Emergent writers will enjoy thinking up describing words for the sea and writing them on the waves of this lively seaside scene. The sheet is very popular with children in my poetry workshops, offering exciting colouring opportunities as well as writing fun. See the harder (free) and easier versions, too.

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.

Space studies and writing practice are both brought to life with these fun acrostic poem frames. Give the easier, shorter-line version to younger/less able writers, and the long-line version for confident writers. With the first, ask for a single describing word to tie in with each letter down the page; for the second, ask for a phrase or sentence on each line, again tying in with the letters down the page. See Examples sheet for ideas to prompt for - supplied for each version. There’s space for an extra letter below each. Perhaps suggest making PLANET into PLANETS, for a line starting with S, or suggest they give their planet a letter name, e.g. Planet G or Planet H. Then they can think of a word/phrase starting with that letter too. Space is provided on each version for student’s own illustration. Supports Literacy (vocabulary, phonics, creative writing, poetry, hand-writing and presentation), and Space studies.

Healthy eating (PSHE) support, helping to nurture a love of fresh fruit. The 3-verse rhyme celebrates oranges, encouraging listeners to eat and appreciate them. The lines are rhythmic, rhyming, punchy, accessible and fun. Read it out loud, chant with class, add in actions or clapping, set to music or percussion, and discuss. Ideally, bring in some real oranges or tangerines for children to handle, peel and taste first.

A fun literacy activity, supporting transport, journey and design studies. Recommended for Juniors (7-11 yrs). The illustrated writing sheet invites ideas for colour, name and vehicle features, with wide scope and plenty of writing space for imaginative ideas. Two similes are also invited: as shiny as, and as fast as. Will appeal to boys and girls alike, and to writers of all working levels.

Dinosaurs are exciting to write about, especially when you invent your own! This accessible, illustrated creative writing frame comes in easy and harder versions, for approx. Yrs 2 - 4. Supports Dinosaurs and related topics, and Literacy too. Get your whole class writing with enthusiasm and expression, while thinking and learning about the prehistoric world too!

These healthy eating word lists can be drawn from, built on and referred to in class discussion and writing. There are two full-page lists, one comprising descriptive words, e.g. Nutritious; the other listing food and drink examples, e.g. Unsalted nuts. Handy for prompts and inspiration throughout your healthy eating topic work. Recommended for Years 2-6 (age 6-11 approx.).

Healthy eating becomes meaningful for children when thinking up healthy foods beginning with particular letters, e.g. Green beans for the last letter in “Healthy eating”. Adjectives, like Gorgeous, and phrases, like Good for you (for the G letter), are also fun and meaningful to select. The Ideas Sheet provides plenty of suggestions for each letter of the acrostic, to prompt for as needed. Supports Literacy as well as healthy eating drives. Recommended for upper Juniors (9-11 approx.).

These three little poems feature a caterpillar, a spider and a swarm of ants, each rhyme being informative as well as punchy and fun. Read out, chant and clap them with class, then discuss, enact, draw and write about these fascinating little creatures, with the verses to inspire and inform. The rhymes will support outdoor classroom activities and all related studies. Ideal for Early Years, KS1 and lower juniors. Supports Literacy - poetry and language - too.

Three beautiful, fun, punchy rhymes about spring, for Early Years and KS1. Baby animals, hatching birds, green leaves, budding flowers, growing grass, fresh, blue skies and other wonders of springtime are addressed in these buoyant little verses. They can be read out for listening, chanted and clapped together, enacted, discussed, illustrated, put to music or percussion, and referred to for inspiration and guidance when going outside to enjoy a fine spring day. The poems are my own.

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.

Young children will enjoy colouring in this lively natural scene, and identifying insects and other crawly creatures as they work. They will develop colour awareness, fine motor skills and an understanding of the minibeasts and their natural environment, as they bring the picture alive with their own creative input.

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.

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.

As children colour in this star, in their own way, they’ll focus in on the concept of space, also absorbing and perhaps colouring in the other features in the picture. They’ll develop design technique, creativity, colour differentiation and fine motor control, and enjoy discussing the picture too, so this simple resource offers multiple learning and development potential. **SEE ALSO: ROCKET colouring sheet ** - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/rocket-colouring-sheet-11975239 + MY STAR IS - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/my-star-is-3-graded-versions-of-a-star-picture-poem-frame-early-yrs-yr-1-yr-2-11886766 .

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 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.

Young children will enjoy thinking up a word to complete the phrase - This butterfly is…, sounding out their word and having a go at writing it. Colouring the picture could be a reward for their writing effort. Perhaps prompt for words like - pretty, colourful, red, blue, gentle, peaceful, soft, floaty, little, dancing, flappy, happy, beautiful. Let them attempt long words as they wish, building confidence in independent, expressive writing.

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.