Poems for Kindergarten

Table of Contents

1. God made the little birds to sing

   by Anonymous

   God made the little birds to sing,
   And flit from tree to tree;
   'Tis He who sends them in the spring
   To sing for you and me.
   

2. Beckon to the Pigeons

   by Friedrich Fröbel

   The pigeons are coming, dear love, to meet you,
   Beckon, then say, "sweet pigeons, I greet you!
   

3. Fog

   by Carl Sandburg

   The fog comes
   on little cat feet.
   

   It sits looking
   over harbor and city
   on silent haunches
   and then moves on.
   

4. The Elephant

   by Anonymous

   The elephant walks like this and like that.
   He's very tall, and he's very fat.
   He has no fingers, but he does have toes,
   And goodness gracious, what a nose!
   

5. A Wise Old Owl

   by Anonymous

   A wise old owl lived in an oak
   The more he saw the less he spoke
   The less he spoke the more he heard.
   Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?
   

6. Song of the Bubbles

   by Anonymous

   Up and up we go,
   And we shine and glow;
   Though our life lasts not a minute,
   We reflect all colors in it.
   

7. The People

   by Elizabeth Madox Roberts

   The ants are walking under the ground,
   And the pigeons are flying over the steeple,
   And in between are the people.
   

8. The Moon and I

   by Annette Wynne

   We played a game—the moon and I,
   The moon was laughing in the sky,
   I spied her, too, and called aloud,
   But still she hid behind a cloud.
   

9. The Birches

   by Walter Prichard Eaton

   The little birches, white and slim,
   Gleaming in the forest dim,
   Must think the day is almost gone,
   for each one has her nightie on.
   

10. Firefly

    by Elizabeth Madox Roberts

    
    

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    A little light is going by,
    Is going up to see the sky,
    A little light with wings.
    

    I never could have thought of it,
    To have a little bug all lit
    And made to go on wings.
    

11. The Tree That Lives Beside the Brook

    by Annette Wynne

    The tree that lives beside the brook,
    May see itself if it should look;
    But perhaps it does not try.
    It would rather see the sky
    Than look into the brook and trace
    The shadows of its leafy face.
    

12. Good Company

    by Anonymous

    “I’ll Try!” is a soldier;
    “I will” is a king;
    Be sure they are near
    When the school-bells ring.
    

    When school-days are over,
    And boys are men,
    “I’ll Try!” and “I Will!”
    Are good things then.
    

13. Who Has Seen the Wind?

    by Christina Rossetti

    Who has seen the wind?
    Neither I nor you;
    But when the leaves hang trembling,
    The wind is passing through.
    

    Who has seen the wind?
    Neither you nor I;
    But when the trees bow down their heads,
    The wind is passing by.
    

14. The Daisy

    by T. F. Seward

    In the early Springtime, when the violets grow,
    When the birds sing sweetly, and the soft winds blow,
    Comes the little daisy, blooming fresh and fair,
    Springing bright and joyous in the morning air.
    

    Sunny little blossom, on your slender stalk,
    How much you would teach us if you could but talk!
    Ever looking upward, all the livelong day,
    Bright your faces turn to catch each sunbeam's ray.
    

15. Good-Morning, Day

    by Annette Wynne

    Good morning, Day,
    Whether cloud or sun,
    The world's begun
    Again for work and play.
    

    If I do my best,
    God will tend the rest—
    Working, loving, sharing all,
    Making you, Day, beautiful.
    

    Good morning, Day,
    The world's begun
    For every one
    For love and work and play!
    

16. The Swing

    

    by Robert Louis Stevenson

    
    

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    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,
    Rivers 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!
    

17. The Song of the Rain

    by Anonymous

    
    

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    To the great brown house, where the flowers dwell,
    Came the rain with its tap, tap, tap!
    And whispered, "Violet, Snowdrop, Rose,
    Your pretty eyes you must now unclose
    From your long, long wintry nap!"
    Said the rain with its tap, tap, tap!
    

    From the doors they peeped with a timid grace,
    Just to answer this tap, tap, tap!
    Miss Snowdrop curtsied a sweet "Good-day,"
    Then all came nodding their heads so gay,
    And they said, "We've had our nap!
    Thank you, rain, for your tap, tap, tap!"
    

18. 'Tis Night

    by Mary M. Bowen

    
    

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    ’Tis night on the mountain,
    ’Tis night on the sea,
    Mild dew drops are kissing
    The bloom-covered lea;
    Like plumes gently waving,
    The soft zephyrs creep;
    The birds are all dreaming,
    Then sleep, darling, sleep.
    

    ’Tis night on the mountain,
    ’Tis night on the sea,
    Away in the distance,
    The stars twinkle free;
    O’er all of His creatures,
    His watch He will keep,
    Who guardeth the sparrows—
    Then sleep, darling, sleep.
    

19. The Railway Train

    by Anonymous. Motions: In the chorus the children imitate the action of ringing a bell and clap their hands at puff, puff, puff. Suitable actions should accompany each verse and be performed by every child at the sama moment.

    
    

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    The railway train is starting off,
    The engine gives a hasty puff,
    The bell is rung, the whistle blows,
    The agent says “Right!” and off it goes.
    
    Chorus—Ring, a-ding! a-ding! a-ding!
    Puff! puff! puff!
    

    Over the bridge, it shoots away,
    Through the tunnel, dark all day,
    Through the cutting or the plain,
    Till it comes to the depot again!
    Chorus
    

    The agent calls out Boston train,
    Take your seats we’re off again;
    Now, be quick with the baggage there,
    The signal shows the line is clear,
    Time and train for no men wait,
    Off, off, ’tis getting late.
    Chorus
    

20. Nineteen Birds

    by Anonymous

    
    

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    Nineteen birds and one bird more,
    Just make twenty, and that's a score.
    

    To the score then add but one;
    That will make just twenty-one.
    

    Now add two, and you will see
    You have made up twenty-three.
    

    If you like these clever tricks.
    Add three more-for twenty-six.
    

    Then three more, if you have time;
    Now you’ve got to twenty-nine.
    

    Twenty-nine now quickly take—
    Add one more and Thirty make.
    

21. O eyes that open

    by Anonymous

    
    

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    O eyes that open to the light,
    Look straight to Heav'n with glances bright
    And beam out thanks to God above
    That He has blessed us with His love.
    

    O little hands be quick to share
    The praise, and fold yourselves in prayer.
    An infant’s prayer must ever rise,
    A grateful incense to the skies.
    

    O little mind, so weak, distraught,
    Choose thou for subjoct of thy thought
    The loving God, who through the night
    Has kept His little child in sight.
    

    Open, O little lips, proclaim
    The Father’s love, and bless His name,
    And then a glad “good morning” sound
    To all the dear companions round.
    

22. Ocean Mightier Than the Land

    by Annette Wynne

    
    

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    Ocean, mightier than the land,
    Wilful, turbulent, and wild,
    Will you love a little child
    And kiss her hand?
    

    Ocean, when I play with you,
    The pretty waves are soft and blue,
    But sailors who have sailed away
    Tell you do not always play.
    

    Far off you toss the great big ships
    Just like tiny wooden chips;
    Tell me, for I want to know
    Why you act just so?
    

    Ocean mightier than the land,
    Wilful, boisterous and wild—
    Will you love a little child
    And kiss her hand?
    

23. The Morning Bright

    by T. O. Summers

    
    

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    The morning bright
    With rosy light,
    Has wak'd me from my sleep;
    Father, I own,
    Thy love alone
    Thy little one doth keep.

    All through the day
    I humbly pray,
    Be Thou my Guard and Guide;
    My sins forgive,
    And let me live,
    Blest Jesus, near Thy side.
    

    Oh make Thy rest
    Within my breast,
    Great Spirit of all Grace;
    Make me like Thee,
    Then shall I be
    Prepared to see Thy face.
    

24. The Star

    by Jane Taylor

    
    

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

    When the blazing sun is set,
    And the grass with dew is wet,
    Then you show your little light,
    Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
    

    Then the traveler in the dark
    Thanks you for your tiny spark,
    He could not see where to go
    If you did not twinkle so.
    

    In the dark blue sky you keep,
    And often through my curtains peep,
    For you never shut your eye
    Till the sun is in the sky.
    

    As your bright and tiny spark
    Lights the traveler in the dark,
    Though I know not what you are,
    Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
    

25. Golden Keys

    Hearts, like doors, oft ope with ease
    To very, very little keys,
    And don't forget that two are these:
    "I thank you, sir," and "If you please."
    

    – Anonymous
    Golden Keys

    “

    by Anonymous

    
    

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    A bunch of golden keys is mine
    To make each day with gladness shine.
    "Good morning" is the golden key
    That unlocks every door for me.
    

    When evening comes, "Good Night" I say,
    And close the door of each glad day.
    When at the table, "If You Please"
    I take from off my bunch of keys.
    

    When friends give anything to me
    I'll use the "Thank You" key,
    "Excuse me," "Beg your pardon, too,"
    When by mistake some harm I do,
    Or, if unkindly harm I've given,
    With "Forgive me," I shall be forgiven.
    

    On a golden ring these keys I'll bind,
    This is its motto—"Be ye kind."
    I'll often use each golden key,
    And then a child polite I'll be.
    

    Hearts, like doors, oft ope with ease
    To very, very little keys,
    And don't forget that two are these:
    "I thank you, sir," and "If you please."
    

26. The Bees

    by Thomas Hastings

    
    

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    Oh, mother dear, pray tell me where
    The bees in winter stay?
    The flowers are gone they feed upon,
    So sweet in summer’s day.
    

    My child, they live within the hive,
    And have enough to eat;
    Amid the storm they’re clean and warm,
    Their food is honey sweet.
    Say, mother dear, how came it there?
    Did father feed them so?
    I see no way in winter’s day
    That honey has to grow.
    

    No, no, my child; in summer mild
    The bees laid up their store
    Of honey-drops in little cups,
    Till they would want no more.
    In cups, you said—how are they made?
    Are they as large as ours?
    Oh, no; they’re all made nice and small,
    Of wax found in the flowers.
    

    Our summer’s day, to work and play,
    Is now in mercy given,
    And we must strive, long as we live,
    To lay up stores in heaven.
    

    ¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

    – Matthew 6:19-21
    KJV

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27. Weather Song

    by Mary Bridges Canedy Slade

    
    

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    This is the way the cloud comes down,
    Darkly, darkly falling;
    So it covers the shining blue,
    Till no ray can glisten through.
    This is the way the cloud comes down,
    Darkly, darkly falling.
    

    This is the way the rain comes down,
    Swiftly, swiftly falling.
    So He sendeth the welcome rain
    Over field and hill and plain.
    This is the way the rain comes down,
    Swiftly, swiftly falling.
    

    This is the way the snow comes down,
    Softly, softly falling.
    So He giveth the snow-like wool,
    Fair and white and beautiful.
    This is the way the snow comes down,
    Softly, softly falling.
    

    This is the way the frost comes down,
    Widely, widely falling.
    So it spreadeth, all through the night,
    Shining cold and pure and white.
    This is the way the frost comes down,
    Widely, widely falling.
    

    This is way the hail comes down,
    Loudly, loudly falling,
    So it flieth beneath the cloud,
    Swift and strong and wild and loud.
    This is the way the hail comes down,
    Loudly, loudly falling.
    

    This is the way sunshine comes down,
    Sweetly, sweetly falling,
    So it chaseth the cloud away,
    So it waketh the lovely day.
    This is the way sunshine comes down,
    Sweetly, sweetly falling.
    

    This is the way rainbow comes down,
    Brightly, brightly falling,
    So it shineth across the sky,
    Making fair the heavens on high.
    This is the way rainbow comes down,
    Brightly, brightly falling.
    

    This is the way the leaves come down,
    Gently, gently falling,
    In gold and brown and crimson drest,
    Rocked by the wind, they lie and rest.
    This is the way the leaves come down,
    Gently, gently falling.
    

    Wonderful, Lord, are all thy works,
    Wheresoever falling,
    All their various voices raise,
    Speaking forth their Maker's praise.
    Wonderful, Lord, are all Thy work,
    Wheresoever falling.
    

28. Numbers

    by Elizabeth Madox Roberts

    
    

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    When I can count the numbers far,
    And know all the figures that there are,
    

    Then I'll know everything, and I
    Can know about the ground and sky,
    

    And all the little bugs I see,
    And I'll count the leaves on the silver-leaf tree,
    And all the days that ever can be.
    

    I'll know all the cows and sheep that pass,
    And I'll know all the grass,
    

    And all the places far away,
    And I'll know everything some day.
    

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