A Limerick, according to the Oxford dictionary, is ‘a humorous five-line poem with a rhyme scheme aabba.’ Limericks are inherently funny and can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including in language teaching. As a teacher, you can use limericks to engage students in creative writing, enhance their understanding of rhyme and rhythm, and make learning more enjoyable.
For instance, limericks can be a fun way to introduce new vocabulary or grammar concepts. You might challenge your students to write their own limericks, helping them practice language skills in a playful and memorable way. Additionally, reading and creating limericks can boost students’ confidence in using language expressively and improve their phonemic awareness.
Limericks for Kids
In today’s post, I am sharing with you a collection of popular limericks to use with your students. These limericks are taken from Edward Lear’s original copy of his book “Nonsense Books.” The first copy of the book was published in 1846. This copy is scanned, digitized, and made available by Google Books as part of its project to ‘make the world’s books discoverable online.’
Edward Lear, an artist and author of “Journals of a Landscape Painter” and “Books of Nonsense,” died in Italy in 1888. Edward popularized limericks, bringing this delightful form of poetry to the masses. I also used Midjourney to generate visuals for the limericks, mimicking Edward’s style. I hope you enjoy them and find them useful in your teaching.
1. There was an Old Man on a hill
There was an Old Man on a hill,
Who seldom, if ever, stood still;
He ran up and down in his Grandmother’s gown,
Which adorned that Old Man on a hill. (p. 26)
2. There was an Old Person of Chili
There was an Old Person of Chili,
Whose conduct was painful and silly;
He sate on the stairs, eating apples and pears,
That imprudent Old Person of Chili. (p. 26)
3. There was an Old Man with a gong
There was an Old Man with a gong,
Who bumped at it all the day long;
But they called out, “Oh, law! you ‘re a horrid old bore!”
So they smashed that Old Man with a gong. (p. 27)
4. There was an Old Man of Kilkenny
There was an Old Man of Kilkenny,
Who never had more than a penny;
He spent all that money in onions and honey,
That wayward Old Man of Kilkenny. (p. 27)
5. There was an Old Man with a flute
There was an Old Man with a flute,
A “sarpint” ran into his boot!
But he played day and night, till the “sarpint” took flight,
And avoided that Man with a flute. (p. 30)
6.There was a Young Lady of Portugal
There was a Young Lady of Portugal,
Whose ideas were excessively nautical;
She climbed up a tree to examine the sea,
But declared she would never leave Portugal. (p. 30)
7.There was an Old Man of Moldavia
There was an Old Man of Moldavia,
Who had the most curious behavior;
For while he was able, he slept on a table,
That funny Old Man of Moldavia. (p.33)
8. There was an Old Person of Hurst
There was an Old Person of Hurst,
Who drank when he was not athirst;
When they said, “You’ll grow fatter!” he answered “What matter?”
(That globular Person of Hurst. (p.33)
9. There was an Old Person of Leeds
There was an Old Person of Leeds,
Whose head was infested with beads;
She sat on a stool and ate gooseberry-fool,
Which agreed with that Person of Leeds. (p.35)
10. There was an Old Person of Cadiz
There was an Old Person of Cadiz,
Who was always polite to all ladies;
But in handing his daughter, he fell into the water,
Which drowned that Old Person of Cadiz. (p.35)
11. There was an Old Man who supposed
There was an Old Man who supposed
That the street door was partially closed;
But some very large Rats ate his coats and his hats,
While that futile Old Gentleman dozed. (p. 37)
12. There was an Old Person whose habits
There was an Old Person whose habits
Induced him to feed upon Rabbits ;
When he’d eaten eighteen, he turned perfectly green,
Upon which he relinquished those habits. (p. 37)
13. There was an Old Man of Quebec
There was an Old Man of Quebec, ―
A beetle ran over his neck;
But he cried, “With a needle I’ll slay you, O beadle !”
That angry Old Man of Quebec. (p. 41)
14. There was a Young Lady of Bute
There was a Young Lady of Bute,
Who played on a silver-gilt flute ;
She played several jigs to her Uncle’s white Pigs:
That amusing Young Lady of Bute. (p. 41)
16. There was an Old Man on some rocks
There was an Old Man on some rocks,
Who shut his Wife up in a box :
When she said, “Let me out,” he exclaimed, “Without doubt
You will pass all your life in that box.” (p. 53)
17. There was an Old Man with a beard
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who sat on a Horse when he reared;
But they said, “Never mind! you will fall of behind,
You propitious Old Man with a beard!” (p. 62)
18. There was an Old Man of Berlin
There was an Old Man of Berlin,
Whose form was uncommonly thin;
Till he once, by mistake, was mixed up in a cake,
So they baked that Old Man of Berlin. (p. 62)
19. There was an Old Lady of Prague
There was an Old Lady of Prague,
Whose language was horribly vague ;
When they said, “Are these caps?” she answered, “Perhaps !”
That oracular Lady of Prague. (p. 70)
Related: Fun Animal Jokes for Kids
20. There was a Young Lady of Parma
There was a Young Lady of Parma,
Whose conduct grew calmer and calmer:
When they said, “Are you dumb?” she merely said, “Hum!”
That provoking Young Lady of Parma. (p. 70)
21. There was a Young Person of Crete
There was a Young Person of Crete,
Whose toilette was far from complete;
She dressed in a sack spickle-speckled with black,
That ombliferous Person of Crete. (p. 73)
22. There was a Young Lady of Clare
There was a Young Lady of Clare,
Who was madly pursued by a Bear;
When she found she was tired, she abruptly expired,
That unfortunate Lady of Clare. (p. 73)
23. There was an Old Person of Sparta
There was an Old Person of Sparta,
Who had twenty-five sons and one “darter;”
He fed them on Snails, and weighed them in scales,
That wonderful Person of Sparta. (p. 71)
24. There was an Old Man on whose nose
There was an Old Man on whose nose
Most birds of the air could repose;
But they all flew away at the closing of day,
Which relieved that Old Man and his nose. (p. 71)
25. There was a Young Girl of Majorca
There was a Young Girl of Majorca,
Whose Aunt was a very fast walker;
She walked seventy miles, and leaped fifteen stiles,
Which astonished that Girl of Majorca. (p. 69)
26. There was a Young Lady of Poole
There was a Young Lady of Poole,
Whose soup was excessively cool;
So she put it to boil by the aid of some oil,
That ingenious Young Lady of Poole. (p. 69)
27. There was an Old Person of Burton
There was an Old Person of Burton,
Whose answers were rather uncertain;
When they said, “How d’ye do?” he replied, “Who are you?”
That distressing Old Person of Burton. (p. 68)
28. There was an Old Person of Ems
There was an Old Person of Ems
Who casually fell in the Thames;
And when he was found, they said he was drowned,
That unlucky Old Person of Ems. (p. 68)
29. There was an Old Person of Chester
There was an Old Person of Chester,
Whom several small children did pester;
They threw some large stones, which broke most of his bones,
And displeased that Old Person of Chester. (p.67)
30. There was an Old Man of the Cape
There was an Old Man of the Cape,
Who possessed a large Barbary Ape;
Till the Ape, one dark night, set the house all alight,
Which burned that Old Man of the Cape. (p.67)
Related: 40 Funny Tongue Twisters for Kids
Final thoughts
I hope you have found this collection of limericks both inspiring and useful for your teaching. Incorporating Edward Lear’s timeless humor into your lessons can spark creativity and make language learning a delightful experience for your students. Remember, the page numbers referenced are based on the original copy of Lear’s “Nonsense Books,” ensuring you have an authentic glimpse into his whimsical world. Enjoy bringing these classic limericks to life in your classroom, and watch your students’ enthusiasm for learning grow!
