Phonic ‘o’ as in fox and box - writing practice with pictures to colour. Simple, but fun and meaningful, bringing ‘o’ alive for young children. See my other phonics activities too, spread through my catalogue.

A punchy, 4-verse rhyme about shells, with guidance notes for presentation and development, for use with young children. Can be chanted with hand gestures, with scope for more verses using children’s volunteered alternative describing words for shells. Supports speaking and listening skills, drama, presentation, self-confidence, seaside topics and more. The four rhyming verses describe sea shells in different ways, drawing attention to different types and their varying features, and the beauty and jewel-like quality of underwater shells, too. Video: Here’s me talking about shells, showing some, and reciting the poem, at a make-believe seaside: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wkeZ8K6iCfcFQneZ9 . Here’s a writing/colouring sheet to follow on with: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/shells-can-be-illustrated-writing-frame-guide-sheet-12099487

This lively action-rhyme consists of four couplets. Each tells of a spider’s movements, dangling, landing (on your head), running round your hair… running everywhere. The notes below it provide tips for acting out these different stages. The rhyme supports all-round literacy, including vocabulary, speaking and listening, expressive and creative presentation, and rhythm and rhyme development. It also teaches children about spiders and helps them to appreciate these delicate mini creatures, reducing any fears they may have of them. Tapping or shaking the beat will add to the punch and fun of this rhyme, while acting out provides an alternative approach. Perhaps do both by turn.

This two-verse ladybird rhyme has rhythm, rhyme and word fun. There’s ample scope for acting out, too, and the notes below the text provide a few tips for this. The rhyme supports all-round literacy, including vocabulary, rhyme and imagery (red as a poppy). It also develops awareness of insects and appreciation of their tiny, delicate features. Enacting the verses will encourage creative, expressive movement, and the cheerful tone will support mental wellbeing, too. You may also like my spider rhyme: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/rhyme-spider-12304548

Alphabet letters g, h, i, and their sounds, are presented here in pale colours for over-writing, alongside pictures of familiar things starting with those letters/sounds: gorilla, hat, igloo. The full words are left to the young reader to think of and sound out, bringing meaning and relevance to the letters, rather than baffling them with whole written words. This activity links up with my others in this style, so far a, b, c, d, and (recapping) c, d, e, f. You’ll find these and lots more simple phonics activities at my shop (search for ‘Phonics’ and ‘Phonic’). Also colouring to do. Tried and tested with success.

Children of all ages will love this inspiring, yet simple creative writing frame. The flowing lines between the gliding, twirling dragonflies offer infinite scope for poetic expression. IDEAS: Some children may like to fill the lines with adjectives (glittery, bright, fast, delicate…), others with verbs (darting, gliding, shooting, dancing…); others again might write phrases (like - dazzling dragonflies hovering in the silky blue), similes (fast as jets, bright as bows…), or rhymes (delicate dragonfly/in the azure sky/lightly, brightly zig-zagging by). PREPARE your class by building ideas and language, perhaps with the help of watching real ones, live or on a video, miming their movements and sharing language ideas. Supports Literacy, including poetry, vocabulary and creativity. Also supports topics: seasons & weather, mini-beasts, flight, animals, forces, travel, symmetry, colour, movement, environment, and more. **SEE ALSO: BUTTERFLY - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/butterfly-picture-poem-frame-eyfs-y1-guidance-notes-11885225 , LADYBIRD - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ladybird-picture-poem-frame-early-yrs-yr1-guidance-notes-11885212, SPIDER - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/2-spider-picture-poem-frames-guide-11887282 .

Children love colours, and are always keen to say which their favourite colour is, so they’ll love this writing and colouring sheet. There is one writing line, starting - I like the colour ___ , with a large space for them to write their favourite one. Let them sound it out and have a go at the writing, even if the spelling is wrong, to build confidence in writing. Later, they could repeat the task with a word card to guide their spelling. They can colour in the shapes with that colour, or with a mix for variety and design fun. This resource promotes shape and pattern awareness as well as literacy, colour sense and fine motor control.

Newly independent readers will enjoy sounding out the words in this sentence - “The gold dragon blows smoke for a joke” and looking at the picture. They will also be interested to notice (with adult prompting) the number of “oe” sounds, as in “no” or “go”. Can they think of any more? This resource promotes phonic-learning, reading, speaking and listening. See the others in this series.

Beginner readers will enjoy sounding out the words in this question - “Do you like these nice, white mice?” and pointing to the picture. Adult support may be needed, both for sounding out the sentence and for identifying the “iy” sounds. How many are there? Discuss mice and their characteristics with the reader, using the picture as a talking point, developing speaking and listening skills too.

Young children will enjoy thinking up a word to complete the given phrase - This ladybird is…, and having a go at writing it on the line. Encourage sounding out rather than accurate spelling, to build confidence in independent writing. Some words to prompt for, if ideas are needed - red, spotty, bright, tiny, shiny, shy, crawly, quiet. After writing, your pupils will be keen to colour in the picture. This resource promotes literacy, fine motor control, colour and pattern appreciation, and an appreciation of the mini-beast world and nature in general.

Let imagination take off with this exciting rocket writing and colouring sheet. Young children will enjoy choosing one or more items to complete the given phrase - I can see, sounding out the word(s) and having a go at spelling them. If anyone needs idea prompts, perhaps suggest a rocket, stars, sun, moon, spaceman or dog. The colouring part of the activity could be presented as a reward for the writing. This resource promotes literacy, fine motor skills, colour and shape awareness and an understanding of the concept of space and its contents.

Your emergent writers will love choosing an item or more from this lively picture and writing the word in the space provided to complete the phrase - I can see… More words can be added, on the line or below. Where prompts are needed, point to familiar items in the picture, e.g. dog, boy, bus or bird, and help to sound out the word. Colouring in the picture can be a reward for the writing effort. This resource promotes literacy (vocabulary, phonics, independent expression and handwriting), fine motor skills, colour awareness, shading control, and awareness of the world outside. The picture also provides a focus for discussion.

Young children will enjoy thinking up a word or more to complete the phrase - I can see…, after studying this multi-featured picture. They might choose ducks, a frog, a pond, a bird, flowers, a bee or a ladybird, for instance. They can then sound out the phonics and have a go at writing out the word(s), before colouring in the picture. This resource promotes literacy, creativity, fine motor control, a love of nature and animals, an understanding of the natural environment, and more. See my two higher-graded versions too.

This cheerfully illustrated woodland writing sheet invites emergent writers to think of a woodland creature - and perhaps a describing word to go with it, to complete the phrase: I see a . There’s an extra line below, for anything more a child might like to add. Colouring scope adds to the fun and interest. Supports studies of animals, woods, environment and seasons. See my 3 higher level versions too - easier, mid-level and hard.

At our school we ___ and ___ , this sheet says, inviting action words for the line slots. These could be: play and learn, read and write, have lunch and play ball, eat and drink, dance and sing, talk and laugh, run and jump, draw and colour, make and build, cut and stick, make friends and have fun, or other possibilities. The extra line is for any further thoughts. This sheet offers support to newcomers to the school or class, as well as literacy support. They can express their feelings and reflect their experiences, while also trying out their writing skills.

Two poems of mine, published in The School Magazine, Australia: What is a Cloud? and Puddle Pictures. (Both on one sheet.) What is a Cloud? is a metaphor poem, presenting different cloud moods with simple images. Puddle Pictures shows, in a fun, simple way, how a puddle reflects then dries. Both poems promote nature appreciation and a love of poetry. Also recommended for PSHE, being gentle, calming and upbeat.

This attractive dragon sheet has three describing words - red, hot, spiky, to be written over and copied below, as well as the title word - dragon to over-write. It’s fun to write words around a picture, especially dragon words! Yet the words are simple to sound out and clear to write over and copy, for children with a basic or partial grasp of phonics. The dragon - who’s flying over a castle - can then be coloured in. What other words could be used to describe a dragon? Able writers could add an idea or two of their own. Perhaps prompt for fiery, magic, mad, big, fast or kind.