This pretty woodland picture will attract young children, and the big, bright, highlighted text will motivate them to read or sound out the ten animal words. These are all familiar, one- and two-syllable words, such as robin, frog, ants and rabbits. A handy resource for phonics and reading practice and monitoring, best used one-to-one or in small groups for most children, though able readers will enjoy working out the words independently. Also suitable for advanced EY and lower ability Yr 2 children. The resource will also support work on woods, countryside, animals, mini-beasts and nature generally.

Squirrels are fun to watch and write about, so your class will enjoy this writing sheet. The illustrations will spur ideas, and the Guide sheet will supply you with a handy list of further ideas to bring in. Follow the warm-up introduction suggestions to get everyone focused and enthused first, and set colouring pencils ready for shading in the illustrations when they’ve all had a go and read out their chosen words and phrases. The resource supports creative writing, vocabulary development and other aspects of English, while also nurturing an appreciation of the natural world and local environment.

This is an exciting, fascinating picture-poem frame, in 3 variations of graded difficulty. It will inspire your 5-7 year-olds to get dreaming and writing, drawing on passive vocabulary to express their buzzing imagination. Their castle might be dark, damp and gloomy, or grand, golden and magical, or ancient, crumbling and haunted. It’s as old as …, and as [__] as __ . What will you find inside? Treasure? A sword? A secret message? Who lives there? A lonely ghost? A fiery dragon? A bossy king? And what does he/she like to do? There’s scope for drama, humour and mystery here. Recommended for Yrs 1-2. Supports Poetry, Literacy and History. See my other Castle-themed resources too.

Young children will enjoy thinking up a word or more to complete the phrase - This frog is…, and having a go at writing it on the line provided. More words can be added below, as wanted. Encourage sounding out and emergent writing, rather than accuracy, with this writing activity, to build confidence in independent writing. Perhaps prompt for - green, hoppy, wet, patchy, jumpy, friendly, smiling, splashy or croaking, if ideas are needed. See my other simple writing sheets on wildlife themes for more variety.

Young children will enjoy thinking up a word or more to complete the given phrase - I can see… , and having a go at sounding it out and writing it on the line provided. They can then be rewarded with colouring fun, shading in this fascinating picture. For the writing, encourage children to study the picture and identify some of its features first, then let them choose their favourite one or few to write. Examples to prompt for if needed - a snail, a bird, flowers, grass, leaves, sky, the sun, a ladybird. Able writers could be encouraged to add a describing word or other embellishment. The resource promotes literacy, fine motor control, colour and shape awareness and an appreciation of the natural world.

This lively seaside picture has two wavy line spaces for describing words for the sea: “The sea is … and …”, and there’s a whole line below for further ideas. Young children will enjoy thinking up two words or more to describe the sea and having a go at writing them, before colouring in the waves, sea creatures, sand, bucket and spade and more. Children in my poetry workshops use the sheet with enthusiasm, for both writing and colouring. See my two harder versions too, plus Shells writing sheet: - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/seaside-writing-frame-r-y1-12099509, https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/seaside-writing-frame-y2-3-12099502 (free) and https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/shells-can-be-illustrated-writing-frame-guide-sheet-12099487 . Video (looking at shells) https://photos.app.goo.gl/wkeZ8K6iCfcFQneZ9

A colourful phonics writing sheet, with wording: “lots of lego”, in large, clear, pale blue letters for over-writing, and a line below for copying again. 3 Lego pieces to colour in below, and a photo of Lego above. Attractive, engaging activity for EYFS + Y1, bringing meaning to letters and their sounds and developing handwriting skills. Many other fun phonics sheets in my catalogue too.

Letters a-d and their phonics are linked to familiar pictures for sounding out and over-writing activities. The letters and words also offer rhythm and pattern for clapping and chanting: a a apple, b b ball, c c cat, d d dog. Fun and meaningful way to learn sounds and practise writing.

This attractive seaside sheet links letters and their sounds to pictures of familiar items starting with those letters: s - sea, f - fish, b - boat. Children will naturally sound out the words, without the bother of working their way through all the letters in them. This will bring meaning and interest to the sounds. The letters are pale, for writing over, with an extra set below the seaside colouring picture. VIDEO inspiration, with poem about shells: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wkeZ8K6iCfcFQneZ9 For similar sheets, see my other phonics sheets (most are recent uploads) at my shop.

Phonics a and s feature in this illustrated reading + writing sheet. Numbers to count too. Text: “2 hats 3 bats 4 cats” . Pale lettering in varied colours for over-writing. See linked sheets: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phonic-a-in-cat-12249906 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phonic-a-cat-in-a-hat-12251051 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/phonic-a-in-bat-12254461

This reading + writing activity teaches the phonic ‘o’ as in dog, fox and frog. It is fun and attractive, with varied pastel colours to write over. Young children will associate the letters and words with the pictures of familiar animals, helping them to focus on their shapes and sounds, and recall them later. I have many other phonics activities at my shop. See ‘newest’ for others like this.

Phonics to sound-out + words to read and over-write are presented on this colourful, illustrated sheet. ‘big dog’ is presented twice, with smiling dog picture, with g and d repeated for practice. Teaches vowels i and o, differentiates between b and d, and also highlights letter g. Children will love this charming dog, and will be relaxed and encouraged by the pretty flowers. I offer many similar phonics sheets. Please see ‘newest’ on my catalogue.

Phonic ‘a’ (short) writing and recognition practice sheet, with words: cat in a hat, illustrated in colour. Two extra letter a’s to write over, say and learn. The cute cat and bright hat will help children understand and learn the phonic, and the words too. I also have a simple ‘cat’ writing sheet, and many other phonic reading and writing sheets in my catalogue.

Simple writing and colouring autumn leaf sheet for emergent and newly independent writers. Children can either write on the lines (leaf veins), turning the paper round as need be, which is fun to do, or they can write their words in the gaps or round the outside of the picture. Suggested words to prompt for: yellow, brown, red, golden, curly, floaty, light, colourful, soft, thin, old, torn, spotty, pretty, flappy, delicate, crispy.

National Curriculum word lists for Year 2 are represented, category by category, in these 2 spelling tests. Each comes with teacher’s version to read out and children’s child-friendly version to write. First test has 15 questions; second has 16. The children’s versions have gaps to fill; the teacher’s versions have words highlighted to instruct children to write in the gaps provided, as in SATs tests. Children’s papers also have stars to colour in at start and end. See also child-friendly word lists for reading practice and assessment: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-spelling-reading-assessment-practice-mid-level-12107263, https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-spelling-reading-assessment-practice-sheet-hardest-12107572 (mid-level + hardest).

Bring Literacy, Space studies and Healthy Living to life with this hilarious writing sheet. How do Martians keep fit? By swinging from the moon? By running round black holes? By competing in floating races? The line-starters and prompts will fire up ideas and set pens rolling. See the accompanying guide sheet for examples and ideas to prompt with. Recommended for Yr 2 upwards. Pool ideas first - both for space features and keep-fit methods, and share ideas for filling the gaps before independent writing. SEE ALSO: Meals for Martians - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/meals-for-martians-fun-sheet-guide-12115040, and Funny Space Rhymes - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/funny-space-rhymes-12051967 . More space writing resources at my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/katewilliams_poetry?sortBy=newest&p=2 .

Writing about baby animals and springtime is fun and inspiring for young children. These three graded writing frames provide stimulating pictures and easy starting points for verbs and adjectives for baby bunnies, young robins and the fresh spring grass, with spare lines for more on the hardest version, and space for more on all three. There’s plenty to colour too. Preparation: before starting, lead children in imitating young animals, birds and insects that you see in the spring, focusing particularly on rabbits and robins. Elicit appropriate action words, e.g. bouncing, skipping, hopping, bobbing, dancing and playing, for the bunnies, and hopping, flapping, tweeting, singing, pecking, flying and fluttering for the robin. The grass might be tall, fresh, green, wavy, soft, bright, dewy or damp. Discuss how flowers and leaves open out too, as the days grow warmer.

This fun reading card supports teaching of the “oo” phonic and spelling. Newly independent readers will enjoy sounding out the 3 animal-themed sentences and making the creature noises - The dove says coo. The cow says moo. The owl says twit-twoo. An adult can point out the “oo” sounds and prompt a discussion about the sounds and picture, developing phonics, reading, speaking and listening skills simultaneously. See the others in this series.

Beginner readers can sound out the words “Hooray! I can play today”, with adult help as needed, and identify the “ay” sounds, again with support. Supports phonics-learning and reading, also offering a discussion point. See the others in this series.

Young children will enjoy thinking up a word for the hedgehog, to complete the phrase - This hedgehog…, sounding it out and having a go at the writing. Perhaps prompt for - spiky, shy, prickly, quiet, little, crawly, spiny, brown, hungry, sleepy, friendly, busy or cute. Present the colouring activity as a reward for the writing effort, to ensure children give it a try. This will build their confidence in writing, as well as helping them focus on this animal’s features and natural environment, nurturing an appreciation of the natural world.