Endearing Bedtime Poems, Songs, and Verses for Kids
As you tuck your children in at night, this collection of poems, nursery rhymes, bedtime songs, and verses will be a great way to end your day with your little ones.
Watch your little children’s eyes light up when they hear the funny poems of Shel Silverstein, let their imagination soar as they hear the tale of Wynken, Blynken, and Nod for the first time, or see their little eyes slowly nod off as you sing Brahm’s lullaby.
Bible verses are also comforting to young children. Hearing of God’s protection will help them not to be afraid. Scripture will remind them of Jesus, the good shepherd who cares for his sheep.
Sometimes I like to read my kids a favorite bedtime story, but a short little children’s poem or verse or nursery rhyme is also a wonderful way to send them off to bed with the sweetest dreams.
Bedtime Poems
Wynken Blynken and Nod by Eugene Field
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe—
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
“Where are you going, and what do you wish?”
The old moon asked the three.
“We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!”
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea—
“Now cast your nets wherever you wish—
Never afeard are we”;
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam—
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home;
‘Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought ’twas a dream they’d dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea—
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one’s trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.
Bed in Summer Robert Louis Stevenson
In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer, quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.
I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people’s feet
Still going past me in the street.
And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?
The Children’s Hour by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Between the dark and the daylight,
When the night is beginning to lower,
Comes a pause in the day’s occupations,
That is known as the Children’s Hour.
I hear in the chamber above me
The patter of little feet,
The sound of a door that is opened,
And voices soft and sweet.
From my study I see in the lamplight,
Descending the broad hall stair,
Grave Alice, and laughing Allegra,
And Edith with golden hair.
A whisper, and then a silence:
Yet I know by their merry eyes
They are plotting and planning together
To take me by surprise.
A sudden rush from the stairway,
A sudden raid from the hall!
By three doors left unguarded
They enter my castle wall!
They climb up into my turret
O’er the arms and back of my chair;
If I try to escape, they surround me;
They seem to be everywhere.
They almost devour me with kisses,
Their arms about me entwine,
Till I think of the Bishop of Bingen
In his Mouse-Tower on the Rhine!
Do you think, O blue-eyed banditti,
Because you have scaled the wall,
Such an old mustache as I am
Is not a match for you all!
I have you fast in my fortress,
And will not let you depart,
But put you down into the dungeon
In the round-tower of my heart.
And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And moulder in dust away!
Bedtime by George MacDonald
‘Come, children, put away your toys;
Roll up that kite’s long line;
The day is done for girls and boys-
Look, it is almost nine!
Come, weary foot, and sleepy head,
Get up, and come along to bed.’
The children, loath, must yet obey;
Up the long stair they creep;
Lie down, and something sing or say
Until they fall asleep,
To steal through caverns of the night
Into the morning’s golden light.
We, elder ones, sit up more late,
And tasks unfinished ply,
But, gently busy, watch and wait-
Dear sister, you and I,
To hear the Father, with soft tread,
Coming to carry us to bed.
The Land of Nod by Robert Louis Stevenson
From Breakfast on through all the day
At home among my friends I stay,
But every night I go abroad
Afar into the land of Nod.
All by myself I have to go,
With none to tell me what to do–
All alone beside the streams
And up the mountain-sides of dreams.
The strangest things are there for me,
Both things to eat and things to see,
And many frightening sights abroad
Till morning in the land of Nod.
Try as I like to find the way,
I never can get back by day,
Nor can remember plain and clear
The curious music that I hear.
The Sugar-Plum Tree by Eugene Field
Funny Bedtime Poems
Snowball by Shel Silverstein
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.
Crowded Tub by Shel Silverstein
There are too many kids in this tub
There are too many elbows to scrub
I just washed a behind that I’m sure wasn’t mine
There are too many kids in this tub.
Put Something In by Shel Silverstein
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.
Bedtime Songs and Nursery Rhymes
Click on the links for the full song lyrics and video of someone singing.
All Through the Night by Edward Jones
Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loved ones’ watch am keeping,
All through the night.
Lullaby and Goodnight Brahms’ Lullaby
Lullaby, and good night,
With pink roses bedight,
With lilies overspread,
Is my baby’s sweet head.
Lay you down now, and rest,
May your slumber be blessed.
Lay you down now, and rest,
May thy slumber be blessed.
I See the Moon Nursery Rhyme
I see the moon, and the moon sees me,
God bless the moon, and God bless me!
Hush-A-Bye by an unknown author
Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall;
Down will come baby, cradle and all.
Wee Willie Winkie, a Scottish nursery rhyme
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs, in his nightgown;
Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,
“Are the children in their beds?
Now it’s eight o’clock.”
Sleep, Baby, Sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep
Your father tends the sheep
Your mother shakes the dreamland tree
And from it fall sweet dreams for thee
Sleep, baby, sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep
Our cottage vale is deep
The little lamb is on the green
With snowy fleece so soft and clean
Sleep, baby, sleep
Sleep, baby, sleep
Other Lovely Bedtime Nursery Rhymes
Comforting Bedtime Bible Verses for Children
The most important lesson and perhaps the best thing you can leave with your child before they fall asleep is the reminder of the truest truth from God’s Word. Comfort them with the promises of God.
Psalm 56: 3
“When I am afraid, I will trust in you.”
Matthew 11:28-30. 28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 4:8
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Psalm 3:24
“When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.”
Psalm 121: 1-4
- I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from? - My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. - He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber.
- Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 3:5
“I lay down and slept. I woke again for the Lord sustained me.”
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
Books of Wonderful Bedtime Stories
Great Children’s Stories by Frederick Richardson
Printable Bedtime Poems, Songs, and Verses for Kids
If you would like a printable poem, I will send you the entire collection in a pdf file. You can use these for nursery wall art or put them in a 3-ring binder to read to your child. Drop your email below for a free digital download.
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- You will get a success message with a link to the pdf file. Click on the link and print. (You will need a color printer for this printable.) Enjoy! Please remember, these are for personal use only!
I hope these endearing bedtime poems, songs, and verses will leave a positive impact of sweet memories on you and your little baby dear as you look out on a moonlit night with a whole host of stars shining down on you.
Good night, sleep tight!
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