Rhymes for kids in English. Poems in English for the little ones and not only

Children's poems in English.

Last fall, my children and I decided to organize a small poetry marathon - every day during the holidays we taught 1 verse a day. And not just children’s rhymes, but rather serious ones.

I talked about this on my Instagram account @lingvakids and posted a video of the result and the text of the poem there.

And since I continue to receive letters with questions on this topic, I decided to write a short blog article about it.

Collections of poems that I used:

1) Julia Donaldson's book “Wriggle and Roar” is simply gorgeous - and these are the easiest poems I chose. Colorful illustrations for each verse by Nick Sharratt, an excellent selection of poems that are suitable for younger children. We learned one verse from this book at a party and even our friend’s daughters joined us, although they are at a beginner level

Examples of pages:

2) C collection of poems compiled by Julia Donaldson, Poems to Perform

There are many wonderful authors here, including her. But this is more serious than a poem, the meaning is deeper and the text is more complex. There are few illustrations and they are black and white. Most of the poems that we learned were from this collection.

Example page:

3) Poems by Robert Louis Stevenson:

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

They are easy to find on the Internet, for example, on the Lit2go website they have voice acting, or just in a search, if you select with pictures, you will find direct scans of pages from books. The poems are also quite long and complex, but if you search, you can find short and simple ones, for example, about a swing:

4) And one more of my favorites - Shel Silverstein.

We have his collection of poems: “, again, if you type this into Google, then scans of the pages will also appear directly in the results (just select the “pictures” tab)
His humor is often dark - but I like it myself and the children almost always understand (at the same time they develop a sense of humor :))

For example:

Why these particular verses?

Once again I will say that these are not exactly nursery rhymes. This is already serious, high-quality literature. I chose them because the children somehow rebelled, that they didn’t want to learn kindergarten poems (there was some kind of crisis period), that they were bored. Then I said that it was too early for them to learn real serious poetry, that it would be difficult for them. For my children, such an answer was like a red rag to a bull, and of course they began to argue that it would not be difficult for them. I offered to try - they agreed. I won’t say that it was very easy, especially at first. If your children are still small or you have recently started learning English, choose poems, songs, rhymes, nursery rhymes, simple Nursery Rhymes - they are ideal.

What can help

• Joint selection of poems— we leafed through the collections together or I showed several to choose from and they decided what we would teach. As a rule, the shortest one was chosen))

If there is a board, write on it and place it next to the dining table - since it can be repeated at least 3 times a day. If you don’t have a board, just print it out on a sheet of paper and attach it to the wall in the kitchen.

Here is one of our poems on the board, although only one half of the verse fit.

• Drawings and visual aids— for some poems I found pictures online, for some we all drew together ourselves if we had free time. When children draw illustrations themselves, they remember the words very well.

Our illustration for Julia Donaldson's poem Handy Work

Why learn poetry at all?

The idea, to be honest, is not mine, I came across an article from Western colleagues about a morning ritual - teaching a verse every morning (we were talking about homeschooled children) - it seems like the morning has just begun, but something useful has already been done. This is why I liked this idea for the holidays - while everyone is ready in the morning and has not yet run away like cockroaches to their own affairs and games, it is easy to organize and even if you do nothing else, there is already something to praise yourself for at the end of the day :)

During my practice of studying foreign languages ​​and teaching them, I noticed that learning by heart greatly helps in mastering the language. Memory develops, vocabulary grows in context, and the structure of the language (grammar) is naturally acquired - this is what is called the sense of language.

One caveat - the process must be voluntary, otherwise there will only be a negative attitude. It’s difficult to give specific advice here - try to persuade the children, take them lightly, tell them what benefits this will bring for their development - you know better than anyone what will hook your children, so I’m sure you’ll figure out how to start the process.

And then it is very important that everything goes smoothly, with laughter and always without pressure. Don't focus on the result, enjoy the process, here and now. If you see that a verse doesn’t work at all, say that you don’t like it, that it’s some kind of harmful verse and doesn’t want to be remembered. This will prevent them from feeling dissatisfied with themselves due to failure. Remember - success inspires.

If you are interested in watching our videos, look on my Instagram - I posted 8 videos there. @lingvakids

If you still have kids, then don’t worry - how old are you! In the meantime, check out this set of illustrated cards featuring traditional nursery rhymes.

The reasons for learning poetry in English are the same as for using songs: any authentic material allows you to hear what “real English” sounds like, not adapted for foreigners.

Why learn poems in English

Memory and pronunciation training are not all the benefits of English poetry as an element of learning. Working with poetry provides many opportunities to personalize classes: you can write an essay based on a poem you like, discuss poems in English with friends or classmates, practice artistic writing, and get to know the culture of English-speaking countries better. Poems will help break up boring classes and add a touch of aesthetics to the learning process.

How to learn poems

1. Choose a poem. The first thing you should focus on is your level of language proficiency. If you are just at the beginning of learning English, long classical poems will not be suitable for you, as they contain many outdated words and complex speech patterns. Therefore, choose short poems with short lines. However, it is important to maintain a balance here, because very simple nursery rhymes will not be interesting to learn and read. Stick to poems that you can get the gist of or that have a Russian translation.


2. Write or print the chosen poem on a piece of paper and cut it line by line to make a kind of puzzle. Mix all the lines and try to put them in the correct sequence. This will help you learn the poem and remember new vocabulary at the same time.


3. Read English poems out loud to develop correct pronunciation and learn to speak without unnecessary pauses.


4. Record on a voice recorder how you read the poem with expression. Listen to your own voice, try to find errors in pronunciation and correct them. Repeat this until you can read the poem perfectly.


5. Write your own poem. Choose a simple topic and try to create at least a couple of rhyming quatrains. Don’t chase deep meaning, your task is to learn how to choose a rhyme for English words. To make it more interesting, write a humorous epigram to your friend.


6. Choose a poem with dialogue and perform it in a short performance with friends or family. Let everyone learn a small role and try to act it out like in the theater. Excerpts from Shakespeare's classic plays are suitable for this purpose.

Free lesson on the topic:

Irregular English verbs: table, rules and examples

Discuss this topic with a personal teacher in a free online lesson at Skyeng school

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5 short poems for children

5 short poems for beginners

5 short poems for intermediate level

5 difficult poems

Video about poetry in English:

Friends, greetings.

I always say: English needs to be learned with interest. Everything should be simple, understandable, comfortable, and most importantly, interesting. And one of the easiest ways to learn a language is to learn poems for children in English.

So, let's go!

For beginners

Here I have collected the shortest and simplest poems. They are very easy to learn.

You can find even more poems, songs and other interesting and exciting materials on the English language for children on my favorite website LinguaLeo. Register for free and start your journey to the country “Oh, how interesting and educational everything is here!”

In general, in this excellent service you can find excellent online courses for schoolchildren of all ages: for example, English for little ones (suitable for primary school - 1st, 2nd grades), Grammar for Beginners (suitable for secondary school - 5th - 7th grades - depending on the program and goals), About yourself and loved ones in English (suitable for middle school children who want to improve their speaking skills) and others.

About the New Year

How to create a New Year's mood? Start learning poetry early. Get ready together for the arrival of the New Year and Santa Claus. I'm sure your child will like it.

	New Year's Day, happy day! We are happy and want to play. We all dance, sing and shout: “Welcome, New Year's Day!”
December is the best of all, Snowflakes dance, snowflakes fall. People see the New Year in, When December ends, it will begin.	December is the best month of all. Snowflakes are dancing, snowflakes are falling. People celebrate New Year When December ends, the New Year begins.
	Something is about to happen. When we have a big holiday. New Year usually comes at midnight And brings us gifts So sweet and bright.

About animals

The simplest and most interesting activity for a child is to study animals. Combine these rhymes with some interesting game, and your child will remember the material much faster.

	I'm a little turtle I'm crawling so slow And I drag my house Wherever you go. When I'm tired I hide my head My legs and tail And I go to bed!
	From the window of my house, I saw a little mouse Was she running? Was she jumping? She was laughing? Above what?
Lady-bird, lady-bird, Your house is on fire, And your children are all gone. And that's little Ann, And she has crept under The warming pan.	Ladybug, ladybug Fly home. Your house is on fire. All your children have flown away All but one. Little Anne She crawled under the heating pad.
A wise-old owl sat in an oak, The more he heard, the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard, Why aren’t everyone like that wise old bird?	A wise old owl sat on an oak tree. The more she heard, the less she spoke. The less she spoke, the more she listened. Why are we all so different from the wise old owl?
Who's that ringing at my doorbell? A little pussy-cat that isn’t very well. Rub its little nose with a little mutton fat. That’s the best cure for a little pussy-cat.	Who's that ringing at my door? A kitten that is unwell. Rub his nose with lamb fat, This is the best medicine for a kitten.

About winter

Poems about winter are popular before the New Year. Especially if your school organizes competitions and gives kids prizes for reciting a poem.

My T-shirt is blue, my hat is pink.

My pants are yellow, my socks are green.

Tell me what do you think about this?

My jacket is purple, my shoes are white.

Tell me what do you think about?

My gloves are brown

My scarf is black.

Tell me what do you think about this?

Is she good or bad, what do you think?

Do you like the clothes I'm wearing?

Or do you think I look stupid?

About autumn

Thematic poems about autumn create a special atmosphere. Most often they are asked at school, so here is a selection of interesting and not difficult poems.

	Autumn is coming I see the birds flying south And the days are gray and cool. Do the birds look down at me and see That I'm going to school?
Leaves are floating Some are red and The wind goes "swish" through the air; When you look back there are no leaves there.	The leaves are swaying fall down slowly; Some of them are red and some are brown. The wind blows "shhh" in the air; When you look back There are no more leaves.
	Little leaves are slowly falling Red and yellow, orange and brown, Spinning, spinning around, Falling quietly to the ground. Little leaves are slowly falling And a carpet appears on the ground. Then “shhh” the wind appears, howling, And raises the leaves in a dance into the sky.

Are these poems suitable for the reading competition? Certainly. They are clear and moderate in complexity.

By the way, it was recently published a new guide for additional English lessons with primary school children . It is suitable for both lessons with a tutor and home lessons with a child. Having briefly studied it, I can recommend it. Fun, exciting and useful!

But how do you remember all this?

Here are some tips.

• Poems must be translated. When the child clearly understands what these unfamiliar words mean, it will be easier for him.
• Look for audio poems where you can immediately put the correct pronunciation.
• The child should be interested. He won’t teach because he “has to” or because you wanted to. Try to make the learning process an interesting game. I wrote a lot about this on the blog.
• Use modern methods of memory development for yourself and your children, for example, using a special service Brainapps . I wrote about his cool capabilities and Milana’s and my successes.

With this I say goodbye.

In the meantime, I’m preparing new useful materials for you, you can subscribe to my newsletter so you don’t miss anything.

See you soon!

As you know, foreign languages ​​are easiest to learn in childhood. The poems we have collected in English for children will be a good helper in this process.

And don’t worry if you yourself are not familiar with foreign words. You can read these poems with your baby without any problems.

Each poem in English is written with translation. However, the translation is not exact, as they say word for word, but approximate. This is done to ensure that the rhyme is maintained.

In parentheses it is written in Russian letters how to pronounce certain words correctly. Thanks to this, any adult, even if he himself does not know a foreign language, will be able to pronounce all the words more or less correctly without any problems.

By the way, my six-year-old nephew is delighted with learning English on the computer. You can also try working with children, this is a very good investment in the child’s future. Now without this it’s difficult to get a good life in life) To register for the classes I’m talking about, follow this link.

You will find the poems just below on this page. We also recommend looking at this topic:

Methodologists highlight the use of poetic text as one of the effective methods of teaching a foreign language. Working on poems and rhymes allows you to solve a number of practical problems: practice pronunciation, learn and consolidate vocabulary, develop expressive reading skills, develop grammatical skills, as well as basic speaking/listening skills. Poems in English significantly enliven the course of the lesson, increase the activity of students, contribute to the development of their linguistic and creative abilities, and relieve fatigue and tension.

For the little ones

Rhymes in English for kids are a great way to instill a love of language from early childhood. While learning English poems and rhymes, the child will unconsciously memorize foreign words and grammatical structures. Tell poems, agreements and nursery rhymes while dressing your child, during games, while swimming, on a walk, on the way to kindergarten, etc.

Hi Mary!

How are you?

Fine, thanks.

What about you?

One, two, three, four, five,

Once I caught a fish alive,

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,

Then I let it go again.

Fly, little bird, fly!

Fly into the blue sky!

One, two, three,

You are free!

Rain on the green grass,

Rain on the tree,

Rain on the house-top,

But not on me.

My cat is black,

My cat is fat

I like my cat

It is my pat.

Rain, Rain

Rain, rain,

Go to Spain

Fair weather

Come again.

The bear is white.

The bird is blue.

The dog is black.

The puppy is, too.

The cow says, "Moo, moo,

I have some milk for you."

Two big apples

Under a tree.

One is for you

And one's for me.

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.

Good - bye

Good - bye,

Good - bye,

Good - bye

My doll.

Good - bye,

Good - bye,

Good - bye

You all.

Good night

Good night mother,

Good night father,

Kiss your little son.

Good night sister,

Good night brother,

Good night everyone.

Also, for children who are just beginning to get acquainted with a foreign language, for students following an individual curriculum, or simply for a fun learning English, you can offer poems based on a familiar language. Such verses contain only a few words or expressions in English. Such material is necessary in order to motivate ordinary children and educate special ones, that is, children with special needs.

Rolled up from afar

four wheel car,

There is a Siamese cat sitting in it,

Laying a blanket under the ponytail.

Doll Katrin got sick -

Dissolved aspirin.

The doctor ordered that every day

They gave her tea with honey.

The house is quiet and dark,

Moon looks out my window.

Mother, turn off the moon,

I won't sleep in the light.

Ten hares boarded the tram

There are enough free places for everyone.

The controller entered the carriage:

“Whoever doesn’t have a ticket, get out!”...

Thank you

I ate breakfast with gusto:

Yogurt, bun and biscuits.

Remove the foam from the milk with a spoon

And he said: “Thank you! Thank you!”

Goodbye

Be polite and don't forget

When saying goodbye say: "Good-bye!"

Please

Don't be lazy about being polite.

Every day at least once up to a hundred,

If you ask, the word “please”

Please speak.

Crocodile

There lived a crocodile.

He was kind and very sweet.

In the morning I lay alone

On green grass - green.

He was cheerful in the morning:

Green is the grass and green is he himself.

Dress

In English dress - dress

Pink - pink.

In it, I decided, I think,

Best of all princesses.

Watch

They have neither arms nor legs.

At the wall clock, clock.

But when the clock starts,

They walk, walk, walk...

The cat is not to blame for anything.

He was always white.

But he climbed into the pipe on the roof,

Black, black, came out of there.

There is a football game in the yard.

We are chasing a ball, ball.

I made a pass on the corner

And the glass broke, glass.

Cat and fish

Fry, cat, lives in a pond,

fish, fish, - on land.

I won't say that yet

Don't listen to me.

Hedgehog

The ball is prickly, not simple

I see thick grass.

My legs are curled up

Small hedgehog, hedgehog

Grasshopper

Met in the tall grass

I am a grasshopper, grasshopper.

He played the violin

Little snail.

Ant

Call the ant for dinner

The anteater wanted it.

Didn't go to that lunch

Smart ant, ant.

Poems in class

When learning a foreign language, even a small poem can be of great service: poetic texts contribute to faster acquisition of vocabulary and grammar. Poems in the lesson serve as phonetic warm-ups; they are pronounced and memorized during physical education. They allow you to improve pronunciation, entertain, are easy to remember, learn by heart, and fuel children’s interest in learning the language.

And keep the rule:

Always come in time to school

Keep track of time

And make it a rule:

Always be on time for school.

Let's go on a trip!

Let's pack our bag!

Take your trainers,

Take your shoes.

Take your skirt and take your shirt.

Take your dress! Off we go!

Oh, what a mess!

Let's go for a walk!

Let's pack our bag!

Take your sneakers

Take your shoes.

Take your skirt and take your shirt.

Take your dress! We're leaving already!

Oh, what a mess!

One, two, three, four, five,

Once I caught a fish alive,

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,

Then I let it go again.

Why did you let it go?

Because it bit my finger so.

Which finger did it bite?

The little finger on the right.

She sells sea shells at the sea shore.

The shells she sells are surely sea shells.

So if she sells shells on the seashor,

I’m sure she sells seashor shells.

Monday for health

Tuesday for wealth

Wednesday the best day for everyone

Thursday for crosses

Friday for losses

Saturday not luck at all

See a pin and pick it up

All that day you will have luck

See a pin and let it lay

You'll have bad luck all that day

Open the window.

Touch the table.

Touch the floor.

Open your books.

Open the window.

Touch the table.

Touch the floor.

Open your books.

Head and Shoulders,

Head and Shoulders,

Eyes, ears, mouth and nose.

Rhymes+drawings

So that the teacher can control the students' understanding of English speech by ear, the degree of proficiency in their lexical and grammatical material, and rhymes are supplemented with drawings. For example, the teacher or one of the students reads a rhyme, while the rest draw its content. Here are examples of such poems:

Draw the sun, a car, a house,

Draw a sea, a boat, a mouse,

Draw a tree, a girl, a boy.

In their hands they've got a toy.

A circle, dots, a mouth, a nose,

Two big ears, a neck, a rose.

Arms, two legs, a body, feet,

What's his name?

His name is Pete.

Draw a table, chairs, lamps,

On the table draw some stamps.

Draw two pictures on the wall,

A vase with flowers and a ball.

Draw a stool and a TV set,

A carpet, an armchair and a bed.

The pen is white,

The pencil is blue,

The pencil case is green and new.

The bag is black,

The ruler is yellow,

The chalk is white,

Our best school fellow.

The blackboard is brown,

And the sharpener is grey,

The lamp is orange,

So bright like a day.

Felt-tip pens are purple and red,

They belong to boy called Ted.

What is on the table, Kate?

Some salt, a glass, a fork, a plate.

And what can you see there, Jack?

Spoons, a cup, and a toast rack.

I see knives, a coffee pot,

Napkins, saucers and a teapot.

Working with poetry in class

However, poetry can be used in the classroom not only as a fun method of language learning. Taking a short poem as a basis, you can do serious work, touching not only phonetics, but also such aspects of the language as vocabulary and grammar.

Often, working with poetry is limited to only the most common techniques: familiarization with new vocabulary, reading the poem by the teacher/students, memorizing.

In the meantime, there are exercises that could enliven work with poetic text and allow students to develop and deepen their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, as well as activate their thinking and creative skills in the English lesson.

We present to you several such examples with translation into Russian and with variants of tasks for them.

1. Change the Present Simple forms to the Past Simple ones;
2. Change the underlined words to the synonyms from the list.

Are ringing loud and gay.

To hills and forests they are bringing

Sweet melody today.

The bells of spring are ringing,

Are ringing far and wide.

Nice days they are bringing

To people and the countryside. (clamorous, jolly, pleasant, afar, everywhere, beautiful, village)

The bells of spring are ringing

They call loudly and cheerfully.

To the hills and forests they bring

Today a sweet melody.

The bells of spring are ringing

They are calling everywhere.

Good days they bring

To the people and the countryside.

The given verses are designed to work with students in grades 5–6. For older students, more serious poetry may be used, with exercises involving analysis and discussion of the poem.