10 Best Poems For My Kids From Mothers To Children

In raising my children, I have lost my mind but found my soul. — Lisa T. Shepherd

Having children is the best inspiration for poetry you will find.

Nothing else in life can invoke every single one of your emotions in the space of an hour. From joy, pure happiness and contentment to fear, sadness and mind blowing frustration. As a mother, you will feel every emotion life can throw at you, and often.

Poetry is getting all these emotions and feelings down on paper in beautiful and sometimes tear-inducing words.

If you are looking for a wonderful poem to read to your newborn baby whilst they fall asleep, to share with curious young children or to remind yourself of why you love having children, you will find one here in this list to enjoy and share.

If you love poetry as I do, have a look at this selection of poems kids will enjoy reading in Spring. 

I will keep adding to the following poems over the years, so share below any of your own poetry as a parent you think would contribute to this list.

10 Best Poems For My Kids

Poems On Motherhood, by Sophie Slósarczyk 

I look at you in detail

Transfixed, mesmerized,

For you-are the miracle to behold

One of exquisite beauty, flawless

Intricate and soft my baby- now a boy!

The rolls slowly give way to muscle

Baby fat melts along with my heart

Which ever so slowly shatters

For I grow more and more in love

With You

Day by day, hour by hour

Knowing you are the biggest blessing

God ever bestowed on me

Reprinted with permission. See Mamasfindyourvoice.com for more poems about motherhood and living an inspired life.

The Motherhood Paradox, by Amanda Newbery

How can I miss you while you’re sleeping,

but crave you falling asleep?

Love the feel of your hand in my palm,

but miss walking to my own beat.

How can my heart glow at the sound of you laughing,

but yearn for those moments of silence.

Feel excitement at where life will take you,

but fear how you’ll get there without my guidance?

How can I miss the space to sit alone in the sunshine,

but love snuggling with you on a cold winter day?

Yearn for just one good night of sleep,

but wake uneasy when I don’t hear your voice before the first sun ray?

How can I love to sing you twinkle, twinkle little star,

but desperately wait to lay down my own head?

Laugh at your little hands mashing up pastry,

but wish it could happen without chaos instead.

This is the motherhood paradox.

It is a confusing place to find yourself. 

Engulfed in love so deep it feels endless,

but wondering where your life has gone and hid itself?

​Just know this dilemma is always a gift,

though your eyes are tired and your patience is gone.

And when you look back on life as you age,

you’ll realise this dilemma was magical all along. 

Copyright @Amanda Newbery. Mumtastic Life

Mother Nature, by Emily Dickinson (also known as Nature, The Gentlest Mother Is)

Nature, the gentlest mother,
Impatient of no child,
The feeblest or the waywardest,
Her admonition mild

In forest and the hill
By traveller is heard,
Restraining rampant squirrel
Or too impetuous bird.

How fair her conversation,
A summer afternoon,–
Her household, her assembly;
And when the sun goes down

Her voice among the aisles
Incites the timid prayer
Of the minutest cricket,
The most unworthy flower.

When all the children sleep
She turns as long away
As will suffice to light her lamps;
Then, bending from the sky

With infinite affection
And infiniter care,
Her golden finger on her lip,
Wills silence everywhere.

This Poem Is In The Public Domain

A Nursery Darling, by Lewis Carroll

A Mother’s breast:
Safe refuge from her childish fears,
From childish troubles, childish tears,
Mists that enshroud her dawning years!
see how in sleep she seems to sing
A voiceless psalm, an offering
Raised, to the glory of her King
In Love: for Love is Rest.

A Darling’s kiss:
Dearest of all the signs that fleet
From lips that lovingly repeat
Again, again, the message sweet!
Full to the brim with girlish glee,
A child, a very child is she,
Whose dream of heaven is still to be
At Home: for Home is Bliss.

This Poem Is In The Public Domain

The Owl And The Pussy-cat, by Edward Lear

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!”

II

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.

III

“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.

This poem is in the public domain

Mother, A Cradle To Hold Me, by Maya Angelou

It is true
I was created in you.
It is also true
That you were created for me.
I owned your voice.
It was shaped and tuned to soothe me.
Your arms were molded
Into a cradle to hold me, to rock me.
The scent of your body was the air
Perfumed for me to breathe.

Excerpt, read more of Maya Angelou’s work at mayaangelou.com Thank you for sending out such beautiful and powerful words into the world, Maya. Much love.

Short Poems To My Kids

Star Light, Star Bright, children’s nursery rhyme author unknown

Star light, star bright,

First star I see tonight,

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have this wish I wish tonight.

To My Mother, by Robert Louis Stevenson

You too, my mother, read my rhymes
For love of unforgotten times,
And you may chance to hear once more
The little feet along the floor.

This poem is in the public domain

Funny Poems From Mother To Child

Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face, by Jack Prelutsky

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.

Excerpt from Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face from Something Big Has Been Here by Jack Prelutsky

Put Something In, by Shel Silversteine

Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.

Excerpt from Put Something In from the book A Light In The Attic by Shel Silversteine

There are plenty of poems to enjoy sharing with your children or reading yourself at the end of another day. These 10 are just a few of the amazing poems out there to spark your interest in enjoying poetry as a mother.

Post: What Is Poetry Teatime?

When was the last time you explored poetry books with your children?

Do you enjoy writing your own poetry? I have a lot of fun creating short poems. It’s my form of self-care morning journaling at the moment.

Did your own parents share poetry with you? Do you prefer a classic poem, famous poems, funny poems in the morning time, or a bedtime poem maybe? Let me know in the comments below.

Beaming out love to you and your children.

Amanda x