rhyme, personification, symbolism
This short but insightful poem teaches the value of listening more and speaking less. The wise owl symbolizes thoughtfulness and careful observation, making it a great discussion starter for lessons on communication skills, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.
“Its fleece was white as snow …”
Themes: Friendship, kindness, animals, patience, loyalty
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, personification, simile
This beloved nursery rhyme tells the story of a devoted lamb, highlighting themes of love, loyalty, and companionship. It’s really perfect for discussions on empathy and kindness. The simile “Its fleece was white as snow” introduces figurative language, while the rhyming pattern helps with early literacy skills.
“If you go down in the woods today …”
Themes: Imagination, playfulness, secrecy, adventure
Literary devices: Rhyme, repetition, imagery, personification
This whimsical poem-song uses vivid imagery, personification, and a playful tone. It makes it ideal for imaginative writing exercises, encouraging creative thinking and storytelling.
38. The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson
“How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?”
Themes: Joy, freedom, movement
Literary devices: Rhyme, imagery
This poem’s use of vivid imagery lets kids experience the joy of seeing the world from above, making it a solid choice for lessons on sensory details and descriptive writing. The poem’s rhythmic flow mirrors the motion of a swing, reinforcing its theme of freedom and play.
“In the great green room …”
Themes: Comfort, bedtime, routines, observation, mindfulness
Literary devices: Repetition, rhyme, imagery, personification
This beloved bedtime poem uses a soothing rhythm and repetitive structure help create a calming atmosphere, making it excellent for discussions on routines, mindfulness, and the power of observation. The poem’s personification of everyday objects (“Goodnight moon,” “Goodnight air”) encourages children to see the world with a sense of wonder.
40. Cloud by Nancy VandenBerge
“What is fluffy?”
Themes: Nature, observation, curiosity
Literary devices: Rhyme, imagery
With its descriptive language and playful tone, this poem fosters curiosity about the natural world and can be used to introduce discussions on weather, seasons, and artistic interpretation. Teachers can use this poem as a springboard for creative writing, encouraging students to describe what they see in the sky and imagine stories behind the clouds.
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