Christmas Poems for Kids
Christmas poems for children about the first Christmas: short rhymes for little ones, longer poems for older kids, a couple to make everyone laugh and the classics children have learned for a hundred years. Each one says what age it suits, so you can find one your child will enjoy learning.
Pick a poem by age
| Poem | Ages | Lines | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Little Sheep | 3–6 | 8 | Short |
| The Star | 4–7 | 4 | Short |
| Scratchy Hay | 4–7 | 4 | Short |
| Clip-Clop | 3–6 | 6 | Short |
| Lights on the Tree | 4–7 | 4 | Short |
| Christmas Morning | 5–8 | 6 | Short |
| Mary’s Lullaby | 5–8 | 4 | Short |
| What the Animals Saw | 7–10 | 8 | About Jesus |
| Joseph | 9–12 | 12 | About Jesus |
| Waiting | 7–10 | 8 | About Jesus |
| The Back of the Camel | 7–12 | 8 | Funny |
| Our Nativity Set | 7–12 | 8 | Funny |
| In the Bleak Midwinter | 8 and up | 40 | Classic: Rossetti |
| Lo! Newborn Jesus | 10 and up | 30 | Classic: Rossetti |
| A Christmas Carol | 8 and up | 16 | Classic: Chesterton |
| A Cradle Hymn | 8 and up | 8 | Classic: Watts |
| Christmas Bells | 10 and up | 20 | Classic: Longfellow |
Short Christmas poems for kids
Four to eight lines, easy to learn in a week. Good for ages three to seven, for a card, or for the youngest child in the family to say before Christmas dinner.
Five Little Sheep
Five little sheep on a hill so steep, One saw a star and forgot to sleep. Four little sheep heard the angels sing, Three little sheep went to see the King. Two little sheep saw a manger bed, One little sheep laid down its head. All little sheep, in a quiet heap, Watched baby Jesus fall asleep.
The Star
A star came out on Christmas night, The biggest star, the brightest light. It didn’t twinkle, didn’t blink. It pointed right at Him, I think!
Scratchy Hay
The hay was scratchy, the night was cold, The cows were sleepy, the stable was old. But Mary sang a lullaby, And stars stood still up in the sky.
Clip-Clop
Clip-clop, clip-clop, slow and steady, Little donkey, are you ready? Mary’s riding, tired and sweet. Watch the road with careful feet. Clip-clop, clip-clop, through the night, Bethlehem is just in sight!
Lights on the Tree
Red light, green light, gold light, blue, Lights on the tree for me and you. But the brightest light that I can see Is Jesus, the Light who came for me.
Christmas Morning
I woke up early. The house was still, Snow on the porch and the windowsill. Before I ran to see my toys, Before the cocoa, before the noise, I folded my hands and bowed my head. “Happy birthday, Jesus,” is what I said.
Mary’s Lullaby
Sleep, little baby, the stars are out. The shepherds have gone with a joyful shout. The angels are quiet, the cattle are too. The whole wide world has been waiting for You.
Christmas poems about Jesus for older kids
Longer poems for ages seven to twelve, each looking at the first Christmas from a different corner of the stable.
What the Animals Saw
The ox saw a mother, tired and kind, Who made a bed from what she could find. The donkey saw Joseph sweep the floor And hang a blanket over the door. The sheep saw shepherds come running in With mud on their boots and a great big grin. The cat in the rafters, quiet and small, Saw the One who had made them all.
Joseph
The Bible doesn’t tell us One word that Joseph said. He did the thing God asked of him And made a manger bed. He didn’t sing like angels. He didn’t bring a crown. But when the baby cried at night, Who walked the baby round? I think that it was Joseph, Who quietly loved Him so. Sometimes the ones who serve the most Are ones we hardly know.
Waiting
Waiting for Christmas is hard to do: Twenty-four days, and I’ve only had two. But God’s people waited for years and years, Through long dark nights and a lot of tears, Till the promise came true in a tiny town, And the Savior of all came gently down. So I can wait, and I’ll try to be glad. It’s the very best waiting the world ever had.
Turn a poem into a performance
Short Christmas skits children can act out, with line counts for every role.
Christmas skits for kidsFunny Christmas poems for kids
Church-safe giggles: the joke is always on us, never on the story.
The Back of the Camel
I wanted to be an angel With wings and a golden ring. I wanted to be a wise man And carry a gift to the King. I wanted to be a shepherd, The first one to hear the news. But they made me the back of the camel, So all you can see is my shoes.
Our Nativity Set
Our nativity set has a problem: The donkey’s been missing since May. The dog chewed a wise man’s elbow, And the baby keeps rolling away. There’s a dinosaur standing by Joseph (My brother thinks that’s really neat), But Jesus is right in the middle, And that makes the whole thing complete.
Classic Christmas poems for children
Poems children have learned for more than a century, all old enough to be in the public domain in the United States, so you can print them freely.
In the Bleak Midwinter
In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter Long ago. Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, Nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away When He comes to reign: In the bleak mid-winter A stable-place sufficed The Lord God Almighty Jesus Christ. Enough for Him whom cherubim Worship night and day, A breastful of milk And a mangerful of hay; Enough for Him whom angels Fall down before, The ox and ass and camel Which adore. Angels and archangels May have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim Throng’d the air. But only His mother In her maiden bliss Worshipped the Beloved With a kiss. What can I give Him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb, If I were a wise man I would do my part,— Yet what I can I give Him, Give my heart.
Lo! Newborn Jesus
Lo! newborn Jesus, Soft and weak and small, Wrapped in baby’s bands By His Mother’s hands, Lord God of all. Lord God of Mary, Whom His Lips caress While He rocks to rest On her milky breast In helplessness. Lord God of shepherds Flocking through the cold, Flocking through the dark To the only Ark, The only Fold. Lord God of all things, Be they near or far, Be they high or low; Lord of storm and snow, Angel and star. Lord God of all men,— My Lord and my God! Thou who lovest me, Keep me close to Thee By staff and rod. Lo! newborn Jesus, Loving great and small, Love’s free Sacrifice, Opening Arms and Eyes To one and all.
A Christmas Carol
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap, His hair was like a light. (O weary, weary were the world, But here is all aright.) The Christ-child lay on Mary’s breast, His hair was like a star. (O stern and cunning are the kings, But here the true hearts are.) The Christ-child lay on Mary’s heart, His hair was like a fire. (O weary, weary is the world, But here the world’s desire.) The Christ-child stood at Mary’s knee, His hair was like a crown, And all the flowers looked up at him. And all the stars looked down.
A Cradle Hymn
How much better thou’rt attended Than the Son of God could be, When from heaven He descended, And became a child like thee! Soft and easy is thy cradle; Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay, When His birthplace was a stable, And His softest bed was hay.
Christmas Bells
I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And in despair I bowed my head; “There is no peace on earth,” I said; “For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!” Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead; nor doth he sleep! The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men!”
Write your own Christmas poem
An acrostic is the easiest poem a child can write: spell a word down the side and start each line with its letter. Try JESUS, STAR or GIFT. Here is one to get started:
Joyful news came down that night, Every star was shining bright. Shepherds ran to see the King Under a sky where angels sing. Savior of all, born on Christmas Day.
For a Sunday school class, write the letters on a sheet, let each child take one line and read the finished poem together.
Saying a poem at church
Many of these poems work well at a children’s Christmas program. For pieces written to be said from the front, with welcome and closing speeches and tips for nervous first-timers, see our Christmas speeches for kids. To plan the whole evening around the children, start with our Christmas program ideas.
Get a free Christmas skit
Five Minutes to Bethlehem, a short skit to pair with your children’s poems and carols. Leave your email and download the printable PDF.
Questions about Christmas poems for kids
What is a good Christmas poem for a child to recite?
For ages three to six, a four-line rhyme with an action, like “The Star” or “Five Little Sheep.” From seven up, try “What the Animals Saw” or the last verse of “In the Bleak Midwinter.” For a church program, our Christmas speeches for kids are written to be said from the front, sorted by age.
What is the most famous Christmas poem?
In America, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (“’Twas the night before Christmas”), published in 1823. It is about Santa Claus, so we leave it out here. The best-known poem about the birth of Jesus is Christina Rossetti’s “In the Bleak Midwinter,” which many churches also sing as a carol.
Are these poems free to use?
Yes, for your family, classroom and church. The classic poems are in the public domain in the United States. The others were written for ChurchSkits: print them, put them on a card or say them at your Christmas program, but please don’t republish the collection on another website.
What is a short Christmas poem about Jesus for kids?
Try this one, “Scratchy Hay”: “The hay was scratchy, the night was cold, / The cows were sleepy, the stable was old. / But Mary sang a lullaby, / And stars stood still up in the sky.”
How do I help my child learn a poem by heart?
Read it together twice a day, let the child fill in the rhyming word at the end of each line, and add a small action. Most children know a four-line poem in a week and an eight-line poem in two to three.