Tag Archives: poems for children

All The Things by Liz Bennett

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When we’re asked what jobs we want
my friends and I like thinking big,
by imagining a future
doing ALL the things we dig.

I might be a figure skater,
and invent the flying car,
start a business selling cupcakes,
then become a football star!

Tess could be a brilliant doctor
(maybe operate on brains),
play the keyboard in a band, and
spend the weekend flying planes!

Jingyi wants to dig for fossils,
run a kitten shelter too,
show his skills at table tennis
and then join a hip-hop crew!

A detective scuba diver,
or an astronaut who sings….
what do you think YOU’D be doing
if you could do all the things?

Image from Pexels by Collin Guernsey

Why We Have Two Ears by James Aitchison

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Have you ever wondered 

why we have two ears —

they’re very nice,

one on each side —

but why do we have

only one mouth?

I asked a man called

Epictetus who said:

“We have two ears 

so we can listen 

twice as much as 

we speak.”

Now, I wonder what he meant by that?

Teacher’s note: Epictetus was one of the great Stoic philosophers. This quote could stimulate a class discussion.

Photo from Pexels by Yan Krukau

I See A Ball by Marcus Ten Lowe

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i see a ball,
and i hear scurrying, nearby.

and then a trundling
thing, in the tall grass, who’s smiling at me,

and then the thing
pushing the ball from motionless.

i see, now, the feet
of the thing, pushing the ball,

edging it, moving it
quicker and quicker,

through the grass,
spinning, loping, disappearing…

The Skeleton by Jenny Erlanger

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I stare into the hollows

of his smiling, bony face

and I wonder how he looked

with all his other bits in place.

Was he beautiful or ugly?

Was he fat or was he lean?

Was he just a little weakling?

Was he built like a machine?

Did he have the smooth complexion

that belongs to movie stars?

Was his face a mass of pimples

or of scary-looking scars?

The skeleton says nothing

but I’m judging from his grin

that he’s rather glad he’s free

from all that muscle, flesh and skin.

Not A Dinosaur by Graham Seal

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If a Thesaurus

came before us

would it claw us?

Or even gnaw us,

as soon as it saw us?

Not really.

A Thesaurus is a book

stuffed full of words,

so it would probably

just ignore us.

(As published in The Dirigible Balloon)

Foster Boxer by Jeanie Axton

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This poem was inspired by a news story I watched, then researched, about a boxer named Treasure, who became a mum to eight little piglets on a farm in Queensland.


Eight cute little piglets
grunting and squealing today
because a boxer named Treasure
came bounding their way


A stray herself
Treasure played her part
taking the eight little piglets
straight into her heart


She rounded them up
with cuddles and licking
her milk came in
with the suckling and kicking


On a farm with eight kids
and eight piglets in tow
Treasure the Boxer
put on a great show


She now has a family
Treasure loves them to bits
a boxer and eight piglets
the perfect farm fit

Bubble Poem by Marcus Ten Low

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“how do you write a poem?”

the youngster cries.

“i hear with my ears,

and see with my eyes–

i pick a thing, a seed,

to softly blow, and blow,

and blow into a dangly,

loopy bubble…

seeing how it stirs,

or bulges,

and how my mind believes,

reflects, indulges

in its pause; and does it

look for trouble?

quicken the heart?

or make one feel so smart?

all these things a poem is,

once nothing, into synthesis.

you have a go now!

and let me know!”

“Thongs and Boardies” by Sioban Timmer

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Thongs and Boardies

Songs of yore, can be a bore

When they speak of snow and Holly.

Songs of sun are much more fun

To make our Christmas jolly.

We don’t ride sleighs – we catch some rays

As temperatures are soaring.

Hams to slice and prawns on ice

The feast is never boring.

Thongs on feet are not complete

Without our favourite boardies.

And by the pool, we’re staying cool

As Christmas hits the forties.

We don’t admire yuletide fire

Where chestnuts sit to roast.

We find fun with water guns,

Watch the sunset by the coast.

Raise a cup, with head held up

And toast the winter failure.

Sunshine above, what’s not love

That’s Christmas in Australia.

 

“Christmas Confusion” with Teacher notes

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Christmas Confusion.

Exhausted I was – one Christmas Eve,

After putting out presents for Santa – Indeed!

I sat on the sofa and ate Santa’s supper.

Instead of the milk – I had a hot cuppa.

 

I started to doze, I started to dream.

I dreamt I was flying as one of a team.

It was cold; it was freezing; my nose – it was red!

Then someone roared “Rudolf!” And I turned my head.

 

“To the top of the porch…”

“Yes I know how it goes.”

And instinctively up off the ground I arose.

Dashing here, there and yonder,

With no time to ponder.

Delivering presents all made by the elves.

 

And when the night ended,

And at last we descended;

I wearily lay down to rest on the hay.

I started to doze, I started to dream.

Then someone yelled “Dad! Where have you been?

Santa’s left presents! Mum’s set the table…

Why are you out here asleep in the stable?”

 

By: Louise McCarthy.

Teacher Notes:

Christmas is a great time of year to let the imagination go and give students tasks that are  engaging, relevant and fun.

After reading this poem ask students to write their own story of what happened when they closed their eyes on Christmas Eve. When the story is written give them a device Eg: an iPad and they can type the story into presentation software (Keynote, PowerPoint etc) and add images. These could be presented to the class. Have fun.

PS: Hang in there teachers only a week to go.

 

“The Singing Spaniel” with Teacher Notes

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“The Singing Spaniel”

Lee and Jazz

On the grass

Ukulele in hand

Learning fast

Tune in the air

Jazz’s ears prick

She starts to sing

Learning real quick

Songs in the garden

Float down the street

A boy and his dog

Sounding so sweet

A bond forged in music

A love made to last

The sounds of friendship

In music is cast

Jeanie Axton

Our son Lee and our Cocker Spaniel Jazz with Zepp the Jack Russell as an audience, have a sing a long in the garden.

 

Teacher Notes: Heres a fun December activity:

Can you write a “Dog” song. You could choose a popular tune or make one up.

Make a dog mask and perform your song to the class

 

 

This adorable dog craft uses a printable template and a paper plate to make a project suitable for a pets, mammals, or letter D theme or just for fun.

If you cut out holes instead of using the template eyes, you can convert your dog craft to a dog mask.  Attach a paint stir stick or tongue depressor to allow your child to hold it up to their face.

Materials:

  • grey paint and paintbrush (or you can keep his face white if you don’t feel like painting).
  • black marker for freckles
  • paper plate
  • something to color with (or color printer),
  • scissors
  • glue
  • paper
  • printer to print templates from internet

Instructions:

  • Paint the bottom of the paper plate grey or any colour you choose (or you can leave it white if you prefer).
  • Print out the craft template of choice.
  • Colour (if using the black and white version of the craft) and cut out the template pieces.  Most of the pieces are simple enough shapes for young children to cut out, but if needed, an adult can help with some of the harder pieces (the ears and the hair).
  • Glue the pieces to the plate to make a dog face:
    • Glue the ears onto either side of the head.
    • Glue the hair onto the center top of the head.
    • Glue the eyes onto the face under the hair (or cut out holes for eyes in a mask).
    • Glue the eyebrows above the eyes.
    • Glue the nose under the eyes.
    • Glue the mouth under the nose.
    • Use a black marker to add a few freckles on either side of the nose.

Have fun