10 Fun Poetry Activities for KS2 Classrooms
Poetry can sometimes feel like one of the trickier areas of the English curriculum, but when it’s taught in fun and creative ways it quickly becomes a highlight of the school week. Children love rhythm, rhyme, and performance, and the right activity can turn even the most reluctant writers into confident poets.
In this post I’ve pulled together 10 fun poetry activities KS2 teachers can use straight away in their classrooms. Each one is simple to set up, full of creativity, and designed to help children develop confidence in reading, writing, and performing poetry. Whether you’re looking for a five-minute starter or a longer literacy session, these ideas will inspire your pupils to play with words, experiment with rhythm and rhyme, and enjoy poetry as much as stories or songs.
Let’s dive in and explore 10 tried-and-tested poetry activities that will get your class buzzing with ideas.
1. Calligrams and Shape Poems
Children write a word or short phrase in the shape of its meaning — for example, the word star written in a star shape, or river flowing across the page. This activity is brilliant for visual learners and helps children think about the relationship between words and meaning.
2. Performance Poetry Challenges
Give your class a short poem and set challenges: perform it with actions, in different voices, as a whisper, or as a choral piece. This builds confidence, fluency, and a love of rhythm and rhyme.
3. Tongue Twister Showdowns
Share famous tongue twisters (or let children create their own). Run a fun contest to see who can say them fastest without mistakes. It’s a playful way to build articulation and listening skills.
4. Acrostic Poem Starters
Choose a topical word (e.g. AUTUMN or FRIENDSHIP). Pupils write each line beginning with the letters in turn. Challenge them to use ambitious vocabulary instead of obvious choices.
5. Kennings Poetry Games
Introduce kennings — compound words or short phrases that describe something through clues (e.g. whale-road for sea, sky-candle for sun). Pupils can write kennings about animals, classmates, or themselves.
6. Limerick Laugh-Off
Teach the rhythm and structure of limericks. Pupils write their own silly limericks and then perform them in pairs or small groups. A perfect activity for exploring rhyme and rhythm with humour.
7. Narrative Poetry with a Twist
Choose a short traditional tale or fairy story and ask children to retell it as a narrative poem. Encourage rhyme and repetition. This works well as a group writing task with each team taking one section of the story.
8. Class Poetry Performances
Pick a poem for the whole class to learn and perform together. Experiment with splitting into groups, adding actions, using percussion, or even performing it as a mini play.
9. Poetry Mash-Ups with Music and Rhythm
Provide simple percussion instruments or body percussion (claps, clicks, stamps). Pupils add rhythm to a poem or chant their own verses in time to a beat. Great for kinaesthetic learners.
10. Create a Class Poetry Anthology
Ask each pupil to contribute one poem — perhaps from one of the activities above. Collect them into a booklet (printed or digital) and share it with parents or other classes. This gives children a real sense of pride and purpose in their writing.
Why Fun Poetry Activities Help KS2 Learning
Poetry is now a central part of the National Curriculum for English. From Year 1 upwards, children are expected to read, recite, and write poems of different forms. Activities like these don’t just tick boxes — they help children find their voices as writers, experiment with language, and build confidence performing for others.
By weaving poetry into everyday literacy lessons, teachers can improve vocabulary, sentence fluency, and creative thinking. Most importantly, poetry helps children see the joy in words — something that stays with them far beyond the classroom.
FAQs About Teaching Poetry in KS2
What are fun ways to teach poetry in KS2?
Using games and performance-based activities is the easiest way to make poetry fun. Try tongue twisters, calligrams, or limericks to get children engaged quickly.
What poems should KS2 children learn?
Choose poems that are rhythmic, memorable, and enjoyable to perform. Narrative poems, funny verses, and classic performance poems work brilliantly.
How do you make poetry engaging for reluctant writers?
Keep activities short and interactive. Pair reluctant writers with strong performers and use group work so no child feels under pressure. Visual tasks like shape poems can help less confident writers succeed.
What are examples of poetry writing activities for Year 4?
Acrostics, kennings, limericks, and simple performance poems are all age-appropriate for Year 4. They combine structure with creativity, which helps children develop confidence.
Conclusion
Poetry doesn’t have to be a challenge for teachers or pupils. With the right activities, it can become one of the most engaging and rewarding parts of your literacy teaching. From performance poetry to calligrams and tongue twisters, each of these activities encourages children to use their imaginations, build confidence, and have fun with language.
If you’d like to take the next step and bring poetry to life in your school, you can book me for an in-person or online poetry day where I perform my own poems and lead workshops packed with creative ideas just like these. Your pupils will leave inspired, confident, and excited to write their own verses.
📚 Explore more resources, find out how to Book a Poetry Day, or take a look at my poetry books and digital downloads designed especially for primary classrooms.
