Wintertime is such fun. It is a great time to learn about Penguins and other winter animals.  On this page I have compiled a variety of penguin poems and songs. Hopefully there are some you will be able to use in your classroom.  Again, if you find anything that is not properly credited, please notify me.



penguin The Penguin Penguin Parade
penguin A Question About Penguins penguin Percy Penguin
penguin I'm a Little Penguin penguin I'm a Little Penguin (another Version)
penguin Penguin's First Swim penguin Consider the Penguin
penguin Emperor Penguins penguin Penguin
penguin In Praise of Penguins penguin Doing the Penguin
penguin The Penguin penguin I Met a Penguin
penguin The Penguin That Couldn't Fly penguin I Know a little Penguin
penguin Antarctic Anthem penguin Mr. Penguin
penguin Penguin penguin Penguins
penguin Have You Ever Seen a Penguin? penguin Parading Penguins
penguin All the Pilgrims penguin Penmguins Acrostic Poem




The Penguin

I am a bird you know quite well,
All dressed in black and white.
And even though I do have wings
They're not designed for flight.

I waddle, waddle, waddle,
On my funny little feet.
Across the icy snow I go
To find a fishy treat!

tree and penguin
back to title list

Penguin Parade

Waddle, waddle, waddle
From side to side
Penguins go a-walking
Slip, slip, slide, slide.
With a funny jump
The penguins dash
Down to the water
Splash! Splash! Splash! Splash!
Waddle from the water
With a rock n' roll
Penguins go parading
On a wintry stroll.


tree and penguin
back to title list

A Question About Penguins

When do penguins change their clothes?
They must have others, I suppose.
Can it be that they're always dressed
In party clothes, that can't be messed?
Gathered in suits of black and white
Perfect for some formal night -
Do they expect a king or queen
To grace their distant glacial scene
It would make me feel much better
If I knew they each owned a sweater.


tree and penguin
back to title list

Percy Penguin
by Catherine Y. Hongey

Percy Penguin looks so proper,
In his long black tails,
Stiff white shirt, and neatly groomed,
Correct in all details.
He's so important, chest way out,
As he pitter patters by,
But here is something very funny --
He forgot his TIE!

tree and penguin
back to title list

I'm a little penguin

I'm a little penguin
(Do a "penguin walk" in place.)
On the ice.
(Point down to the ground.)
I think cold is very nice.
(Wrap your arms around your chest and smile)
Then I hop around once, then twice.
(Hop up and down.)
I think that ice is very nice.
(Nod your head and smile.)


tree and penguin
back to title list

I', a Little Penguin
(another version)

I'm a little penguin
(Do a "penguin walk" in place.)
In the sea.
(Make wave movements with your hands.)
I can swim as fast as can be!
(Make swimming motions with your arms.)
When I catch a fish, just look at me.
(Pretend to grab a fish.)
I'm proud as can be.
(Stand up proudly.)


tree and penguin
back to title list

Penguin's First Swim

Ten little penguins all in a line
One jumps in, and now there are nine.
Nine little penguins, how they hesitate-
One tumbles in, and now there are eight.
Eight little penguins pushin' and shovin'
One slides in, and now there are seven.
Seven little penguins, scarcely more than chicks-
One slips in, and now there are six.
Six little penguins can't decide to dive-
One falls in, and now there are five.
Five little penguins huddle on the shore-
One flops in, and now there are four.
Four little penguins fidget fearfully-
One hops in, and now there are three.
Three little penguins wonder what to do-
One rolls in, and now there are two....
Two little penguins missing all the fun-
They both leap in, and now there are.....
Ten little penguins, brave as they can be,
Splashing in the waves of the salty southern sea.

tree and penguin
back to title list

Consider the Penguin
by Lucy W. Rhu

Consider the Penguin.
He's smart as can be -
Dressed in his dinner clothes
Permanently.
You never can tell
When you see him about,
If he's just coming n
Or just going out!


tree and penguin
back to title list

Emperor Penguins
by Barry Louis Polisar

Huddled close together
Against the snow and sleet,
Penguins at the pole
Pool their body heat.

They gather in a circle,
Steadfast, disciplined,
Turning toward the center,
Fighting off the wind.

Sharing warmth and comfort
On cold and icy floes,
Balancing their future
Gently, on their toes.


tree and penguin
back to title list

Penguin

I know a bird
That cannot fly:
Penguin is its name.
It cannot fly,
But it can swim
With speed that wins it fame!
I know a bird
That lives on ice
And waddles by the sea.
It looks so cute
In its black-and-white suit,
As handsome as can be!


tree and penguin
back to title list

In Praise of Penguins
by Robin Bernard

These funny birds in fancy clothes
may waddle in the snow,
but when they reach the icy sea
Just watch how fast they go!
Their song sounds like a donkey's bray,
they cannot soar or fly,
yet penguins manage very well,
and let me tell you why . . .
Their feathers keep out water,
their blubber keeps out cold,
their wings make perfect paddles
because they do not fold!
their tails are good for steering,
they brake with both their feet -
So tell me now, from all you've heard . . .
Aren't penguins NEAT?

tree and penguin
back to title list

Doing the Penguin

Flip your flippers up and down.
Look at the sky and turn around.
Peck forward,
Raise flippers.
You waddle, you waddle, you waddle, you waddle...
Flip your flippers once or twice,
Take two steps and fall on the ice!
Pick yourself up and fall down again!
That's doing it,
That's "Doing the Penguin"!
The Penguin!


tree and penguin
back to title list

The Penguin
Roxanne Williams

I am a bird you know quite well,
All dressed in black and white.
And even though I do have wings
They're not designed for flight.

I waddle, waddle, waddle,
On my funny little feet.
Across the icy snow I go
To find a fishy treat!

tree and penguin
back to title list



I Met a Penguin I met a penguin yesterday
So jolly, fat and fine.
I pinned a red heart on his chest,
And named him "Valentine".


tree and penguin
back to title list

The Penguin That Couldn't Fly

I saw a penguin
He walked right by.
He had a tear in his eye.
I heard him cry and softly sigh,
Oh, I wish I could fly.


tree and penguin
back to title list

I Know a Little Penguin

I know a little penguin.
Who sat on some blocks.
He swam in the ocean
And he climbed on some rocks.
He snapped at a seagull.
He snapped at a seal.
He snapped at a fish.
Oh, what a meal


tree and penguin
back to title list

Antarctic Anthem

At the bottom of the planet
Lies a land of ice and granite:
Ant - arc - ti - ca! Ant - arc - ti - ca!
Where winter days are dark - ti - ca.
It's the continent of our birth;
It's the coldest place on earth:
Ant - arc - ti - ca! Ant - arc - ti - ca!
You'd better wear your park - ti - ca,
Or the brutal, blasting blizzards
Will freeze your beaks and gizzards.
Ant - arc - ti - ca! Ant - arc - ti - ca!
Come visit on a lark - ti - ca.!
We'll snuggle in the snow
When it's thirty-five below.
Ant - arc - ti - ca! Ant - arc - ti - ca!
It's grander than New York - ti - ca.
Skyscraping icebergs roam
All across the frosty foam
In our sweet Antarctic home.


tree and penguin
back to title list

Mr. Penguin
(can be sung to the tune of On Top of Old Smokey)

On top of an iceberg,
All covered with snow
I saw my first penguin.
I wanted to know.
Oh is it a bird?
Or is it a fish?
I look at his feathers,
And knew which was which.
I said, "Mr. Penguin,
Which species are you?"
He said, I'm emperor.
And not a gentoo."
I said, "Mr. Penguin,
What's under your patch?"
He said, "It's an egg,
It's ready to hatch,"
I said, "Mr. Penguin,
Oh where is your wife?"
"She's out in the ocean,
She'll be back tonight."
Said Mr. Penguin,
"Her name is Jill.
She's out in the ocean,
Feeding on krill."
The next thing I knew,
I heard a peep.
And I saw a chick,
At the emperor's feet.

tree and penguin
back to title list

Penguin
by Meish Goldish

I know a bird
That cannot fly;
Penguin is its name.
It cannot fly,
But it can swim
With speed that wins it fame!

I know a bird
That lives on ice
And waddles by the sea.
It looks so cute
In its black and white suit,
As handsome as can be!

tree and penguin
back to title list

Penguins
by Helen H. Moore

The penguins' habitat is freezing -
You'll like it there
If you don't mind sneezing,
(I, myself, don't find it pleasing.)

tree and penguin
back to title list

I'm a Little Penguin
(yet another version)

I'm a little penguin
Black and white.
Short and wobbly
An adorable site.

I can't fly at all
but I love to swim.
So I'll waddle to the water
and dive right in!


tree and penguin
back to title list

Have You Ever Seen a Penguin?
(tune: Have You Ever Seen a Lassie)

Have you ever seen a penguin? a penguin? a penguin?
have you ever seen a penguin swim this way and that?
Swim this way and that way and this way and that?
Have you ever seen a penguin swim this way and that?
(make swimming motions with arms)


Repeat, substitute "swim" with:
"slide" (make sliding motions with arms)
"waddle" (take tiny steps, swinging body from side to side)
"dress" (boys bow and girls curtsy)

tree and penguin
back to title list

Ten Little Penguins
(tune: Ten Little Indians)

One little, two little, three little penguins,
Four little, five little, six little penguins,
Seven little, eight little, nine little penguins,
Ten little penguin chicks.


tree and penguin
back to title list

Parading penguins

Each one soon
Nesting on the cold
Ground with stones
Underneath and
In between for a
Nest.
It is
Spring in Antarctica.


tree and penguin
back to title list

All The Penguins
(Sung to: Oh My Darling Clementine)

They are playing on an ice patch,
They are jumping in the sea.
All the penguins are together,
Having fun so playfully!

There are big ones, there are small ones,
And then some are in between.
But they're having fun together,
Where the air is cold and clean.

When they walk they kind of waddle,
Back and forth from side to side,
Playing in the cold Antarctic,
They would never come inside!

It is in that cold Antarctic,
That's the land that they call home.
Full of snow and icy water,
From that cold they will not roam!


tree and penguin
back to title list

Penguins Acostic Poem

Perky
Exciting
Nodding
Growing
Unbelieveable
Interesting
Nest-building
Swimmers


Advice By Leland B. Jacobs Imagine what A penguin sees When walking in A wintry breeze First ice and snow Then snow and ice A scene that penguins Think is nice So, if at such A view you'd balk Don't go with penguins On a walk tree and penguin
back to title list