Funny Poems for Kids: Bringing Laughter into Learning!

Are you looking to sprinkle some laughter into your child’s reading time? Funny poems for kids are not just silly; they play an essential role in engaging young minds! Humor in poetry offers a playful way to develop language skills, spark creativity, and encourage children to explore literature.

In this guide, we’ve compiled 10 must-read funny poems that children adore, along with creative teaching activities to help educators bring these poems to life in the classroom.

Top 10 Funny Poems for Kids

Introducing children to poetry through humor can make learning both enjoyable and memorable. Here are 10 timeless funny poems that kids will love.

1. The Crocodile by Lewis Carroll

A witty, playful poem describing a sneaky crocodile that welcomes little fish with a smile. Perfect for introducing classic poetry to kids.

The Crocodile by Lewis Carroll

Download this worksheet and dive into the fun world of rhymes and poetry with your students today!

How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!

How cheerfully he seems to grin,
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!

2. On the Ning Nang Nong by Spike Milligan

A nonsensical verse filled with playful sounds, perfect for teaching rhythm and phonetics.

On the Ning Nang Nong by Spike Milligan

Download “On the Ning Nang Nong” worksheet to bring laughter and fun rhymes into your classroom today!

On the Ning Nang Nong
Where the cows go Bong!
and the monkeys all say BOO!
There’s a Nong Nang Ning
Where the trees go Ping!
And the tea pots jibber jabber joo.

On the Nong Ning Nang
All the mice go Clang
And you just can’t catch ’em when they do!
So its Ning Nang Nong
Cows go Bong!
Nong Nang Ning
Trees go Ping
Nong Ning Nang
The mice go Clang
What a noisy place to belong
is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!!

3. My Big Fat Cat by Christian Mitewu

A humorous poem about an ever-hungry cat, perfect for introducing exaggeration in poetry.

My Big Fat Cat by Christian Mitewu

Download the worksheet now and bring some laughter into your poetry lesson!

I own a big fat cat—
The fattest for miles around.
Wherever there’s lots of food,
That’s where he’ll be found.

He’s really good at eating.
It’s a talent, I suppose.
I’m sure if he keeps at it
He’d win the talent shows.

I own a big fat cat—
He weighs at least a ton.
He couldn’t run to save his life.
Yes, he isn’t much fun.

His favourite room’s the kitchen.
(I’m sure we all know why.)
He eats just about everything,
So that’s why, with a sigh…

I’d like to tell you, Teacher,
I’d like to tell you straight,
I might have “accidentally” dropped
my homework in his plate.

4. Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face by Jack Prelutsky

This poem offers a funny perspective on facial features, encouraging students to appreciate their bodies.

Be Glad Your Nose is on Your Face by Jack Prelutsky

Download this worksheet for a fun and engaging poetry lesson.

Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place,
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.

Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you’d be forced to smell your feet.

Your nose would be a source of dread
were it attached atop your head,
it soon would drive you to despair,
forever tickled by your hair.

Within your ear, your nose would be
an absolute catastrophe,
for when you were obliged to sneeze,
your brain would rattle from the breeze.

Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place—
be glad your nose is on your face!

5. The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

A classic humorous adventure of two unlikely friends, introducing students to narrative poetry.

The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear

Download this worksheet to enjoy the playful and entertaining poem.

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
“O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!”

Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?”
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-Tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.

“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.

6. How Not To Have To Dry the Dishes by Shel Silverstein

This humorous poem provides a clever, mischievous way to avoid a boring household chore—drying the dishes. With Silverstein’s signature wit, it reminds kids that sometimes, making a little mess can have unexpected benefits!

How Not To Have To Dry The Dishes by Shel Silverstein

Download the worksheet and share the fun with your students!

If you have to dry the dishes
(Such an awful, boring chore)
If you have to dry the dishes
(‘Stead of going to the store)
If you have to dry the dishes
And you drop one on the floor—
Maybe they won’t let you
Dry the dishes anymore.

7. My Kitten Is a Ninja by Kenn Nesbitt

What happens when a kitten thinks it’s a ninja? This playful poem captures the hilarious antics of a sneaky, stealthy cat that loves to pounce and surprise its unsuspecting owner.

My Kitten is a Ninja by Kenn Nesbitt

Download the worksheet and enjoy reading this playful poem with your students.

My kitten is a ninja.
He wears a black disguise.
He sneaks up on me stealthily
And takes me by surprise.

I never hear him coming.
He doesn’t make a peep.
He hides, then glides in silently
And makes a flying leap.

I don’t know why he does it.
The reason isn’t clear.
He simply likes to tackle me
Then swiftly disappear.

I wish that he was normal
And didn’t act like that.
My life would be so different if
I had an average cat.

I’d play with him, and pet him,
And treat him gingerly.
Instead, whenever he’s around
I get a ninjury.

8. My Next Door Neighbor is a Witch by Samiya Vallee

Ever wondered what it’s like to have a witch for a neighbor? This is a fun and spooky poem full of magical mysteries. From her pointy hat to her bubbling potions, every clue hints at something enchantingly eerie.

My Next Door Neighbor is a Witch by Samiya Vallee

Encourage your students to explore their imagination with this fun poem!

My next door neighbor is a witch,
And she lives way down in a ditch.
Her clothing is a little strange,
Because she never wants to change.
She has a black robe and a black hat,
Green skin and a smelly black cat.
A big fat wart grows on her nose,
And seventeen pimples on her toes.

But…her food is EVEN worse,
Because she eats it course by course.
Her first course is seven dead bats,
Laid on top of seven rats.
Then she has twenty flies
With lots and lots of llama eyes.
Her main course is a horrible soup,
Because it’s made with doggie poop.
But worst of all is her dessert.
It’s little children rolled in dirt.

Last night she had a witch’s feast
And turned into a greedy beast.
I think she cooked my best friend Tilly
And ate her with some peas and broccoli.

9. Don’t Be Silly by Dave Moran

This playful poem is all about embracing humor and looking at life from a fun, unexpected angle. With its witty rhymes and lighthearted tone, it’s a perfect read to brighten anyone’s day.

Don’t Be Silly by Dave Moran

Use this engaging poem to inspire curiosity in your children.

Are there bugs that live on the moon?
Can July come before June?
Can the sun ever feel cold?
“Don’t be silly” I’m often told.

Why can’t we live under the sea?
The creatures there seem so happy.
Why does cheese look like gold?
“Don’t be silly” I’m often told.

So why are things the way they are?
Has it always been, right from the start?
Will Mickey Mouse ever get old?
“Don’t be silly” I’m often told.

So in good time I know I’ll grow,
And I will learn, this I know.
I’ll ask my questions and be bold,
“And that’s not silly” I’ll be told.

10. My Bed is a Boat by Robert Louis Stevenson

This charming poem transforms bedtime into a magical journey, where a simple bed becomes a boat sailing through dreamy seas. with gentle rhymes and vivid imagery, it captures the wonder of a child’s imagination.

My Bed is a Boat by Robert Louis Stevenson

Encourage your children to explore their imagination with this dreamy adventure poem!

My bed is like a little boat;
Nurse helps me in when I embark;
She girds me in my sailor’s coat
And starts me in the dark.

At night, I go on board and say
Good night to all my friends on shore;
I shut my eyes and sail away
And see and hear no more.

And sometimes things to bed I take,
As prudent sailors have to do;
Perhaps a slice of wedding-cake,
Perhaps a toy or two.

All night across the dark we steer;
But when the day returns at last,
Safe in my room, beside the pier,
I find my vessel fast.

Engaging Activities to Teach Funny Poems to Kids

Adding interactive activities helps make poetry lessons even more enjoyable. Here are some creative ideas to bring these funny poems to life in the classroom.

Engaging activities to teach funny poems for kids

Use these interactive activities to make poetry lessons fun and engaging for kids!

1. Rhyming Games

Select poems with clear rhyming patterns and create games where students identify and generate rhyming words. This reinforces phonemic awareness and enhances their ability to recognize sound patterns.​

2. Vocabulary Building

Use poems to introduce new vocabulary in context. Discuss unfamiliar words and encourage students to use them in sentences, thereby expanding their language skills.

3. Illustrate and Art Project

Combine art and poetry by having students illustrate scenes from the poems. For example, they can draw their interpretation of The Owl and the Pussycat’s journey, enhancing comprehension and visualization skills.

4. Creative Writing Exercises

After reading poems like Dandelion, have students brainstorm and write their own imaginative poems. This fosters creativity and helps students understand poetic structures.

5. Dramatic Read-Alouds

Encourage students to perform dramatic readings of funny poems. This activity enhances public speaking skills and helps students grasp the rhythm and intonation inherent in poetry.

6. Group Discussions

Facilitate discussions about the themes and language used in the poems. This encourages critical thinking and allows students to explore the nuances of humor in literature.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a silly poem with five lines?

A silly five-line poem is often a limerick, characterized by its AABBA rhyme scheme and humorous content. For example:​

There once was a cat from Peru,
Who dreamed of a life in a zoo.
He packed up his hat,
And left in a spat,
Now he’s learning to sing opera too.

2. What is a funny theme for a poem?

Funny themes for poems can include everyday mishaps, exaggerated tales, animals in humorous situations, or playful takes on common experiences, like a child’s imaginative excuses for not doing homework.

3. What is a poem that has rhymes?

A poem with rhymes is simply one that employs a rhyming scheme, where the end sounds of lines correspond in a patterned way. Rhyming adds musicality and can enhance the memorability and enjoyment of the poem.

Final Words

Integrating funny poems for kids can significantly enhance student engagement and foster a love for literature. These poems not only entertain but also serve as valuable tools for teaching rhythm, rhyme, and creative expression.

For further practice and to provide your students with fun, engaging activities, explore the printable and interactive worksheets available at Worksheetzone.