PoemsNew rhymes and poems for children
New rhymes for small children, written by us. Each is four to eight lines, with a strong beat, so a child can learn it in a day and recite it with actions.
English
The Lazy Cat
The cat sat on the garden wall and did not chase the bird at all. "Too hot," she said, "to run today." The bird said, "Thank you," and flew away.
ShareYourGroupMy School Bag
My school bag has a book, a box, a bottle and a pair of socks, a pencil with a chewed-up end, and half a biscuit for my friend.
ShareYourGroupUncle Sun
Uncle Sun gets up at six. He combs his hair with golden sticks. He walks across the sky all day and goes to bed behind the hay.
ShareYourGroupPitter Patter
Pitter patter on the pane, here it comes, the rain, the rain! Frogs are singing, drains are full, what a lovely day for school! (Teacher says: no holiday.) Pitter patter anyway.
ShareYourGroupFive Fat Samosas
Five fat samosas on a plate, Papa took one, he couldn't wait. Four fat samosas, crisp and hot, Didi took one, thanks a lot. Three fat samosas by the tea, Dadi took one, who took three? No more samosas! Look at me: crumbs on my chin. It was me.
ShareYourGroupThe Yawning Poem
The stars are out, the lights are low, the moon says, "Time to sleep, you know." My eyes say yes, my feet say no. One more story. Then I'll go.
ShareYourGroupThe Ant
An ant went walking up my arm. I said, "Dear ant, I mean no harm, but that's my elbow, not a hill." The ant said nothing. Climbing still.
ShareYourGroupThe Auto Ride
Putt putt putt, the auto goes, Three wheels and a horn. Beep beep beep along the road, Every single morn. Hold on tight around the bend, Bumpity bump, hooray! The auto uncle waves his hand: School is not far away.
ShareYourGroupChapati Moon
The moon is like a chapati, So round and soft and white. I think the stars have had their meal And left it for tonight.
ShareYourGroupMy Shoes
Left shoe, right shoe, Which one goes on where? I put them on, they look away, A most unfriendly pair! Swap them round, now they smile, Toes all in a line. Left shoe, right shoe, Both of you are mine.
ShareYourGroup
हिन्दी
बिल्ली आई
म्याऊँ म्याऊँ बिल्ली आई, दूध कटोरी पास सरकाई। चूहा बोला बिल से झाँक: पहले पी लो, फिर मुझे ताक।
ShareYourGroupमेरा बस्ता
मेरा बस्ता भारी भारी, इसमें दुनिया रखी है सारी। कॉपी, पेंसिल, रबर, किताब, और टिफ़िन में आलू जनाब।
ShareYourGroupसूरज दादा
सूरज दादा, सूरज दादा, रोज़ सवेरे आते हो। बिना घड़ी के, बिना अलार्म के, हम सबको जगाते हो।
ShareYourGroupचींटी रानी
चींटी रानी, चींटी रानी, दाना लेकर कहाँ चली? छोटी हूँ पर मेहनत करती, इसीलिए तो लगूँ भली।
ShareYourGroupगोल गोल रोटी
गोल गोल रोटी, गोल गोल चाँद, माँ ने बेली, तवे पर डाली। फूल गई तो ताली बजाओ, घी लगाकर झट से खा लो।
ShareYourGroupसब्ज़ियों की बातें
आलू बोला: मुझको खाओ, मटर बोली: मुझे भी लाओ। गाजर हँसी: मैं हूँ लाल, खाओ सब्ज़ी, बनो कमाल।
ShareYourGroupबारिश आई
छम छम छम छम बारिश आई, छतरी मेरी उड़ उड़ जाई। मेंढक बोला टर टर टर, भीगो बच्चो, किसका डर?
ShareYourGroupऑटो वाला
पों पों करता ऑटो आया, तीन पहियों पर दौड़ा आया। बस्ता लेकर बैठ गए हम, स्कूल हमें जल्दी पहुँचाया।
ShareYourGroupचंदा मामा की रोटी
चंदा गोल, रोटी गोल, मम्मी बोलीं: मुँह तो खोल। एक निवाला चंदा का, एक निवाला मेरा, बोल!
ShareYourGroupतितली
रंग बिरंगी तितली आई, फूलों पर मँडराई। मैंने कहा: ज़रा रुक जाओ, हँसकर उड़ी, न आई।
ShareYourGroup
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
ਚਿੜੀ
ਚਿੜੀ ਆਈ, ਚਿੜੀ ਆਈ, ਚੁੰਝ ਵਿੱਚ ਦਾਣਾ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਆਈ। ਬੱਚਿਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਉਹ ਚੋਗਾ ਪਾਵੇ, ਫੁਰਰ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਫਿਰ ਉੱਡ ਜਾਵੇ।
ShareYourGroupਚੰਨ ਮਾਮਾ
ਚੰਨ ਮਾਮਾ ਗੋਲ ਮਟੋਲ, ਅੰਬਰ ਦੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਰਿਹਾ ਡੋਲ। ਮੈਂ ਆਖਿਆ: ਥੱਲੇ ਆ ਜਾ, ਦੁੱਧ ਮਲਾਈ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੋਲ।
ShareYourGroupਮੀਂਹ
ਕਿਣ ਮਿਣ ਕਿਣ ਮਿਣ ਮੀਂਹ ਪਿਆ ਵਰ੍ਹਦਾ, ਡੱਡੂ ਟਰ ਟਰ ਕਰਦਾ। ਕਾਗ਼ਜ਼ ਦੀ ਮੈਂ ਬੇੜੀ ਬਣਾਈ, ਪਾਣੀ ਉੱਤੇ ਤਰਦਾ।
ShareYourGroupਮੇਰਾ ਬਸਤਾ
ਮੇਰਾ ਬਸਤਾ ਭਾਰਾ ਭਾਰਾ, ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਤਾਬਾਂ, ਕਾਪੀਆਂ ਸਾਰਾ। ਇੱਕ ਡੱਬੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਰੌਂਠਾ ਮੇਰਾ, ਉਹ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਪਿਆਰਾ।
ShareYourGroup
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For parents and teachers: how to teach a rhyme
- Say the whole rhyme once with actions, for fun, before asking the child to repeat anything.
- Teach two lines at a time. Say them, then say them together, then let the child say them alone.
- Give every line an action: point at the sky for the sun, wriggle fingers for rain, pat the tummy for samosas.
- Repeat at odd moments: on the way to school, at bath time, while waiting for the bus. Five short turns beat one long sitting.
- Praise the attempt. A forgotten line is not a mistake at this age. It is a pause.
Choosing a rhyme for a competition
For nursery and kindergarten, four to eight lines are plenty, and the judges are looking for a clear voice, a smile and simple actions. Choose a rhyme about something the child loves, whether cats, rain, food or the school bag, because real delight shows. Avoid rhymes with words the child cannot pronounce yet. A simple costume or one prop, such as a paper sun or an umbrella, helps a shy child feel like a performer.
Why new rhymes?
Every class knows the old favourites, and at a competition five children may recite the same one. These rhymes were written for this site, so your child's will be the only one of its kind on the stage. They are about things an Indian child sees every day: samosas, rotis, the school bag, ants in a line, the first rain. The complete old classics, such as all five verses of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", are on our children's classics page.
Rhymes in Hindi and Punjabi
Small children learn rhymes fastest in the language spoken at home. The Hindi and Punjabi rhymes here use the simplest words, with a beat a child can clap. For a bilingual school function, one child reciting an English rhyme and another its Hindi neighbour, "The Ant" and "चींटी रानी" for example, makes a charming pair.
Good to know
- Add an action to every line: point, clap, jump, yawn. Children remember with their hands.
- For a recitation competition in nursery or Class 1, eight lines are plenty.