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.
1. All of Me by Greg Smedley-Warren
“My hands are for clapping …”
2. Hot Sun by Kenn Nesbitt
“‘Hot sun!
What fun!
I’ll swim!’
said Tim.”
3. Hey, Diddle, Diddle by Mother Goose
“The cat and the fiddle …”
4. We See Leaves by Crystal McGinnis
“We see orange …”
5. Itsy Bitsy Spider by Anonymous
“Climbed up the waterspout.”
6. No Pencil by Kenn Nesbitt
“No marker.
No paint brush.
No pen.”
7. The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear
“The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea …”
8. Mix a Pancake by Christina Rossetti
“Pop it in the pan.”
9. Everybody Has a Name by Jean Warren
“Some are different, some the same.”
10. Flag by Shel Silverstein
“One star is for Alaska …
One star is for Nebraska …”
11. Here Is the Beehive by Anonymous
“But where are all the bees?”
12. Down They Go … by Roald Dahl
“Hail and snow!”
13. Moo, Moo, Brown Cow by Anonymous
“Have you any milk?”
14. Apples by Author Unknown
“Apples in the attic …”
15. Leaves by Sue Schueller
“Leaves on the pumpkin …”
16. Water by Mrs. Parisi
“Water for the flowers …”
17. 1 Red Umbrella by Michelle Moore
“1 red umbrella, 1 yellow hat …”
18. Five Sense Nonsense by Kenn Nesibtt
“I saw a saw. I felt some felt.”
19. Ice Cream by Cara Carroll
“Ice cream in a bowl …”
20. Gardener by Shel Silverstein
“We gave you a chance …”
21. The Purple Cow by Gelett Burgess
“I never saw a Purple Cow …”
22. Magic Carpet by Shel Silverstein
“You have a magic carpet
That can whiz you through the air …”
23. If You’re Happy and You Know It by Author Unknown
“Clap your hands …”
24. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Jane Taylor
“How I wonder what you are …”
25. My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson
“I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me …”
26. The Wheels on the Bus by Verna Hills
“Go round and round …”
27. The Moon by Robert Louis Stevenson
“The moon has a face like the clock in the hall …”
28. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep by Mother Goose
“Have you any wool?”
29. The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
“Once upon a time, there were four little Rabbits …”
30. Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Thomas d’Urfey
“And on his farm, he had a cow …”
31. The More We Get Together by Irving King
“The happier we’ll be …”
32. Humpty Dumpty by Mother Goose
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall …”
33. Rain by Robert Louis Stevenson
“The rain is raining all around …”
34. Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen
“We’re going on a bear hunt …”
35. A Wise Old Owl by Edward Hersey Richards
“Lived in an oak …”
36. Mary Had a Little Lamb by Sarah Josepha Hale
“Its fleece was white as snow …”
37. The Teddy Bears’ Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
“If you go down in the woods today …”
38. The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson
“How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?”
39. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
“In the great green room …”
40. Cloud by Nancy VandenBerge
“What is fluffy?”
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