ShareTweetGooglePinterestMail
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Nursery Rhymes for kids lay the foundation to early language and reading skills. Children who are frequently read and sang to early on, are much more likely to develop strong reading skills.
After using poems to teach kids how to read over the past 17 years, I have found nursery rhymes to be the most effective tool. I’m so excited to share this list of the nursery rhymes for kids with you. They will build vocabulary, fluency, expressive and receptive language, rhyming skills, and expand the kids’ imagination.
Free Nursery Rhymes for Kids
In this blog post, you will find the some of the best nursery rhymes lyrics and suggested activities. Before you start scrolling, grab your FREE poetry guide with checklists, activities, and printables.
1. A Tisket, A Tasket Lyrics
A Tisket, a tasket, a green and yellow basket.
I wrote a letter to my friend, and on the way I dropped it.
I dropped it, I dropped it,
and on the way I dropped it.
The little boy, he picked it up,
and put it in his pocket.
A Tisket, A Tasket Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
2. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep Lyrics
Baa, baa, black sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir
Three bags full.
One for my master
And one for the dame
One for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep Suggested Activities
- Color a sheep template black, then use cotton balls to incorporate a sensory craft
- Estimate how many cotton balls it will take to fill three lunch bags
- Baa, Baa Black Sheep Build a Poem
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
3. Hey Diddle Diddle Lyrics
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.
Get “Hey Diddle Diddle”, HERE or on TPT
Hey Diddle, Diddle Suggested Activities
4. Hickory Dickory Dock Lyrics
Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one, the mouse ran down.
Hickory dickory dock.
Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck two, the mouse said “BOO!”
Hickory dickory dock.
Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck three, the mouse said “WHEE!”
Hickory dickory dock.
Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck four, the mouse said “No more!”
Hickory dickory dock.
Hickory Dickory Dock Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
5. Humpty Dumpty Lyrics
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the Kings horses, and all the king’s men,
couldn’t put Humpty together again.
Humpty Dumpty Suggested Activities
Get Humpty Dumpty, HERE or on TPT
6. I’m a Little Teapot Lyrics
I’m a little teapot short and stout.
Here is my handle, here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up, hear my shout.
Just tip me over, and pour me out!
I’m a Little Teapot Suggested Activities:
- Have a tea party using a kids Tea set
- Integrate lessons on measurement. Compare compacity and weight of a teapot verves a teacup
This printable poem is exclusive to the Poem of the Day Bundle, HERE or on TPT.
7. It’s Raining, It’s Pouring Lyrics
It’s raining, it’s pouring.
The old man is snoring.
Went to bed, and bumped his head
and couldn’t get up in the morning.
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
8. Itsy Bitsy Spider Lyrics
The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout.
Down came the rain, and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain.
And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again.
Itsy Bitsy Spider Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
9. Jack and Jill Lyrics
Jack and Jill went up the hill
to fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down, and broke his crown,
and Jill came tumbling after.
Jack and Jill Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
10. Jack Be Nimble Lyrics
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.
Jack jump over the candlestick.
Jack jumped high. Jack jumped low.
Jack jumped over, and burned his toe!
Jack Be Nimble [Nursery Rhyme for Kids] Suggested Activities:
- Get a cheap candlestick mold and candle making kit to make candles with your kids. [This is great to do with a parent volunteer]
- Let the kids practice jumping over a candlestick while reciting the nursery rhymes for kids.
- Jack Be Nimble Build a Poem – replace the Jack card with the students names to personalize this fun nursery rhyme for kids [see video above]
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
11. Little Bo Peep Lyrics
This traditional nursery rhyme is one I like to include in my farm themed lesson plans. For example, the introduction of sheep allows for the talk of other farm animals. It’s great a bridge into more mother goose nursery rhymes naturally occurs. For example, you can then teach more English nursery rhymes such as “This Little Piggy”, “Five Little Ducks”, “Three Little Pigs”, “Five Little Speckled Frogs”, “Old MacDonald”, and more popular rhymes.
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
Little Bo Peep lost her sheep,
and doesn’t know where to find them.
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
bringing their tails behind them.
Little Bo Peep Suggested Activities:
12. Little Boy Blue Lyrics
Little Boy Blue come blow your horn.
The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn.
But where’s the boy who looks after the sheep?
He’s under a haystack fast asleep.
Will you wake him? No – not I.
For if I do, he’s sure to cry.
Little Boy Blue Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
13. Little Miss Muffet Lyrics
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
eating her curdy and whey.
Along came a spider who sat down beside her,
and frightened Miss Muffet away.
Little Miss Muffet Suggested Activities:
- Do a nursery rhyme for kids comparison with Little Miss Muffet and Itsy Bitsy Spider
- Introduce vocabulary, such as tuffet, curds and whey, and frightened.
- Swap out frightened for another word to describe emotions and act them all out.
- Little Miss Muffet Build a Poem
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
14. Mary Had a Little Lamb Lyrics
Mary had a little lamb,
it’s fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
the lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day
and broke the teacher’s rule
And what a time did they have
that day at school.
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
Mary Had a Little Lamb Suggested Activities:
15. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe Lyrics
One, two, buckle my shoe.
Three, four, shut the door.
Five, six, pick up sticks.
Seven, eight, lay them straight.
Nine, ten, a big fat hen.
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
One Two Buckle My Shoe Suggested Activities:
16. Polly Put the Kettle On Lyrics
Polly put the kettle on.
Polly put the kettle on.
Polly put the kettle on.
We’ll all have tea.
Sukey, take it off again.
Sukey, take it off again.
Sukey, take it off again.
They’ve all gone away.
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Polly Put the Kettle On Suggested Activities:
17. Rain, Rain Go Away Lyrics
Rain, rain, go away.
Come again another day.
Little Johnny wants to play.
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Rain Rain Go Away Suggested Activities:
18. Row, Row, Row your Boat Lyrics
Row, row, row your boat
gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
life if but a dream.
Row, Row, Row Your Boat Suggested Activities:
- Sink or float activities
- Water table
- Row Row Row Your Boat Build a Poem
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
19. Star Light, Star Bright Lyrics
Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Star Light, Star Bright Suggested Activities:
20. The Wheels on the Bus Lyrics
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round
all through the town.
The Wheels on the Bus Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
Some may debate that The Wheels on the Bus is an American Folk song, while others claim it to be a classic Mother Goose song for kids. Either way, it was published in 1939, and remains a popular song for kids of all ages.
This nursery rhyme for kids has variations, changing “wheels” to wipers, kids, babies, bus driver, mommies, daddies, and horn – to name a few. Each variation has a different hand motion or sound effect, making this a very engaging and interactive song for kids.
21. There Was An Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe Lyrics
This fun, classic nursery rhyme, inspires young children to use their imagination. The kids say this is a funny nursery rhyme because how can an old lady actually live in a shoe. They ask questions such as “how many little boys live in the shoe?”, and “Is there a little girl?” While you may want to work on more thorough reading comprehension questions, and focus on learning new words, this is a fun poem for kids of all ages.
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.
Then, whipped them all soundly, and put them to bed.
There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
22. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Lyrics
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.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Suggested Activities:
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
23. Wee Willie Winkie Lyrics [Nursery Rhymes for Kids]
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs, in his nightgown;
Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,
“Are the children in their beds?
Now it’s eight o’clock.
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Wee Willie Winkie Suggested Activities
24. A Wise Old Owl Lyrics
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 we all like
that wise old bird?
A Wise Old Owl Suggested Activities
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
25. Hot Cross Buns Lyrics
Hot cross buns,
Hot cross buns,
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns
If your daughters
Don’t like them,
Give them to your sons.
Hot cross buns.
Hot Cross Buns Suggested Activities
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
26. One, Two, Three, Four, Five [Once I caught a fish alive] Lyrics
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 he bit my finger so.
Which finger did he bite?
This little finger on the right.
One, Two, Three, Four, Five Suggested Activities | Nursery Rhymes for Kids
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
27. Little Jack Horner Lyrics
Little Jack Horner
sat in a corner
eating a Christmas pie.
He put in his thumb
and pulled out a plumb
and said, “What a good boy and I?”
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Little Jack Horner Suggested Activities
28. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary Lyrics
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells
and cockle shells,
and pretty maids all in a row.
Get this poem on TPT
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary Suggested Activities
29. Old Mother Hubbard Lyrics
Old Mother Hubbard
went to the cupboard
to get her poor dog a bone.
But when she got there,
the cupboards were bare,
so the poor dog had none.
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Old Mother Hubbard Suggested Activities
30. Pat a Cake Lyrics
Pat a cake, pat a cake bakers man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
Roll it and pat it and mark it with a B.
But it in the oven for baby and me.
Pat a Cake Suggested Activities
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
31. Pease Porridge Hot Lyrics
Pease porridge hot,
Pease porridge cold.
Pease porridge in the pot
nine days old.
Some like it hot.
Some like it cold,
Some like it in the pot
nine days old.
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Pease Porridge Hot Suggested Activities
32. Roses are Red Lyrics
Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Sugar is sweet
and so are you.
Get this poem HERE or on TPT
Roses are Red Suggested Activities
- Do a nature walk and collect wild flowers, then sort them by color or type
- Plant roses
- Roses are Red Build a Poem
33. Three Blind Mice Lyrics
Three blind mice,
three blind mice,
See how they run,
see how they run.
They all ran after the farmer’s wife
who cut off their tails with a carving knife.
Did you ever see such
a sight in your life,
as three blind mice?
Three Blind Mice Suggested Activities
Get this printable poem HERE or on TPT
34. Three Little Kittens Lyrics
Three little kittens,
they lost their mittens,
and they began to cry.
“Oh, mother dear,”
we sadly fear,
that we have lost our mittens.
Three Little Kittens Suggested Activities
Get this printable HERE or on TPT
Thanks for stopping by Little Learning Corner to check out these favorite nursery rhymes for kids. Leave your favorite ideas for Mother Goose rhymes in the comments below.
If you’re interested in getting 35 Printable Nursery Rhyme poems, check out the bundle below.
Before you go, here are some blog posts you may enjoy:
30 Best Nursery Rhyme Books for Kids
17 Simple Humpty Dumpty Printables
90 Quick Report Card Comments
All About Build a Poems
25 Popular Nursery Rhymes Songs