Winter and Christmas Poems for Children

To make your life a bit easier in the busy holiday season, I have curated a few of our favourite winter and Christmas poems that I read to my young children. My personal favourite from this list is “December Leaves”.  Please share in the comments what your favourite winter poem to read with your children is or which poem from the list is your favourite. Follow me on Instagram @lifearoundthetable.ca where I share poems for children on my stories.

The Snowflake

Before I melt, 

Come, look at me!

This lovely icy filigree! 

Of a great forest 

In one night

I make a wilderness of white: 

By skyey cold

Of crystals made, 

All softly, on 

Your Finger laid, 

I pause, that you

My beauty see: 

Breathe, and I vanish 

Instantly! 

-Walter de la Mare- 

A Heavy Snowfall

Now all the world is white,

But where is one to find a spot 

To view the lovely sight?

-Riu-

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.

-Shel Silverstein-

Winter Morning Poem

Winter is the king of showmen,
Turning tree stumps into snow men
And houses into birthday cakes
And spreading sugar over lakes.
Smooth and clean and frosty white,
The world looks good enough to bite.
That's the season to be young,
Catching snowflakes on your tongue!
Snow is snowy when it's snowing.
I'm sorry it's slushy when it's going.

-Ogden Nash-

December Leaves

The fallen leaves are cornflakes
That fill the lawn’s wide dish,
And night and noon
The wind’s a spoon
That stirs them with a swish.
The sky’s a silver sifter,
A-sifting white and slow,
That gently shakes
On crisp brown flakes
The sugar known as snow

-Kaye Starbird-

Fog

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.

-Carl Sandburg-

Something Told The Wild Geese

Something told the wild geese
It was time to go,
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, "snow."

Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries, luster-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, "frost."

All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.

Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly,
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.

-Rachel Field-

Velvet Shoes

Let us walk in the white snow

          In a soundless space;

With footsteps quiet and slow,

          At a tranquil pace,

          Under veils of white lace.

I shall go shod in silk,

          And you in wool,

White as white cow's milk,

          More beautiful

          Than the breast of a gull.

We shall walk through the still town

          In a windless peace;

We shall step upon white down,

          Upon silver fleece,

          Upon softer than these.

We shall walk in velvet shoes:

          Wherever we go

Silence will fall like dews

          On white silence below.

          We shall walk in the snow.

-Elinor Wylie-

The Present

There's a present under the Christmas tree,

And I'm excited to see it's addressed to me.

I imagine all the great things it might be,

But I have to wait until Christmas morning to see.

-Kelly Roper-

Please share in the comments what your favourite winter poem is to read with your children or which poem from the list is your favourite.