20 Short and Sweet Shel Silverstein Poems for Kids

Poetry fosters creativity in children, helping them develop imagination and emotional expression. Shel Silverstein perfected this art of writing poetry with an instantly recognizable visual and literary style, which can be easily understood by kids of all ages. In fact, he created his distinctive brand of humorous verse, filled with quirky, playful language, and illustrated them with bold and comical line drawings that were outrageously funny yet profoundly insightful. His works, like Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic, are filled with both whimsy and wisdom, making popular Shel Silverstein poems for kids a cherished part of childhood reading.

20 Poems for Kids by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein was an American playwright, cartoonist, performer, recording artist, and poet who was an astute creator of children’s books. Shel Silverstein’s poems about friendship teach about the importance of having good friends. The raspy, playful rhythm and rhyme of Shel Silverstein’s funny poems make them quite entertaining for kids. If you’re looking for memorable Shel Silverstein poems containing a mix of absurd characters and thought-provoking and insightful ideas, look no further! 

1. Masks

She had blue skin.
And so did he.
He kept it hid
And so did she.
They searched for blue
Their whole life through,
Then passed right by
And never knew.’

2. Friendship

“I’ve discovered a way to stay friends forever—
There’s really nothing to it.
I simply tell you what to do
And you do it!!”

3. Pancake? – Where the Sidewalk Ends 

Who wants a pancake,
Sweet and piping hot?
Good little Grace looks up and says,
“I’ll take the one on the top.”
Who else wants a pancake,
Fresh off the griddle?
Terrible Teresa smiles and says,
“I’ll take the one in the middle.”

4. Noisy Day-Falling Up

Let’s have one day for girls and boyses
When you can make the grandest noise
Screech, scream, holler, and yell
Buzz a buzzer, clang a bell,
Sneeze-hiccup-whistle-shout,
Laugh until your lungs wear out.

5. Sick

“I cannot go to school today,”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I’m going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I’ve counted sixteen chickenpox
And there’s one more–that’s seventeen,
And don’t you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut–my eyes are blue–
It might be Instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I’m sure that my left leg is broke
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button’s caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,
My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is–what?
What’s that? What’s that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G’bye, I’m going out to play!”

6. Snowball 

I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I’d keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first it wet the bed.

7. The Homework Machine 

The Homework Machine, oh the Homework Machine,
Most perfect contraption that’s ever been seen.
Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime,
Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds time,
Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be.
Here it is – “nine plus four?” and the answer is “three”.
Three?
Oh me…
I guess it’s not as perfect
As I thought it would be..

8. Falling Up 

I tripped on my shoelace
And I fell up
Up to the rooftops,
Up over the town,
Up past the treetops,
Up over the mountains,
Up where the colours
Blend into the sounds.
But it got me so dizzy
When I looked around,
I got sick to my stomach
And I threw down.

9. Runny’s Heading Rabits 

Runny lent to the wibrary
And there were bundreds of hooks-
Bistory hooks, beography gooks,
And lots of bory stooks,
He looked them over one by one
And guess which one he took
A bience scook? A boetry pook?
Oh, no-a bomic cook!

10. How Many Slams in an Old Screen Door? 

Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live ’em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give ’em’

11. The Land of Happy

Have you been to The Land of happy?
Where everyone’s happy all day
Where they joke and sing of the happiest things,
And everything’s jolly and gay?
There’s no one unhappy in Happy
There’s laughter and smiles galore.
I have been to the The Land of Happy
What a bore!

12. The Edge of the World- Where the Sidewalk Ends 

Columbus said the world is round?
Don’t you believe a word of that?
For I’ve been down to the edge of the world,
Sat on the edge where the wild wind whirled,
Peeked over the ledge where the blue smoke curls,
And I can tell you, boys and girls,
The world is FLAT!

13. Magic

Sandra’s seen a leprechaun,
Eddie touched a troll,
Laurie danced with witches once,
Charlie found some goblins’ gold.
Donald heard a mermaid sing,
Susy spied an elf,
But all the magic I have known
I’ve had to make myself.

14. Captain Hook

Captain Hook must remember
Not to scratch his toes.
Captain Hook must watch out
And never pick his nose.
Captain Hook must be gentle
When he shakes your hand.
Captain Hook must be careful
Openin’ sardine cans
And playing tag and pouring tea
And turnin’ pages of his book.
Lots of folks I’m glad I ain’t–
But mostly Captain Hook!

15. Fish?

The little fish eats the tiny fish,
The big fish eats the little fish—
So only the biggest fish gets fat.
Do you know any folks like that?

16. Yesees and Noees

The Yesees said yes to anything
That anyone suggested.
The Noees said no to everything
Unless it was proven and tested.
So the Yesees all died of much too much
And the Noees all died of fright,
But somehow I think the Thinkforyourselfees
All came out all right.

17. Listen To The Mustn’ts

Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child,
Listen to the DON’TS
Listen to the SHOULDN’TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then lost close to me—
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.

18. Invitation

If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer…
If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come in!
Come in!

19. Frozen Dream

I’ll take the dream I had last night
And put it in my freezer,
So someday long and far away
When I’m an old grey geezer,
I’ll take it out and thaw it out,
This lovely dream I’ve frozen,
And boil it up and sit me down
A dip my old cold toes in.

20. For Sale

One sister for sale!
One sister for sale!
One crying and spying young sister for sale!
I’m really not kidding,
So who’ll start the bidding?
Do I hear the dollar?
A nickel?
A penny?
Oh, isn’t there, isn’t there, isn’t there any
One kid that will buy this old sister for sale,
This crying and spying young sister for sale?

This was our compilation of some of the best poems by Shel Silverstein that are clever and funny with their weird, irreverent twists and turns, and wild, imaginative flights.

FAQs

1. How can Shel Silverstein’s poems help develop a child’s sense of humor?

Shel Silverstein’s poems often blend wit with simple, yet clever, language that encourages children to appreciate humor in language. The playful rhymes and unexpected twists in his verses can help kids develop a sense of comedic timing and an understanding of wordplay.

2. Are Shel Silverstein’s poems suitable for all age groups?

Yes, Shel Silverstein poems are designed to be accessible for children of various ages, from young toddlers to older kids. His simple language, coupled with playful illustrations, appeals to younger readers, while the deeper themes and subtle humor also resonate with older kids and even adults.

3. How do Shel Silverstein’s poems encourage creativity in children?

Shel Silverstein’s imaginative writing style inspires children to think creatively by encouraging them to view the world in unexpected ways. His whimsical approach to everyday topics opens the door for children to create their own stories, drawings, and poems.

Funny poems by Shel Silverstein are a must-have in every child’s library. Reading Shel Silverstein’s poetic works offer a mind-altering experience. Combining a wide range of emotions, from sly humor to heartbreaking pathos, absurd to ironic, fanciful to gentle, sharp wit to inspirational, he captures the innocence of a child’s imagination without being peachy, sentimental, or trite. No wonder his mini-masterpieces have been translated into many languages and have endured the test of time!

Also Read:

Holiday Poems for Kids
Funny Poems for Children
Short English Poems for Kids
Friendship Poems for Children

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