Mother Goose Rhymes that are stories

Some rhymes are longer and tell a complete story. This beloved rhyme does well with your child on your lap. You can also read the rhyme from a nicely illustrated book so your child can look at the pictures. 

Three little kittens
They lost their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh, Mother dear,
We sadly fear
Our mittens we have lost.
What! Lost your mittens,
You naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.
No, you shall have no pie.

The three little kittens
They found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
Oh, Mother dear,
See here, see here,
Our mittens we have found.
Put on your mittens,
You silly kittens,
And you shall have some pie.
Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r,
Oh, let us have some pie.

The three little
Put on their mittens
And soon ate up the pie;
Oh, Mother dear,
We greatly fear
Our mittens we have soiled.
What! Soiled your mittens,
You naughty kittens!
Then they began to sigh,
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow,
Then they began to sigh.

The three little kittens
They washed their mittens,
And hung them up to dry;
Oh, Mother dear,
Do you not hear,
Our mittens we have washed.
What! Washed your mittens,
Then you're good little kittens,
But I smell a rat close by.
Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow,
We smell a rat close by.

I used to really play up the words "What! lost your mittens, you naughty kittens" by saying it very dramatically. Young children find the expression funny.

This next one is very funny showing that humor is part of Mother Goose rhymes. Again, try reading it to your child from a book so he or she can follow along with the pictures and see more of the humor.

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To get her old dog a bone;
But when she got there
The cupboard was bare
And so the old dog had none.

She went to the baker's
To buy him some bread;
But when she got back
The poor dog was dead.

She went to the undertaker's
To buy him a coffin;
But when she got back
The poor dog was laughing.

She took a clean dish
To get him some tripe;
But when she got back
He was smoking  a pipe.

She went to the fishmonger's
To buy him some fish;
But when she got back
He was licking the dish.

She went to the tavern
For white wine and red;
But when she got back
The dog stood on his head.

She went to the fruiter's
To buy him some fruit;
But when she came back
He was playing the flute.

She went to the tailor's
To buy him a coat;
But when she came back
He was riding a goat.

She went to the hatter's
To buy him a hat;
But when she came back
He was feeding the cat.

She went to the barber's
To buy him a wig;
But when she came back
He was dancing a jig.

She went to the cobbler's
To buy him some shoes;
But when she came back
He was reading the news.

She went to the seamstress
To buy him some linen;
But when she came back
The dog was a-spinning.

She went to the hosier's
To buy him some hose;
But when she came back
He was dressed in his clothes.

The dame made a curtsey,
The dog made a bow;
The dame said, Your servant,
The dog said, Bow-wow.