Poetry & literacy resources by published children's poet.
I also lead poetry workshops for UK primary schools.
Website: katewilliamspoet.com
Book news - Squeak! Squawk! Roar! Animal poems - out 9th January '25. Publisher: Otter-Barry Books.
Poetry & literacy resources by published children's poet.
I also lead poetry workshops for UK primary schools.
Website: katewilliamspoet.com
Book news - Squeak! Squawk! Roar! Animal poems - out 9th January '25. Publisher: Otter-Barry Books.
Bargain bundle!
A rich, varied assortment of writing, sharing & performing resources for-end-of-term activities. Fun, relaxation, celebration & emotion-channelling - boosting literacy skills all through. Pick & mix for different needs, abilities, topics & situations at the end of this virus-dominated summer term - a term like no other before!
There’s fun and cheer for all ages in this huge, diverse stack of activities - with literacy, art, poetry & drama stretching along the way! You’ll find everything from rhymes (to read, act, write, clap and sing) to engaging writing sheets (beautiful, funny, crazy, calming), to colouring sheets, plus fun phonics activities for early years too. Float away on a magic carpet, enact crazy dragon rhymes, colour in an intricately patterned butterfly picture - and lots more!
Bargain bundle - save 54% !
Five fun phonics writing sheets, illustrated, with simple words to sound out and write over. A range of familiar topics are presented, such as animals, weather and colours, with colouring opportunities too.
These engaging, meaningful sheets bring phonics and the written word alive for young children. All are home-made and used with pleasing results.
Simple, cheerful writing sheet. Pale coloured letters to write over, and some to copy below too.
Two short sentences:
the sun is hot
it is happy
Smiley sun and smiley face pictures add to the merriment. Children can also add a face and/or sun in the spaces.
I have many other phonics sheets in this catalogue.
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.
This phonics writing sheet offers the words ‘tap, pot, lid’ in pale colours for writing over, with extra initial letters for practice. The homely, hand-drawn pictures of these familiar objects will engage children and give meaning to the phonics and letters they’re learning. The pictures can be coloured in.
Help children sound out the words before and after writing over them, to ensure they understand and recognise them.
If interested, have many other phonics writing sheets to browse in this catalogue.
Attractively illustrated phonics writing sheet, with pale colours (assorted) for writing over.
Text - 3 lines:
hello hens
hello bat
hello big dog
There is also a ‘hello’ heading to colour in.
These simple words make meaningful sentences - cheerful greetings, engaging children and helping them to start reading.
I have many other phonics sheets in this catalogue.
Similes, metaphors, haiku, a recipe for the sea - all sorts of ocean and seaside themed poetry frames here, with lively, inspiring illustrations and presentations, encouraging even the most hesitant writers to engage and have a go, while confident poets can take off and sail out.
Bargain bundle!
Seaside writing + colouring sheet for young children. Starter phrase - "The sea is " with wavy line for writing on, and a spare line below for writing or drawing. Lots of seaside items to colour in - fish, boat, bucket and spade, sandcastle, waves, shells, sand, seaweed, etc.
Teaches about seaside flora and fauna, oceans and boats, while developing expressive writing, creativity, active vocabulary use, and fine motor skills.
See my Seaside Writing, simple, mid and harder levels, for differentiation.
Nature poems to read and write, with trees and woods as central theme; also colouring sheets - trees and woodland animals, and a midnight wood picture for inspiration. A big bunch of green environment activities - and big savings!
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
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.
8 lively, punchy rhymes to clap, chant, add to and act out. (One of the 7 sheets contains 2 rhymes.) Tips and ideas for use are provided in ‘Notes’ under each one.
These rhymes support all-round literacy, including aspects of poetry, vocabulary, speaking and listening, drama, expressive presentation and creativity.
They also support mental wellbeing and confidence, being reassuringly punchy, repetitive, meaningful and fun, with upbeat messages.
Their capacity for enacting supports physical education and fitness.
The rhymes will also enhance topic work on:
minibeasts, our world, space, oceans, the local environment, transport, sound, movement, colour, weather and more.
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
This funny, lively space rhyme supports all-round literacy. It’s simple, four-line verse can be varied to allow for different ideas, and each can be enacted or expressed with gestures, sounds or mime. Children will enjoy its catchy rhythm and be interested in the rhyme (space/face), also finding the tone cheerful and humorous. The resource offers embellishment for space topics, too, and encourages physical movement and expression.
The tips below the rhyme include handy prompts for enacting, line by line, and also for eliciting alternative alien features.
Using a simple, familiar tune, this verse could also be set to music.
This simple, two verse rhyme invites ideas, with accompanying describing words, for what you might find under the sea. A list of suggestions to prompt for is provided below it, in the Notes section.
This resource offers multiple learning and development benefits. It supports all-round literacy, including vocabulary, rhythm and rhyme; it supports seaside topic work and awareness of the wider world; its cheerful, punchy style and personal touch (‘what could there be… for me?’) supports mental wellbeing, and , as the notes point out, it also offers opportunities for physical movement and dramatic effects. The intriguing, open question that runs through the rhyme - what could there be for me under the sea? - also opens up thrilling possibilities for young children, and with adult support, this could be extended to include all sorts from sea flora and fauna to ship wrecks, pirate treasure and messages in bottles.
This simple, two-verse rhyme celebrates the colour red, listing some attractive and exciting red items. The tips below include ideas for more red things to prompt for, besides other developments.
The rhyme introduces children to rhythm, rhyme and the concept of poetry, also stretching vocabulary and developing colour awareness. It can be chanted, clapped to a tambourine or drum beat, and even set to music with a simple tune. The items mentioned can also be shaped with hands or, in some cases, enacted.
There is also a cheerful, lively tone to the rhyme, supporting mental wellbeing. Rhythm and rhyme themselves offer a pleasing, reassuring sense of security and order, so this resource also supports PSHE.
This simple, two-verse rhyme about traffic and pedestrians in a busy street provides wide scope for variation and action, stretching vocabulary, dramatic expression, sound awareness, and creativity. The tips below the verses offer handy prompts and ideas for embellishment and development.
Children will develop language skills, including vocabulary-building and dramatic expression. The rhyme also teaches rhythm and rhyme, introducing the concept of poetry. It has a cheerful, upbeat tone, and also encourages physical movement, supporting mental and physical wellbeing. Its theme supports awareness of the outside world, social behaviour and even touches on carbon footprint issues - so there’s plenty to discuss here!
If you have a percussion or musical instrument to hand, you could take the rhyme even further by setting it to music.
Two simple, punchy little rhymes about clouds, sun and sky, with upbeat, cheerful messages. Tips below for making full use of the rhymes with your young child or children. If you have a musical instrument to hand or are happy to sing unaccompanied, the rhymes can also be set to simple tunes.
This resource supports language development, dramatic expression, introductions to poetry, awareness of rhythm and rhyme, and understanding of weather, as well as positive thinking and potential for physical exercise and creative, communicative movement.